Mushroom Soup Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Clean mushrooms by wiping with a damp cloth or quick rinse and pat dry. Slice mushrooms, finely dice onion, carrot, and celery, mince garlic, and strip thyme leaves from stems. Reserve 2 oz of sliced mushrooms for garnish.

Heat a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add butter and olive oil and melt until butter is foamy.

Add the diced onion, carrot and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Season lightly with a pinch of salt to help draw out moisture.

Add the minced garlic and fresh thyme. Cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring so the garlic does not brown.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the bulk of the sliced mushrooms (reserve amount set aside) to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and that liquid has mostly evaporated and the mushrooms are browned, about 8–10 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture and stir to coat. Cook for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste while stirring continuously.

Deglaze the pot with the white wine (or 1/2 cup extra stock). Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer and reduce by half, about 1–2 minutes.

Add the stock and bay leaf, stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook for 15–20 minutes to meld flavors.

Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to partially or fully purée the soup to your desired texture (leave some mushroom pieces for body), or transfer in batches to a blender and purée, then return to pot.

Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream or crème fraîche (if using). Warm gently over low heat—do not boil after adding dairy. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

If soup is too thick, thin with additional stock or water, 1–2 tablespoons at a time, until desired consistency is reached. If it needs brightness, stir in the optional lemon juice.

In a small skillet over medium heat, add 1 tsp olive oil. Sauté the reserved 2 oz mushroom slices until nicely browned and edges crisp, about 4–6 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls, top with browned mushroom slices, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and finish with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve hot.