Creamy Mushroom Soup From Scratch (October 2026) – Easy

There’s a reason canned cream of mushroom soup shows up in so many weeknight recipes: it’s comforting, it’s familiar, and it gets the job done. But once you’ve had creamy mushroom soup from scratch, made with real browned creminis and a splash of heavy cream at the end, the can never quite cuts it again. This version comes together in about 40 minutes, uses mostly pantry staples, and rewards you with a velvety, deeply savory bowl that tastes like it cooked all afternoon.

If you’ve ever ended up with thin, bland mushroom soup that tastes more like hot milk than dinner, this is the recipe for you. I’ll walk you through the small but important moves that turn simple mushrooms, onions, broth, and cream into the kind of soup you’d happily serve with a slice of warm bread on a cold night.

Why This Recipe Works

• Dry-sauté the mushrooms first. Mushrooms release a lot of water, and if you crowd the pan, they’ll steam instead of brown. Cooking them in two batches without butter gives you deep golden edges and a serious umami boost.
• Build a butter-and-flour roux. A short roux thickens the soup without flouriness and gives the final bowl that silky body, not a starchy film on the spoon.
• Add cream at the very end. Tempering the cream in off the heat keeps the soup from splitting, so you get a smooth, glossy finish instead of curdled bits.
• Layer flavor in stages. Onions and garlic, then browned mushrooms, then a quick deglaze with white wine (or broth), then thyme, then broth to simmer. Each step adds a layer you actually taste in the finished bowl.
• Blend to the texture you like. An immersion blender gives you a smooth, velvety soup in about a minute. Pulse less for a chunkier, more rustic result.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28g)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 pounds cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (about 8 cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16g)
• 0.5 cup dry white wine (or use 0.5 cup extra broth)
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 0.5 teaspoon dried)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional, for depth)
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives or parsley, chopped, for serving

A note on mushrooms: Creminis are my go-to for everyday cooking because they have a deeper, earthier flavor than white button mushrooms and they’re available everywhere. If you want even more depth, swap in 0.5 pound of shiitake (stems removed) for some of the creminis. For a really special bowl, soak a small handful of dried porcini in hot water for 15 minutes, then chop and add them with their strained soaking liquid for the broth.

Dairy-free swap: Use full-fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream. It adds a faint coconut note, so pair it with a squeeze of lime instead of lemon and a few torn basil leaves at the end.

Equipment

• A heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (at least 5-quart capacity)
• A wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
• An immersion blender, or a countertop blender for the smoothest finish
• A ladle for serving
• A sharp knife and cutting board for slicing the mushrooms evenly

If you don’t have an immersion blender, a regular blender works beautifully. Just blend in batches with the lid slightly vented (cover the opening loosely with a folded kitchen towel) so steam can escape, and return the soup to the pot to finish.

How to Make Creamy Mushroom Soup From Scratch

1. Melt the butter and olive oil. Set the pot over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted and stops foaming, you’re ready to start.
2. Cook the aromatics. Add the chopped onion and a small pinch of salt. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
3. Dry-sauté the mushrooms. Add all the mushrooms, the teaspoon of salt, and the black pepper. Stir to coat, then spread them out and let them cook, stirring only every couple of minutes, for 10 to 12 minutes. The mushrooms will release their liquid, then the liquid will cook off, and finally the mushrooms will start to turn deep golden. This is the step that builds most of the soup’s flavor, so don’t rush it.
4. Stir in the flour. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. The flour should coat everything and smell slightly nutty, not raw.
5. Deglaze with wine. Pour in the white wine and use your spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Let the wine bubble and reduce by about half, which takes 2 to 3 minutes. If you’re skipping the wine, use 0.5 cup of broth and skip straight to the next step.
6. Add the broth and herbs. Pour in the broth, add the thyme and bay leaf, and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to keep it at a low, lazy bubble and cook uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, until the soup has thickened slightly and the mushrooms are very tender.
7. Blend until smooth. Remove the bay leaf. If you’re using an immersion blender, lower it into the pot and blend until the soup is as smooth or as chunky as you like, about 1 minute for a fully velvety bowl. If you’re using a countertop blender, work in batches and don’t fill the jar more than two-thirds full.
8. Finish with cream. Take the pot off the heat. In a small bowl, stir together the cream and the Dijon mustard, if using. Slowly pour about a third of the warm soup into the cream, whisking constantly, then stir the tempered cream back into the pot. This gentle step keeps the cream from curdling.
9. Season and serve. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or a small squeeze of lemon juice until the flavors really pop. The lemon is optional but it brightens everything. Ladle into bowls and top with chives or parsley.

The finished soup should be silky, pourable, and lightly thick, with a deep golden-brown color from the mushrooms, not a pale cream. If you like it even thicker, simmer the blended soup a few minutes longer before adding the cream. For a thinner soup, stir in an extra 0.5 cup of warm broth at the end.

Tips for Success

• Don’t crowd the pan. If your pot is smaller, cook the mushrooms in two batches. Crowded mushrooms steam, and steamed mushrooms never brown.
• Wait for the water to really cook off. You’ll know the mushrooms are ready when the bottom of the pot stays dry for a few seconds after you stir. That’s when browning begins.
• Use low-sodium broth. Cream and butter bring their own salt, so starting with a low-sodium broth lets you control the final seasoning.
• Temper the cream. Adding cold cream straight into hot soup can break the dairy, leaving little flecks. Whisking a little hot soup into the cream first gently warms it and keeps the texture smooth.
• Season at the end. Salt concentrates as the soup simmers, so a final taste and adjust after blending and after adding the cream gives you the cleanest flavor.
• Skip the lemon for kid-friendly bowls. A small squeeze brightens the soup, but a heavy hand can make it taste sour. Start with a teaspoon and add more only if needed.

If your soup turns out thin, try the techniques in How to Thicken Soup Without Flour: 7 Easy Methods. A cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water) is the quickest fix, and it stirs in clear without changing the flavor.

Variations

• Dairy-free creamy mushroom soup: Swap the butter for olive oil and use 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream. Finish with lime juice and torn basil instead of chives and lemon.
• Hearty chicken mushroom soup: Stir in 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken at the end, along with the cream. It’s a complete one-bowl dinner, especially with a slice of crusty bread on the side.
• Loaded baked potato style: Stir 1 cup of diced cooked potato into the soup during the simmer, then top bowls with crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, and a dollop of sour cream.
• Wild mushroom version: Replace half the creminis with a mix of shiitake, oyster, and stemmed and chopped dried porcini. The mixed mushrooms give a deeper, more complex flavor that’s lovely for a dinner party.
• Sherry instead of white wine: A 0.25 cup splash of dry sherry at the deglaze step adds a nutty, almost caramel note that pairs beautifully with the mushrooms. A dry white vermouth is another great option.

If you love a cozy bowl of soup, you’ll also want to check out these 10 Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipes From Scratch for more weeknight ideas.

Storage, Make-Ahead and Reheating

In the fridge: Let the soup cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. It keeps well for 3 to 4 days. The flavor actually deepens overnight, so leftovers are sometimes even better than the day-of bowl.

In the freezer: For the best texture, freeze the soup before adding the cream, or freeze it fully made and accept that it may be slightly less silky after thawing. Cool completely, transfer to freezer-safe containers or heavy zip-top bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. If freezing fully made, stir in a fresh splash of cream when you reheat.

Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often. Add a small splash of broth if the soup has thickened too much in the fridge. Avoid boiling once the cream is in, as high heat can cause it to break.

For more detailed guidance on how long soup lasts, see How Long Does Homemade Soup Last in the Fridge? Safe Storage.

What to Serve With It

• Crusty bread or garlic toast. A thick slice of sourdough, or my favorite, a chunk of warm baguette, is perfect for dunking and soaking up every drop.
• A simple green salad. Peppery arugula with a sharp lemon vinaigrette balances the richness of the cream beautifully.
• Grilled cheese. A classic grilled cheese on sourdough is honestly hard to beat next to a bowl of creamy mushroom soup.
• Roasted chicken. If you’re serving the soup as a starter, a small portion of simply roasted chicken with herbs keeps the whole meal light and savory.
• A baked potato. For a heartier dinner, serve a small bowl of the soup alongside a split baked potato topped with butter, chives, and a little sour cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Creamy mushroom soup from scratch is one of those recipes that feels like a small win every time you make it. The hands-on work is just 25 minutes or so, the ingredients are mostly pantry staples, and the result is the kind of cozy, deeply savory bowl that turns an ordinary weeknight into something a little more special.

If you’re making it for the first time, follow the dry-sauté step closely. That’s where the flavor lives, and once you see the mushrooms go from pale and steamy to deeply golden, you’ll have the technique down for every mushroom soup that comes after. If you make this creamy mushroom soup from scratch, I’d love to hear what you served it with.