Herbal Mushroom Soup Recipe

Rehydrate porcini

Place the dried porcini in a heatproof bowl and pour 1 cup of hot water over them. Let soak for 20 minutes. Once softened, strain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Chop the rehydrated porcini roughly and set aside. Pour the soaking liquid through a fine mesh sieve lined with paper towel or coffee filter to remove grit; reserve the liquid.

Clean and slice the fresh mushrooms (cremini and shiitake). Remove shiitake stems and slice caps; slice cremini to similar thickness so they cook evenly.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, add the unsalted butter and olive oil. When butter foams, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent, about 7–8 minutes.

Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown it.

Add the sliced cremini and shiitake mushrooms plus the chopped rehydrated porcini. Increase heat to medium-high and sauté until mushrooms release their juices and begin to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Stir occasionally so mushrooms brown and develop flavor.

If using white wine, pour it in now to deglaze the pan. Scrape up browned bits from the bottom and simmer 1–2 minutes until most alcohol cooks off.

Sprinkle the 2 tsp of flour evenly over the mushrooms (if using thickener) and stir to coat; cook 1 minute to remove raw flour taste. Alternatively skip this step for a lighter broth.

Pour in the reserved porcini soaking liquid (carefully discard any last grit) and the 6 cups of stock. Add the bay leaf and fresh thyme sprigs. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer 20 minutes to let flavors marry.

Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in soy sauce (or tamari), chopped parsley, chopped tarragon if using, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning; you may need an extra 1/2 tsp salt depending on stock saltiness.

If you want a creamier soup, stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half now and heat gently—do not boil—to combine, about 2–3 minutes. Add lemon juice to brighten the flavors and stir.

For a chunkier soup: ladle soup directly into bowls, garnish with chives and additional parsley if desired.

For a smoother, velvety texture: working in batches, puree half or two-thirds of the soup in a blender (hold lid slightly to vent) or use an immersion blender until reaching desired consistency. Return to pot, reheat gently and adjust seasoning.

If you used the flour thickener, mix 2 tablespoons cold water with the 2 teaspoons flour to make a slurry before adding earlier; otherwise any visible lumpiness can be smoothed by whisking while heating. (Note: this step is optional and only applies if using the thickening ingredients.)

Serve hot, garnished with sliced chives and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Offer crusty bread on the side.