Description
Silky Julia Child’s mushroom soup brings French culinary elegance to classic comfort. Rich woodland flavors and creamy textures blend seamlessly, delivering a luxurious experience you’ll savor with each delightful spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 (16 ounces / 453 grams) packages sliced fresh mushrooms
- 4 cups (946 milliliters) chicken broth
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) water
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) heavy whipping cream
Aromatic Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme (tied in a bundle)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (for garnish)
Additional Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare a large soup pot and melt unsalted butter over medium-high heat until it becomes foamy and fragrant.
- Add sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt, allowing them to release their natural moisture and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking mushrooms for 15-25 minutes, stirring frequently until they become deeply caramelized and most liquid has evaporated.
- Set aside a few mushroom slices for garnishing later, then incorporate diced onions into the same pot, cooking for approximately 5 minutes until they turn soft and translucent.
- Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the mushroom and onion mixture, stirring continuously for 2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste and create a smooth base.
- Add whole thyme bundle and minced garlic cloves to the pot, then pour in chicken broth (32 fluid ounces / 946 milliliters) and water (1 cup / 237 milliliters).
- Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer gently for 60 minutes, developing rich flavors and allowing ingredients to meld together.
- Remove and discard the thyme bundle after simmering is complete.
- Carefully transfer the soup to a blender, working in batches to ensure smooth and consistent texture, blending until completely puréed.
- Return the blended soup to the pot and stir in heavy cream (1/2 cup / 120 milliliters), adjusting consistency with additional chicken broth if needed.
- Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, tasting and adjusting seasoning as necessary.
- Ladle the creamy mushroom soup into serving bowls, garnishing with reserved mushroom slices and fresh thyme leaves for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Crush dried mushrooms to intensify earthy undertones before blending with fresh varieties for maximum depth of flavor.
- Let caramelized mushrooms develop rich golden-brown edges by avoiding overcrowding the pan during initial sautéing.
- Remove thyme sprigs carefully after slow cooking to prevent bitter herb fragments from disrupting smooth soup texture.
- Reduce liquid gradually while stirring to control consistency and prevent unwanted separation during final preparation stages.
- Select cremini or porcini mushrooms for deeper, more robust flavor profiles that elevate the entire soup experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 287 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 94 mg