Creamy Mushroom Soup Thyme (Print Version)
Velvety soup highlighting sautéed mushrooms, thyme, shallots, and cream for a warm, elegant starter.
# What You Need:
→ Mushrooms
01 - 1 lb cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 shallots, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Liquids
06 - 3 cups vegetable broth
07 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
→ Herbs & Seasonings
08 - 3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
→ Optional
12 - 1 tbsp olive oil for silkier texture
13 - Crusty bread for serving
# How-To:
01 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and shallots, sautéing for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
03 - Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for 7-8 minutes until deeply browned and their moisture has completely evaporated.
04 - Add thyme sprigs and bay leaf to the mushroom mixture, stirring to distribute the aromatics.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to develop flavor.
06 - Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf from the soup.
07 - Use an immersion blender to puree until completely smooth, or leave some texture if preferred. Alternatively, blend in batches using a countertop blender and return to pot.
08 - Stir in heavy cream, black pepper, and salt. Simmer gently for 5 more minutes without boiling to prevent cream from separating.
09 - Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed to achieve balanced flavor.
10 - Serve hot in warmed bowls, garnished with fresh thyme sprigs and a drizzle of olive oil. Accompany with crusty bread if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The depth of flavor comes from properly browning the mushrooms first, not just simmering them in liquid
- It transforms humble ingredients into something restaurant-worthy in under an hour
02 -
- The most common mistake is rushing the mushroom browning step, but that's where all the deep umami flavor develops so don't cheat it
- Never boil the soup after adding the cream or it will separate and look curdled, gentle simmering only
03 -
- Clean mushrooms with a damp cloth instead of running them under water, they absorb liquid like sponges and won't brown properly
- Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly than cold straight from the fridge, so take it out while you prep