I’m all about the creamy soups during the colder months, and this incredibly creamy Mushroom Soup is one of the best. This mushroom soup recipe is so easy to make and is as cozy as it gets. You’ll want to serve this soup with some crusty bread or crackers to soak up every drop of that savory, creamy broth because it is just to die for. And the best part? Because this recipe is so simple and uncomplicated, it’s also very inexpensive, even when the cost of mushrooms is on the higher side!
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“Eating this right now and it’s delicious! Came together quicker than I thought it would. I actually pre-cooked the mushrooms and garlic last night so they would be ready for today (didn’t have much time to put everything together day of). Very tasty. Never cooked a dud recipe from this site and it’s where I find the bulk of my meals. Thank you once again for a tasty dish!”
Lauren
Quick and Creamy Mushroom Soup
I love this creamy mushroom soup for its simplicity. It’s really just deeply browned mushrooms, a creamy broth, and a handful of seasonings that keep it savory and comforting. The olive oil helps the mushrooms get a nice golden color, the garlic adds extra depth, and the butter and flour turn the broth into a velvety, spoon-coating soup. From there, it’s just good vegetable broth, a splash of heavy cream, and a simple mix of salt, pepper, thyme, and soy sauce. And yes, the soy sauce is doing a lot here. It adds an earthy umami boost that makes the mushrooms taste even richer. I usually “taste test” this easy soup about five times before it even makes it to the table. 😉
If you’re looking for an alternative to canned soup to cook with (not a bowl of soup), see our cream of mushroom soup replacement recipe for a 1:1 swap for the canned stuff!
Recipe Success Tips
- Using really good, full-flavored broth is key to making mushroom soup taste its best. I suggest using Better Than Bouillon to make the broth for this soup because it has tons of flavor, is budget-friendly, and reduces waste compared to boxed and canned broths. I used their vegetable-flavored bouillon, but you could certainly use their mushroom flavor if you have it.
- Don’t skip the roux. All-purpose flour combines with the butter to create a roux, which thickens the broth. Without the flour, the broth will be very thin.
- Make it vegan. It’s very easy to convert this recipe to a vegan mushroom soup. Simply use coconut oil in place of the butter to make the roux, and then use full-fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream. Coconut milk tastes really good in savory recipes like this and actually pairs very well with mushrooms! Check out my vegan creamy mushroom ramen for another example of these flavors together. You could also leave the cream out and add more broth for a mushroom soup without heavy cream.
- Make it gluten-free. Swap the soy sauce for tamari and use a 1:1 all-purpose GF flour to make the roux.
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Cost $6.30 recipe / $1.58 serving
Ingredients
- 1 lb. baby bella mushrooms ($3.98*)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced, $0.18)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.15)
- 1 pinch salt ($0.02)
- 1 pinch black pepper ($0.03)
- 4 Tbsp butter ($0.52)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour ($0.05)
- 3 cups vegetable broth ($0.54**)
- 1 tsp soy sauce ($0.03)
- ⅛ tsp dried thyme ($0.02)
- ½ cup heavy cream ($0.78***)
Video
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- Clean mushrooms with a dry or damp clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Slice the mushrooms and mince the garlic.
- Add the olive oil, mushrooms, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a soup pot. Sauté the mushrooms over medium heat until they have released all of their moisture, all the liquid has evaporated from the bottom of the pot, and the mushrooms become very dark brown. Add the minced garlic and continue to sauté for one minute more.
- Add the butter and flour to the pot. Stir and cook for about two minutes more, or until the butter coats the bottom of the pot and turns deep golden brown.
- Once the flour mixture is a bit browned, add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, and thyme. Stir to dissolve all of the flour from the bottom of the pot. Allow the liquid to come up to a simmer, at which point the flour will slightly thicken the broth.
- Finally, stir the cream into the soup. Give the soup a taste and adjust the salt or pepper to your liking. Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Creamy Mushroom Soup Step-by-Step Photos
Gather all your ingredients.
Prep the ingredients: Use a clean kitchen towel or paper towel (dry or damp) to wipe away any dirt from 1 lb. baby bella mushrooms.
Slice the mushrooms and mince 3 garlic cloves.
Sauté: Add the mushrooms to a soup pot with 1 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms over medium heat until they release all of their water, the water evaporates, and the mushrooms begin to brown.
Add the minced garlic and sauté for about one minute more.
Make the roux: Add 4 Tbsp butter and ¼ cup all-purpose flour to the pot. Continue to stir and cook over medium heat, allowing the butter to melt and create a paste with the flour that coats the mushrooms.
The butter and flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pot. When it becomes medium brown, it’s time to add the liquid to the pot.
Make the soup: Add 3 cups vegetable broth, 1 tsp soy sauce, and ⅛ tsp thyme to the soup pot and stir to dissolve all of the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Allow the broth to come up to a boil, at which point it will thicken slightly from the flour and butter roux.
Once the soup has reached a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and add ½ cup heavy cream. Allow the soup to heat through and begin to simmer gently.
Serve: Taste the soup and adjust the salt or other seasonings if desired. The soup may need additional salt depending on the salt content of the broth used. I used Better Than Bouillon, which tends to be on the salty side, so I didn’t need any additional salt. Serve and enjoy!
What Else Can I Add?
If you want to put your own spin on this mushroom soup recipe, here are a few other ingredients you can add:
- Paprika: Add sweet paprika to make it closer to a Hungarian Mushroom Soup.
- Onion: If you want even more savory vegetable flavor, sauté a finely diced onion with the mushrooms.
- Nutmeg: Just a tiny pinch goes a long way here. I’d start with a couple of gratings (or 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg) and add more only if you want it. (A few readers have even swapped nutmeg in for thyme.)
- Sour Cream: To make the soup even richer and to add a slight tang, stir a few dollops of sour cream into the broth at the end.
- Homemade Croutons: Top your soup with my homemade croutons for a delicious garlicky crunch!
- Sherry or White Wine: Now I’m fully aware this is not a budget-friendly addition, but many readers mention adding a small splash of sherry or white wine to this recipe, so I figured I’d mention it here as a ‘nice if you’ve got it’ add-in. Add roughly 1/4 cup after the mushrooms brown to deglaze the pot, then let it simmer for a minute before continuing.
Serving Suggestions
The broth in this soup is extremely rich and creamy and you’re going to want to sop up every drop, so I highly suggest serving it with some crusty bread like our no-knead bread or soda bread. Some soft Hawaiian rolls would also offer a sweet contrast that could be fun. If you don’t want to make homemade bread, at least make sure you have some crackers on hand!
I’d also suggest adding some vegetables on the side to lighten things up. I’d go for a wintery roasted vegetable like roasted Brussels sprouts or our roasted cauliflower salad.
Storage & Reheating
Let the soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often, until hot. Don’t let it come to a boil to avoid the cream separating. If it thickens in the fridge, add a splash of broth, milk, or water to loosen it up.
Creamy soups can separate a bit when frozen, but you can freeze this for up to 3 months if you don’t mind the visual and texture changes. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat slowly and whisk well to bring it back together (or freeze it before adding the cream, then stir the cream in after reheating).
More Creamy Soup Recipes
Our Creamy Mushroom Soup recipe was originally published 9/9/17. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 2/22/26.
This is one of my favorite recipes that I make frequently, but I do have one question/request….
When a recipe is reposted, is there a way to tell what was changed from the original? I like to write my favorite recipes down in a book, and I’d like to be able to update it.
Hi Katie! We might be able to add a note on the ones where the recipe has changed. This one did not though!
When I first copied this recipe, I had 2T (not 4) of butter and 4 cups of broth or water not 3) written down. This turns out so well for me. The extra butter makes is better I’m sure but the 4 cups liquid is perfect for me.
This soup is incredible. Every time you repost, I like to comment on its excellent quality. I’ve even used leftovers to make a casserole.
I’ve made this recipe many times since it was first posted, and even commented long ago. I made it again this week when I found cremini mushrooms, also known as baby bellas, for about $3 a lb ( $1.49 for an 8 oz package). I used most of my usual additions–BTB mushroom flavor, 1/4 c sherry (mushrooms and sherry have a great affinity), a few reconstituted dried shitake mushrooms, and a few grates of nutmeg instead of thyme. Heavy cream and BTB were also on sale–as they usually are this time of year.
This is also the time of year to stock up on a lot of pantry staples that are on sale–gravy and sauce mixes, frozen veggies, whipping cream (will keep unopened in the fridge from now until after Christmas, opened for about 2 weeks–because it’s almost always ultra-pasteurized which extends shelf life), butter (which can be frozen), canned soups, fresh sweet potatoes, and those expensive little jars of Better Than Boullion–I picked up 3 at more than $2 off.
My husband told me this was the best soup he’d ever eaten!
This is one of my top 10 all-time favorite recipes. My husband says he could eat this once a week and even my 5-year-old daughter who isn’t usually wild about mushrooms loves it.
I finally made this after having this recipe saved in my recipe app for years and it was delicious.
Love this!
Mushroom Soup has always been one of our favorites. This recipe puts the famous one to shame. We make our own vegetable broth with the veg trimmings and potato peels, onion skins, celery root etc. I keep a 4 qt. container in the freezer to put the well washed veg trimmings, when full, thaw and put in a 6 qt slow cooker. Fill cooker with water and cook for 12 hrs on low. Strain thru a cheese cloth lined colander. We freeze in 16 oz containers.
I added a cup of wild rice, diced the mushrooms in a food processor (I don’t care for the texture of mushroom slices), and used fresh thyme instead of dried, and it came out incredible. Tastes just like a fancy soup from the upscale grocery store. Froze well too.
This is probably the easiest and tastiest mushroom soup I’ve ever had!!! Simple and full of flavor! Thank you BB!
Do you have reduced sodium recipes as the sodium content seems high in many. Also food prices have gone way up. Your price for broth for instance is much lower than what I pay. You mentioned a store Aidi could you send me a link. Is this an online?
Hi Connie, we do not formulate any of our recipes with low sodium in mind. We use a lot of chicken and veggie broth and that can often account for the sodium amount. If you swap for low sodium broth or make your own with zero salt, the sodium will be greatly reduced. As for the prices, this recipe was originally posted in 2017, so the prices would reflect that time period. Aldi is a grocery store that we have here in Nashville TN, but they have many many locations across the globe. You can use this link to find a location near you. :) https://stores.aldi.us/
Thank you!! Recently lost my job and have been cooking on a non existent budget. Got a bunch of baby bella mushrooms from the food pantry and excited about the recipe. Does the soup freeze well?
We haven’t tested that, unfortunately! Typically, recipes with a lot of dairy don’t always freeze great because they can tend to separate, so I’m sure this one would be the perfect candidate for freezing.
I add nutmeg instead of thyme? How do you feel about nutmeg in mushroom soup?
I think that would be lovely! I LOVE a bit of nutmeg in creamy soups.
This was GREAT! First time making it – followed recipe and it turned out beautifully. This is a keeper!
Thanks for an excellent recipe! This was total comfort food for us. After cooking the mushrooms, I deglazed the pot with a splash of sherry, used low-sodium soy sauce and evaporated milk instead of heavy cream. I used my immersion blender at the end to break up some of the mushrooms. I made sourdough croutons in the AF as a garnish and my husband said that it was the best mushroom soup he’s ever had! 👍