Mushroom Soup with Cream and Parsley

Introduction

A small roux, 60 g of mushrooms, and 20 ml of cream give this soup a smooth body without turning it heavy. You get a single generous bowl in about 30 minutes, with a puréed base and a brunoised mushroom garnish that makes it suitable for a light lunch or a first course.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 60 g mushrooms, sliced
• 10 g butter
• 10 g flour
• 15 g diced onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 180 ml milk or white stock
• Seasoning to taste
• 20 ml cream
• Mushrooms, cut Brunoise, for garnish
• Parsley

Instructions

1. Heat the butter in a heavy sauce pot or pan, add chopped onion and mushroom, and stir for few seconds until just transparent. Don’t let the mushroom brown.
2. Add flour, and stir to make roux. Don’t let it brown.
3. Gradually whisk in the milk or stock, and bring to boil.
4. Simmer the soup for 10 to 15 minutes until mushroom is cooked.
5. Pass the soup through a food mill or use a blender to purée it.
6. Add the purée of mushroom into the soup, then add enough hot milk or cream to the soup to bring it to proper consistency. Do not boil.
7. Season to taste, and garnish with brunoised mushroom and parsley.

Variations

• Use white stock instead of milk if you want a lighter soup with a more direct mushroom flavor and less dairy richness.
• Increase the 20 ml cream slightly if you want a fuller finish and a softer, more velvety texture.
• Blend only part of the soup in step 5 if you want a looser texture with some small mushroom pieces left in the bowl.
• Double the 60 g mushrooms and keep the liquid the same if you want a stronger mushroom taste and a slightly thicker soup.

Tips for Success

• Keep the heat moderate in the first step so the onion and mushroom turn transparent without browning.
• Whisk the milk or stock in gradually after adding the flour so the roux stays smooth instead of forming lumps.
• Add the bay leaves during the simmer and remove them before puréeing.
• After adding the cream in step 6, keep the soup hot but below a boil so it stays smooth.
• Cut the garnish mushrooms into a fine brunoise so they sit lightly on the surface instead of sinking in large pieces.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the soup fully, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For longer storage, freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month, leaving a little space at the top for expansion. The texture may separate slightly after thawing, but it usually comes back together when reheated gently.

FAQ

Should you use milk or white stock?

Milk gives the soup a softer, creamier body. White stock makes it lighter and keeps the mushroom flavor more forward.

Do you have to purée the soup completely?

No. You can leave part of it unblended if you want more texture, but a full purée gives you the smooth finish the recipe is built around.

What should you do if the soup turns out too thick?

Can you make it without dairy?

Yes. Replace the butter with oil or plant butter, and use an unsweetened dairy-free milk plus a dairy-free cream alternative; the soup will be a little less rich but still smooth.