Creamy Mushroom and Potato Soup
50 min
|
easy
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
This creamy mushroom and potato soup actually tastes like mushrooms: earthy baby bellas, garlic, thyme, and a touch of smoked paprika simmered with tender potatoes and finished with cream for a silky, satisfying bowl.
It is a one-pot, pantry-friendly win for weeknights, snow days, or cozy lunches with crusty bread, and because I season it properly, there is no blandness on my watch.
Ingredients (4 servings)
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Ingredients for the Soup:
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter 1 oz
- 1 Tbsp olive oil olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced onion 1 ct medium
- 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced garlic 0.27 head (for fresh garlic)
- 3 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced baby bella mushrooms 0.46 lb
- 2 medium potatoes Russet potatoes 0.67 lb medium
- 2 carrots, sliced carrots 0.21 lb
- 1 tsp dried thyme dried thyme 0.02 oz
- ½ tsp dried oregano dried oregano 0.06 oz
- ½ tsp smoked paprika smoked paprika 0.04 oz
- 2 tsp salt salt
- ½ tsp black pepper black peppercorns (for black pepper)
- 4 cups vegetable broth vegetable broth 2 lb
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream heavy cream 8 fl oz
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.02 lb
How to Make Creamy Mushroom and Potato Soup
-
Prep the produce
Dice the onion, mince the garlic, slice the mushrooms and carrots, and dice the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces for even cooking.
-
Sweat the aromatics
Warm 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat until shimmering.
Add the onion and about 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and sweet.
-
Brown the mushrooms
Add the mushrooms and spread them in an even layer, then let them sear without stirring until the bottoms take on color, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir and continue cooking another 3 to 4 minutes until the moisture cooks off and edges brown, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
-
Season and make a quick roux
Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, dried thyme, dried oregano, smoked paprika, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper, and stir for 1 minute to coat and cook off the raw flour taste.
-
Build the soup and simmer
Pour in 4 cups vegetable broth while stirring to dissolve the flour, then add the potatoes and carrots and bring to a gentle simmer.
Partially cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until the potatoes are fork tender.
-
Blend to your texture
Use an immersion blender to blend about one third to one half of the pot for creaminess while keeping chunky bits for texture.
If using a countertop blender, work in small batches and vent the lid so steam can escape safely.
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Finish with cream
Lower the heat to just below a simmer and stir in 1 cup heavy cream, warming gently for 2 to 3 minutes without boiling.
-
Taste and serve
Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt, pepper, or smoked paprika, and add a tiny splash of vinegar or lemon if you want extra pop.
Ladle into bowls and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a crack of black pepper.
Substitutions
- Heavy cream -> coconut milk or cashew cream
- Full-fat coconut milk adds lush body with a subtle sweetness, while cashew cream keeps the flavor neutral and ultra silky for a dairy-free version.
- All-purpose flour -> cornstarch slurry
- Stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and whisk it in near the end of simmering for a glossy, smooth thickness without any floury taste.
- Baby bella mushrooms -> mixed shiitake and cremini
- Shiitake deepen the umami and bring a meaty chew, while cremini keep that familiar earthiness, giving the soup a more complex, steakhouse-style mushroom flavor.
Tips
- Do not crowd the mushrooms
- If your pot is small, brown the mushrooms in two batches so they sear instead of steaming, which concentrates flavor and keeps their texture meaty.
- Salt in layers for control
- Use some salt with the onions and the rest after adding spices so you build seasoning gradually and avoid oversalting once the broth reduces.
- Temper the cream
- If your soup is piping hot, stir a ladle of hot soup into the cream first, then add it back to the pot to prevent curdling and keep the finish velvety.
- Boost umami if your broth is mild
- A teaspoon of mushroom powder or vegetable bouillon wakes everything up fast without changing the texture.
- Blend strategically
- Blending only part of the soup lets the potatoes thicken naturally while preserving mushroom pieces for bite so you get creamy and chunky in the same spoonful.
- Save scraps for stock
- Freeze mushroom stems and onion ends to simmer into a quick vegetable stock for your next soup, because we do not waste flavor around here.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 442 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 5 | g |
| Total Fat | 33 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- Why did my mushrooms turn soggy instead of browning?
- The pot was crowded or the heat was too low, so they steamed; cook in batches over medium-high heat and do not salt until they start to color to drive off moisture first.
- How do I fix soup that is too thin?
- Simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce, blend a bit more of the potatoes for natural body, or whisk in a cornstarch slurry and simmer 1 to 2 minutes until lightly thickened.
- My cream curdled, what now?
- It likely boiled; kill the heat and use an immersion blender to smooth it out, then rewarm gently below a simmer and consider tempering the cream next time.
- The soup tastes bland, how can I sharpen it?
- Add a pinch of salt first, then a little more smoked paprika or black pepper; if it still feels flat, a small splash of vinegar or lemon juice brightens the earthy flavors fast.
- Can I skip the flour?
- Yes, just blend a larger portion of the soup or rely on a small cornstarch slurry at the end for body with no flour flavor.
- How do I make it fully dairy-free?
- Use olive oil instead of butter and coconut milk or cashew cream in place of heavy cream, keeping the rest of the method the same.
Serving Suggestions
A hot bowl loves company with a crispy grilled cheese or a parmesan-garlic crouton shower for texture that crackles against the creaminess.
A swirl of garlic-chive oil or a few crisped mushroom slices on top adds perfume and bite, and if you are feeling extra, a tiny drizzle of truffle oil turns this into date-night soup in seconds.
More pairings:
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