Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Exquisite creamy wild mushroom soup made with dried and fresh mushrooms.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated April 21, 2024
Elise Bauer
Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup
Elise Bauer

Last spring I discovered with delight wild morel mushrooms popping up in our backyard. After two winters of biking the American River bike trail looking for edible mushrooms, having been bit by the wild porcini bug on forays in Northern California, here they were, growing right in the yard!

I consulted my trusty Mushrooms Demystified handbook, sent photos to my mycological society friend Beth, and was assured that these indeed were morels, which are not only safe to eat, but are considered a delicacy.

Tonight, we finally got around to eating those morels picked last spring, in this exquisite cream of wild mushroom soup.

cream of wild mushroom soup
Elise Bauer

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Prep Time 35 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 80 mins
Servings 4 servings

While the dried mushrooms are soaking, prep the other ingredients to save time.

Special garnish idea: high quality green extra virgin olive oil is really quite something drizzled over this soup, along with some crusty bread for dipping.

You can swap out the sherry for Madeira if you'd like. Leave out all together if you are avoiding cooking with alcohol.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces dried wild mushrooms

  • 3 cups hot water

  • 6 tablespoons butter, divided 3 tablespoons and 3 tablespoons

  • 1/2 cup minced shallots

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)

  • 1/2 pound fresh cremini or button mushrooms, halved and sliced into 1/4-inch slices

  • 1/2 cup flour

  • 1/3 cup dry sherry

  • Salt and pepper

  • 4 cups good-quality chicken stock, or vegetable broth for vegetarian version

  • 1 teaspoon herbes de provence

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

  • 1/4 cup snipped chives

Method

  1. Soak the dry mushrooms in water:

    Place dried wild mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with 3 cups of very hot water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Line a sieve with a dampened paper towel or coffee filter.

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    Elise Bauer

    After 30 minutes strain the mushrooms through the filter, reserving at least one cup of the mushroom liquid. Roughly chop the reconstituted wild mushrooms.

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    Elise Bauer
  2. Sauté the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms:

    Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat. Sauté the shallots until softened and translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.

    cream-of-wild-mushroom-soup-method-3
    Elise Bauer

    Add the fresh mushrooms, increase the heat to medium high, and cook several minutes more. Add chopped wild mushrooms. Lower the heat, cover and let cook for 10 minutes.

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    Elise Bauer
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    Elise Bauer
  3. Add the sherry:

    Increase the heat to medium high, uncover and add 1/3 cup dry sherry to the pot.

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    Elise Bauer
  4. Make a roux with butter and flour:

    Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the pot and stir until melted. Add the flour to the pot and stir until the mushrooms are all well coated with the flour, making a roux. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

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    Elise Bauer
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    Elise Bauer
  5. Add the mushroom water, stock, and herbs:

    Add one cup of reserved mushroom soaking water and stir until the flour has dissolved into the water, and there are no lumps. Add the chicken stock. Stir until well incorporated.

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    Elise Bauer

    Add the herbes de provence, the dried thyme, bay leaves, and salt.

  6. Simmer:

    Heat on high until the soup comes to a low simmer. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

  7. Stir in the cream:

    When ready to serve, remove the bay leaves and stir in 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream. Add black pepper and more salt to taste.

    Garnish with chopped chives and parsley when serving.

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    Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
412 Calories
23g Fat
42g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 412
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 30%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 64mg 21%
Sodium 1162mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 12mg 61%
Calcium 80mg 6%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 858mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.