By Becky Hardin
Published Oct 25, 2018
Early in my cooking career, I was guilty of using canned cream of mushroom soup all the time. It’s so creamy, rich, and flavorful… how could I not?! But once I discovered homemade cream of mushroom soup, I couldn’t go back to canned. The flavor is so much richer and more decadent. Plus, it’s easy to prepare and insanely versatile! I use it in all my favorite dishes.
What’s in This Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe?
Cream of mushroom soup is not only a classic soup recipe, it’s also a classic ingredient in many delicious dishes! It’s creamy, it’s savory, and it has such a rich flavor. This homemade cream of mushroom soup recipe is so easy to make, and it really comes in handy throughout the fall and winter seasons.
- Shallots: Add a sweet and earthy flavor to this soup.
- Garlic: Adds a savory and earthy flavor to this soup.
- Flour: All-purpose flour helps thicken up this creamy soup.
- Sherry: Dry sherry wine deglazes the pan to lift the flavorful fond and balances the savoriness of the soup by adding a light acidic element.
- Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth forms the umami base of this soup. To make it vegetarian, simply swap chicken broth for vegetable broth.
- Salt + Pepper: Enhances the natural flavor of the mushrooms.
- Bay Leaf: Deepens the flavor of this soup.
- Thyme: Adds a light herbal flavor to the soup that complements the mushrooms.
- Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms (also known as white button mushrooms) have a mild earthy flavor and a meaty texture, making them perfect for this rich soup.
- Half-and-Half: Helps create a luxuriously creamy soup. Do not use a lower-fat dairy as a substitute; it will not work.
Recipes with Cream of Mushroom Soup
These are some of my favorite recipes to use this homemade cream of mushroom soup in:
- Classic Green Bean Casserole
- Velveeta Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
- King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese
How to Store
If you just want to keep it for a few days, up to 3 days in the refrigerator will work just fine. This is a great option if you want to make it a couple days before Thanksgiving and then use it in a few recipes.
How to Freeze
To freeze cream of mushroom soup: First let the soup cool in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, and then transfer it into freezer-safe bags.
I recommend pouring it into quart-sized bags so that it is portioned off ahead of time, making it easy to store and easy to grab and thaw for individual recipes. It will keep in the freezer up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
When you’re ready to serve the soup, have some fun with it. I like to add some fresh thyme leaves on top, slice and sauté some mushrooms to throw in for texture, or add in a handful of these homemade croutons for the crunch.
I love this stuff as an appetizer before a nice steak dinner or as a side dish along with a mushroom swiss burger or a steak salad . It’s such a great savory addition to any meal.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
I recommend bringing the half-and-half to room temperature before adding it to the soup. Cold half-and-half is more likely to curdle from the rapid temperature change.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (⅜ stick)
- ▢ 2 shallots peeled and diced
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ▢ 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ▢ ¼ cup dry sherry wine
- ▢ 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ 1 bay leaf
- ▢ 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- ▢ 1½ pounds cremini mushrooms coarsely chopped
- ▢ ¾ cup half-and-half room temperature
Optional Garnishes
- ▢ Chopped fresh thyme leaves or parsley
- ▢ Sliced sautéed mushrooms
- ▢ Sliced almonds toasted
- ▢ Homemade croutons (click for recipe!)
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat until the bubbling ceases. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes, then add the sliced garlic. Continue cooking until the shallots have softened and are translucent, approximately 2 more minutes. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 shallots, 4 cloves garlic
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion/garlic mixture, stir, and cook for 1 minute. 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Stir in the sherry (with a wooden spoon) and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze the pan. ¼ cup dry sherry wine
- Add the broth, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf
- Add the mushrooms and bring back to a boil. 1½ pounds cremini mushrooms
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth and creamy.
- Add the half-and-half and reheat. ¾ cup half-and-half
- If serving immediately, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and toasted, sliced almonds or homemade croutons. Chopped fresh thyme leaves, Sliced sautéed mushrooms, Sliced almonds, Homemade croutons
- If using as an ingredient in other recipes, remove from the heat and cool to the touch, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Immersion Blender
Becky’s Tips
- Nutritional information does not include optional garnishes.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Soup Recipes To Try
- Creamy Chicken Soup
- Hash Brown Potato Soup
- Beer Cheese Soup
- Cabbage Soup
- … Browse All Our Soup Recipes !
Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Immersion Blender
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (⅜ stick)
- 2 shallots peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dry sherry wine
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1½ pounds cremini mushrooms coarsely chopped
- ¾ cup half-and-half room temperature
Optional Garnishes
- Chopped fresh thyme leaves or parsley
- Sliced sautéed mushrooms
- Sliced almonds toasted
- Homemade croutons (click for recipe!)
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat until the bubbling ceases. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes, then add the sliced garlic. Continue cooking until the shallots have softened and are translucent, approximately 2 more minutes. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 shallots, 4 cloves garlic
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion/garlic mixture, stir, and cook for 1 minute. 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Stir in the sherry (with a wooden spoon) and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze the pan. ¼ cup dry sherry wine
- Add the broth, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf
- Add the mushrooms and bring back to a boil. 1½ pounds cremini mushrooms
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth and creamy.
- Add the half-and-half and reheat. ¾ cup half-and-half
- If serving immediately, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and toasted, sliced almonds or homemade croutons. Chopped fresh thyme leaves, Sliced sautéed mushrooms, Sliced almonds, Homemade croutons
- If using as an ingredient in other recipes, remove from the heat and cool to the touch, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Nutritional information does not include optional garnishes.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
