Creamy Mushroom Soup with Croutons and Fresh Herbs Recipe
A creamy and comforting mushroom soup made with a blend of white and Swiss Brown mushrooms, sautéed with onions and garlic, simmered in vegetable stock, and finished with crème fraiche or cream. This smooth, velvety soup is garnished with fresh herbs, croutons, and a drizzle of cream or olive oil, perfect for a cozy meal served with bread for dunking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: European
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 400g / 14 oz white mushrooms
- 200g / 7 oz Swiss Brown / Cremini mushrooms
- 3 1/4 cups vegetable stock
- 1/4 tsp salt, cooking/kosher
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup crème fraiche or full-fat cream
Garnishes and Serving
- Croutons
- Cream or extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Parsley, roughly chopped (or chervil or thyme leaves if preferred)
- Bread for dunking
Instructions
- Chopping mushrooms: Slice the mushrooms into quarters, then dice each slice into 3 or 4 pieces to ensure they cook evenly in the soup.
- Sauté onion and garlic: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking for about 3 minutes until softened but not browned.
- Cook mushrooms: Add the diced mushrooms to the pot and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Avoid browning them, as the pot is crowded and color is not desired.
- Simmer the soup: Pour in the vegetable stock, add salt and pepper, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer gently without a lid for 15 minutes to develop flavors.
- Add cream: Stir in crème fraiche or cream and continue to simmer the soup for another 5 minutes to blend the richness.
- Blend the soup: Carefully transfer the soup to a blender in batches if necessary. Remove the lid cap and cover the hole with a folded tea towel for safety. Blend until the soup is completely smooth.
- Return to pot and heat: Pour the blended soup back into the pot and simmer for 1-2 minutes, allowing bubbles from blending to subside and the soup to become hot.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or cream, sprinkle croutons and chopped parsley (or chervil if preferred). Serve with bread for dunking to complete the experience.
Notes
- For the best texture, use a mix of white and Swiss Brown (Cremini) mushrooms to create depth of flavor.
- Do not attempt to brown mushrooms; the crowded pot prevents this but maintains moisture and flavor.
- Crème fraiche adds a slight tanginess, while cream makes the soup richer; use whichever you prefer.
- Use fresh herbs like parsley or chervil to enhance freshness at the end.
- Cover the blender lid’s hole with a tea towel to safely release steam when blending hot liquids.
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up the delicious soup.
Keywords: mushroom soup, creamy mushroom soup, vegetarian soup, easy mushroom recipe, stovetop soup, blended soup, comforting soup
