Name: Chef John's Creamy Mushroom Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 25 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 0.25 cup unsalted butter; 2 (16 ounce) packages sliced fresh mushrooms; 1 pinch salt; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 1.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 4 cups chicken broth, or more to taste; 1 cup water, or more to taste; 6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied in a bundle with kitchen twine; 2 cloves garlic, peeled; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 1 salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves for garnish, or to taste

Chef John's Creamy Mushroom Soup

This mushroom soup is creamy, rich, and deliciously savory thanks to the caramelization of the mushrooms in butter that unlocks their earthy flavor.

1 hr 35 min total 10 min prep 1 hr 25 min cook 6 272 cal

Instructions

Tap a step to mark it done

1 Gather all ingredients.
2 Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and 1 pinch salt; cook until mushrooms release their juices, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue cooking, stirring often, until juices evaporate and mushrooms are caramelized, 15 to 25 minutes. Set aside a few attractive mushroom slices for garnish later, if desired.
3 Add onion to mushrooms; cook and stir until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
4 Stir in flour; cook, stirring often, to remove raw flour taste, about 2 minutes.
5 Pour in 4 cups chicken broth and 1 cup water; add thyme bundle and garlic cloves. Reduce heat to low; simmer for 1 hour. Remove and discard thyme bundle.
6 Fill blender halfway with soup. Cover and hold lid down with a potholder; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend until smooth and thick. Pour into a pot. Repeat with remaining soup.
7 Stir in cream; if too thick, add a little chicken broth or water. Season with salt and black pepper.
8 Divide soup among bowls; garnish with reserved mushroom slices and thyme leaves.