Mushroom Soup Without Cream
This mushroom soup recipe without cream proves that you do not need a heavy pour of dairy to get that deep, silky bowl of comfort everyone craves. A simple flour-based roux and whole milk create a rich, velvety texture — lighter and far more full of true mushroom flavor.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot (5-6 quart) - More surface area means mushrooms brown instead of steam
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Immersion Blender - For partial blending
- Standard countertop blender - Optional, for blending in batches
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle - For serving
Ingredients
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms - 450g, also called baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion - finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - 42g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour - 24g
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth - 960ml
- 1 cup whole milk - 240ml
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce - or tamari for gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves - or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper - to taste
- fresh parsley - chopped, for garnish
- crusty bread - for serving, optional
Instructions
- Prep the mushrooms and aromatics. Wipe each mushroom clean with a damp paper towel, then slice into even ¼-inch thick pieces. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Strip thyme leaves from stems and set aside.
- Sauté the mushrooms until golden. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, then stir and cook another 2-3 minutes until browned. Add soy sauce, stir for 30 seconds, then remove mushrooms to a plate.
- Cook the onion and garlic. Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pot, and cook diced onion for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant, then stir in smoked paprika and thyme and cook 30 seconds.
- Make the roux. Sprinkle flour evenly over the onion mixture and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until the roux smells nutty and no dry flour remains.
- Add the broth and milk. Slowly pour in 1 cup of broth while whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then add remaining 3 cups broth and milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
- Return the mushrooms and blend partially. Add sautéed mushrooms back to the pot. Use an immersion blender to partially blend about one-third to one-half of the soup for a velvety texture, leaving plenty of mushroom chunks.
- Season and serve. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and an extra pinch of thyme or smoked paprika. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Notes
- Don't skip browning the mushrooms — this step is what gives the soup its deep, savory flavor. Properly browned mushrooms have far more complexity than ones that are simply simmered.
- Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pot. More surface area means mushrooms brown instead of steam.
- Cook the roux long enough — at least 1–2 full minutes on the heat. Undercooked roux leaves a starchy, pasty flavor in the finished soup.
- Add liquid gradually. Pouring all the broth in at once before the roux is properly whisked often results in lumps. Go slowly with the first cup.
- Partial blending is your best friend. It gives the soup its creamy body without losing all the satisfying chunky texture of the sautéed mushrooms.
- For a vegan version, replace butter with olive oil or vegan butter, swap whole milk for oat milk or unsweetened cashew milk, and use vegetable broth.
- For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with a cornstarch slurry (1½ tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water) added near the end of cooking.
- This soup stores beautifully and reheats well. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If it thickens too much, simply stir in a splash of broth or milk while reheating.
- This soup can be frozen for up to 2-3 months, though the milk-based roux may change texture slightly. For best results, freeze before adding the milk and add it fresh when reheating.
- Taste as you go — season after blending, not before. The flavors concentrate as the soup cooks, so what tastes under-seasoned at the start may be perfect by the end.