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Serve a warm, flavorful bowl of homemade mushroom soup for a cozy, easy dinner on chilly nights. The vegetarian soup is a simple combination of earthy, buttery mushrooms with onions and herbs in a rich, creamy broth. Best of all, it’s ready on the stovetop in less than an hour!

Close up shot of a spoon in a white bowl of cream of mushroom soup with fresh herbs on top

Simple Mushroom Soup Recipe​​​​​​​

This simple, homemade cream of mushroom soup recipe comes from my mom, who has been preparing this dish for my entire life. She first found the recipe on a calendar that included a new soup for each month — all of the way back in 1976! The original recipe has obviously been tweaked and adapted over the past 44 years, but with one bite you’ll quickly see why it’s the only recipe you’ll ever need!

The creamy soup comes together in about 45 minutes, so it’s great for busy weeknights. It also tastes decadent and indulgent enough for entertaining or for fancier holiday meals. I recall many years of enjoying this mushroom soup for Christmas Eve dinner just before heading out to church. Even kids love the buttery, flavorful mushrooms in the herby, rich, and creamy broth. The secret ingredient (sherry) just takes it totally over the top — in the best way!

Overhead shot of a pot of the best mushroom soup recipe on a ladle

Which Mushrooms to Use for Soup​​​​​​​

I use sliced baby portabella mushrooms, since that’s what’s available at my small country market. If you have access to other varieties of mushrooms, feel free to use those. Good options include button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, or even wild mushrooms like chanterelles, porcini mushrooms or morels. A blend of mushrooms would be perfect! If you’d like to add some dry mushrooms, I recommend re-hydrating them before including them in the soup.

Overhead shot of a bowl of homemade mushroom soup

How to Make Mushroom Soup from Scratch

This quick and easy homemade soup comes together on the stovetop in well under an hour. Grab a loaf of crusty bread or some soft dinner rolls and a simple meal is served!

Overhead shot showing how to make mushroom soup from scratch

Ingredients​​​​​​​

  • Butter
  • Mushrooms
  • Onion
  • Flour
  • Dry mustard
  • Salt
  • Thyme
  • Chicken or vegetable broth
  • Half-and-half
  • Sherry
  • Parsley or chives
Process shot showing how to make a simple mushroom soup recipe
  1. Sauté mushrooms in butter; soften onion.
  2. Add flour and seasoning.
  3. Stir in broth and simmer until the soup thickens.
  4. Add half-and-half and sherry; cook on low just until heated through.
  5. Stir in fresh herbs and serve!
Overhead image of a simple mushroom soup recipe in a Dutch oven with fresh herbs on top

What Goes with Mushroom Soup — Serving Suggestions​​​​​​​

A bowl of mushroom soup is delicious alongside a crusty loaf of baguette or no-knead bread, homemade crescent rolls, soft dinner rolls, a French baguette or focaccia bread. For something green, offer a Caesar salad, Wedge salad, or spinach salad as well. You can’t beat the classic combination of soup, salad and bread for a hearty winter meal!

Spoon in a bowl of creamy mushroom soup with rolls in the background

Storage

Make the soup in advance, allow it to cool completely, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

How to Freeze Homemade Mushroom Soup

If you want to prepare the soup well in advance and store it in the freezer, do not add the half-and-half or cream. Allow the soup to cool completely, package in airtight containers or Ziploc freezer bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Add the cream and sherry to the warm soup just before serving.

To Reheat

Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight. Place the soup in a saucepan or soup pot and heat on low, just until warmed through. Add the half-and-half and sherry at the end. Do not let the soup boil.

Front shot of a bowl of cream of mushroom soup with fresh parsley on top

Recipe Variations

  • I typically use half-and-half, but you can substitute with low-fat half-and-half or even fat-free half-and-half. Heavy cream will also work for an even richer, creamier broth.
  • Mushroom Barley Soup: add about 2 cups of cooked barley to the broth at the same time that you add the half-and-half.
  • Chicken Mushroom Soup: add about 2 cups of cooked, diced or shredded chicken to the broth at the same time that you add the half-and-half. This would be a great way to use up leftovers or to take advantage of a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
  • Wild Rice Mushroom Soup: Add 2 cups of cooked wild rice to the broth at the same time that you add the half-and-half.
  • Double the mushrooms. You can add more mushrooms for a thicker, heartier bowl of soup. As my mom noted on her handwritten recipe card, “the more, the merrier!”
  • I prefer the chunky soup with large pieces of mushroom throughout; however, you can puree a portion of the soup if you like a smoother texture.

Tips for the Best Mushroom Soup Recipe

  • Sherry is a fortified wine that adds so much rich flavor to this broth. Don’t omit this ingredient — it really sets the soup apart from its counterparts! In a pinch, you can substitute with red wine, white wine, marsala wine or port. Just make sure that you’re not using sherry vinegar.
  • Fresh herbs are best, since they brighten up the soup and add a nice contrast to the earthy mushrooms.
  • Once you add the half-and-half, do not let the soup boil. Warm over low heat, then serve. Boiling may cause the cream to curdle.
  • This recipe yields a relatively small portion of soup — about 5 cups. If you’re feeding a larger family, I recommend doubling all of the ingredients.
Front shot of a spoon scooping up homemade mushroom soup

More Homemade Soup Recipes to Try

Close up shot of a spoon in a white bowl of cream of mushroom soup with fresh herbs on top

Creamy Mushroom Soup

5 from 1 vote
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings 5 cups
Calories 176 kcal
A rich and creamy mushroom soup is a cozy, flavorful, easy dinner that's perfect for chilly evenings!

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
  • 8 ounces fresh, sliced mushrooms
  • ¼ cup finely-diced onion
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, plus additional (to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (for a vegetarian soup)
  • 2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons sherry
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or chives

Instructions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt; sauté until the mushrooms soften and release their juices. Reduce the heat to low; continue cooking and stirring the mushrooms until golden brown, about 8-10 more minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 more minutes.
  • Add flour, dry mustard, salt and thyme. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gradually add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until the broth thickens. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the half-and-half and sherry. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 more minutes, or until the soup is warmed through. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley or chives.

Notes

  • Sherry is a fortified wine that adds so much rich flavor to this broth. Don’t omit this ingredient — it really sets the soup apart from its counterparts! In a pinch, you can substitute with red wine, white wine, marsala wine or port. Just make sure that you’re not using sherry vinegar.
  • Fresh herbs are best, since they brighten up the soup and add a nice contrast to the earthy mushrooms.
  • Once you add the half-and-half, do not let the soup boil. Warm over low heat, then serve. Boiling may cause the cream to curdle.
  • This recipe yields a relatively small portion of soup — about 5 cups. If you’re feeding a larger family, I recommend doubling all of the ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 740mgPotassium: 357mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 357IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 107mgIron: 1mg
Keyword: cream of mushroom soup, mushroom soup
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Author: Blair Lonergan
blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

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Comments

  1. Blair thank you so much for sharing all the wonderful recipes with all of us. I have really enjoyed your site and many of the wonderful dishes.
    I have a question concerning this mushroom soup recipe. I have never cooked with a sherry before so is there a type or brand I should look for? Thank you

    1. Hi, Becki! There’s not really a specific brand that I recommend — I just tend to buy what my store has in stock. I wouldn’t get the “sherry cooking wine,” though. I think the quality is better when you buy a real bottle of sherry in the same section where you find the ports and other wines. Hope that helps, and enjoy the soup. It’s a personal favorite!

  2. 5 stars
    Another amazing recipe with a glass of white wine and a baguette! Thank you so much—on a cold nite in Annapolis listening to Phantom of the Opera soundtrack