Creamy Cremini Mushroom Soup with Thyme

Name: Creamy Cremini Mushroom Soup with Thyme
Prep time: 21 min
Cook time: 44 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, divided: 3 tbsp (42 g) for the mushrooms and 3 tbsp (43 g) for the soup base; 1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 cup); 3 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 2 tsp (2 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems (about 6 sprigs); ⅓ cup (40 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (60 ml) dry sherry (optional); 3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, at room temperature or warm; 1½ cups (360 ml) whole milk; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream; 1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce; 1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground, plus more to taste; 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A velvety, deeply savory cream of mushroom soup built from well-browned cremini mushrooms, a butter-and-flour base, fresh thyme, and a splash of sherry. Part of the soup is blended for body, and the rest stays chunky for texture.

Prep: 21 min
Cook: 44 min
Total: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: About 8 cups (1.9 L), 6 servings of about 1⅓ cups each

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Ingredients

6 servings

1½ lb (680 g) cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, divided: 3 tbsp (42 g) for the mushrooms and 3 tbsp (43 g) for the soup base
1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
2 tsp (2 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems (about 6 sprigs)
⅓ cup (40 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 ml) dry sherry (optional)
3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, at room temperature or warm
1½ cups (360 ml) whole milk
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce
1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground, plus more to taste
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch-style pot with lid
Immersion blender or countertop blender
Wooden spoon and whisk
Chef's knife and cutting board
Ladle
Large bowl, for holding the first batch of mushrooms

Steps

Before you start

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel rather than soaking them; they absorb water and won't brown well if wet.
Measure the broth, milk, and cream before you start so they're ready when the roux is done.
Have a blender (or immersion blender) ready. If using a countertop blender, plan to blend in small batches with the lid vented.
Total time is about 65 minutes, and nearly all of it is hands-on at the stove. No oven is needed.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel, trim the dry stem ends, and slice them ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, and strip the thyme leaves from the stems.
- Keep the mushrooms, onion, and garlic/thyme in separate piles.
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Ready when: Mushroom slices are a uniform thickness so they brown evenly.
Tip: Don't rinse the mushrooms under water; they soak it up and steam instead of browning.
2
Brown the mushrooms
- Heat 1½ tbsp (21 g) of the mushroom butter in the soup pot over medium-high heat until foaming.
- Add half the mushrooms in a single layer.
- Cook without stirring for 2 minutes, then stir and cook 4 to 5 minutes more.
- Transfer to a bowl.
- Repeat with the remaining 1½ tbsp (21 g) butter and mushrooms, but leave the second batch in the pot.
- Return the first batch to the pot, season with ½ tsp of the salt, and cook 1 minute.
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Ready when: Mushrooms have released their liquid, the liquid has evaporated, and the slices are deep golden brown at the edges.
Tip: Crowding the pot traps steam and gives gray, rubbery mushrooms. Work in two batches.
3
Soften the onion
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the remaining 3 tbsp (43 g) butter to the pot with the mushrooms and let it melt.
- Add the onion and the remaining ½ tsp salt.
- Cook, stirring often and scraping up the browned bits, for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with no dark browning.
Tip: If the browned bits on the bottom start to scorch, lower the heat and add a splash of broth.
4
Cook garlic and flour
- Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- It will form a thick, pasty coating on the vegetables.
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Ready when: No dry white flour is visible, and the mixture smells nutty and toasty rather than raw.
Tip: Keep stirring so the flour and garlic don't scorch.
5
Deglaze with sherry
- Pour in the sherry, if using, and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Simmer for 1 minute until the sharp alcohol smell fades and the liquid is nearly absorbed.
- If you're skipping the sherry, go straight to the next step.
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Ready when: The mixture is thick and the pot bottom is clean of browned bits.
6
Whisk in the broth
- Add the broth about ½ cup (120 ml) at a time, stirring or whisking well after each addition so the mixture stays smooth.
- Stir in the soy sauce and pepper.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil.
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Ready when: The soup is smooth, with no flour lumps, and bubbles lightly around the edges.
Tip: Adding all the broth at once makes lumps harder to whisk out.
7
Simmer to meld flavors
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
- Stir every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom.
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Ready when: Soup has thickened enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon and the mushrooms are very tender.
8
Blend part of the soup
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Using an immersion blender, pulse the soup in short bursts for 20 to 30 seconds, blending about half so some mushroom pieces remain.
- For a countertop blender, ladle about 3 cups (700 ml) into the blender, fill no more than halfway, vent the lid, cover with a towel, and blend until smooth.
- Return to the pot.
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Ready when: The soup looks creamy and thick with visible mushroom pieces throughout.
Tip: Never fill a blender more than halfway with hot liquid; steam can push the lid off.
9
Add milk and cream
- Return the pot to low heat.
- Stir in the milk and cream.
- Warm for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until steaming hot with tiny bubbles at the edge.
- Do not let it boil.
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Ready when: The soup is steaming and hot to the touch, with small bubbles only at the edge of the pot.
Tip: Boiling after the dairy goes in can make the soup look grainy or split.
10
Season and serve
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed, ½ tsp salt at a time.
- Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with a few extra thyme leaves, if you like.
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Ready when: The flavor tastes rich and savory, with a slight brightness from the lemon.
Tip: Taste before salting. Broth and soy sauce already contribute salt.

Good to know

Tips

Browning the mushrooms in two batches is the single biggest flavor step, so don't rush it or crowd the pot.
Blending only about half the soup gives a creamy body while keeping a satisfying chunky texture.
Soy sauce adds umami without making the soup taste like soy; don't skip it.
Add the dairy at the end and keep the soup below a boil so it stays smooth.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 8 (before adding milk and cream) up to 3 days ahead. Cool, refrigerate, then reheat gently and finish with the milk, cream, and lemon juice just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 2 months, though the texture may be slightly less smooth after thawing. Reheat over low heat, stirring often, and add a splash of milk or broth if it has thickened. Do not boil. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge first.

Substitutions

cremini mushrooms → white button mushrooms, or a mix with shiitake or oyster mushrooms. Button mushrooms give a milder flavor. Remove shiitake stems, which are tough.
dry sherry → dry white wine or 1 tbsp additional broth plus ½ tsp sherry vinegar. Either way, the pot will still be deglazed and the flavor will still be balanced.
heavy cream → additional whole milk or half-and-half. The soup will be slightly lighter in body but still creamy.
all-purpose flour → 1 tbsp cornstarch whisked into 2 tbsp cold milk. For a gluten-free version, stir the slurry in after the broth and simmer 2 minutes. Skip the flour-toasting step and use gluten-free broth and tamari.