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Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

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How to make healthier cream of mushroom soup
Wellness Mama » Blog » Recipes » Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cream of mushroom soup is a common ingredient in recipes as cooler weather approaches. This healthy comfort food in a bowl deserves its place along with the casseroles (like my favorite green bean casserole) soups, and stews of the season.

Will the Real Cream of Mushroom Soup Please Stand Up?

Unfortunately, most store-bought cream of mushroom soup has a variety of problematic ingredients. Offenders include:

  • Vegetable oil: chemically processed, high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and potentially harmful on a cellular level
  • Modified food starch: A highly processed starch that contains maltodextrin (often used as a name to hide the presence of MSG)
  • Monosodium glutamate: A food additive and excitotoxin that may interfere with natural neurotransmitter production
  • Soy protein concentrateThis is why I’m not a fan of soy
  • Other bad ingredients: such as soy lecithin, yeast extract, and “flavoring”

In addition, despite the “cream” on the label, canned soup has very little actual cream. Cream is the ninth ingredient on the list, after vegetable oil, processed flour, MSG, and other questionable items. And it isn’t even real cream! It is actually “dehydrated cream” containing milk and soy lecithin as a thickener.

Certainly, these ingredients are probably cheaper and much better for the bottom line of the companies producing processed foods, but they certainly aren’t better for us, the consumer!

No Time for Homemade?

Update: Since I wrote this post I found one premade mushroom soup I do love, and that’s Kettle and Fire’s Mushroom Bisque. It is made with their amazing bone broth, is non-GMO, and is made with all real-food ingredients I would use in my own kitchen. It is dairy-based, so opt for the homemade version below if that is an issue for you.

A Better Cream of Mushroom Soup (& It’s Easy!)

Like most foods, homemade not only tastes better, but it is typically healthier too. Cream of mushroom soup is no exception! This simple DIY version works as a substitute in recipes or is delicious on its own.

Unlike the processed canned version, it only has 10 ingredients total (including spices). Bonus: They are all real food ingredients that you can order at a grocery store. (No need to contact your friendly local industrial products salesman to get the soy protein concentrate or MSG!).

I typically make several batches of this and keep in the refrigerator. I also freeze it for easy meal prep at Thanksgiving or for when I used to get a pregnancy craving for something with mushrooms in it. 🙂

If you use cream of mushroom (or cream of anything) soup in recipes for your family, consider taking 20 extra minutes to make your own. I promise you will be hooked!

How to make healthier cream of mushroom soup

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

Delicious creamy soup made with real food ingredients.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Calories 206kcal
Author Katie Wells

Servings

6 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 lb fresh mushrooms
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup butter (or coconut oil)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 2 TBSP arrowroot powder
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • ½ cup heavy cream (or heavy coconut milk, optional)
  • ½ cup sour cream (optional)

Instructions

  • Chop mushrooms and onion and mince garlic.
  • Melt butter or coconut oil in a large pan and add chopped mushrooms and onion.
  • Saute until translucent and cooked.
  • Add garlic and saute an additional 2 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and arrowroot and stir.
  • Add broth and simmer about 10 minutes until it starts to thicken.
  • Add cream and sour cream and stir in until smooth.
  • Serve as a soup or use as cream of mushroom soup in recipes.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 206 Calories from Fat 149
% Daily Value*
Fat 16.6g26%
Saturated Fat 9.9g62%
Cholesterol 42mg14%
Sodium 970mg42%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1.2g5%
Sugar 2.6g3%
Protein 6.8g14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

Time-saving tip: Make several batches at once and freeze or make a couple days before Thanksgiving and store in the refrigerator. (Here’s how to remedy any slight curdling that may occur!)

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How do you use cream of mushroom soup?

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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

60 responses to “Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup”

  1. Leslie Avatar
    Leslie

    5 stars
    This is the best Cream of Mushroom Soup I’ve had.
    No more can soup for this family.
    I made it to use in my Beef Stroganoff recipe.
    Didn’t have sour cream so I used cream cheese instead.
    So good. Thank you

  2. Shelly Avatar

    5 stars
    Thank you Katie, for another delicious recipe! When I made my (triple batch) soup tonight i did as a few had suggested by adding some Worcestershire sauce and adding the garlic in at the very end plus I used three different kinds of mushrooms for variety and some moringa. It’s a satisfying soup that I will certainly make again.

  3. Mary Avatar

    5 stars
    Worked perfectly for me, in fact even better than the first time. Have some photos of the just finished soup too. Thanks for sharing!

  4. Bree Colbern Avatar
    Bree Colbern

    Awesome recipe! I can not wait to make this! But I have a question (as do many others), would I be able to can or freeze this? I would really like to know. 🙂

  5. Rebecca Avatar
    Rebecca

    Do you have any recommendations for this recipe that don’t include cream? I am allergic to dairy and cream is a no go for me unfortunately!

  6. Diane Avatar

    I, like several others, would like to try canning the soup. Has anyone tried to can this recipe? If or when I try to can the soup I will eliminate the milk & sour cream. Then add those ingredients as being used. Any feedback would be appreciated.

  7. Heidi Avatar

    5 stars
    I’ve been missing my cream of mushroom soup for ages now, and I was so happy to find this recipe. I made it and DEVOURED instantly. Another well-balanced recipe. I’m so happy to be able to have this. Unfortunately, I crave it every week!

    Great job, Katie. Another terrific recipe!

  8. Liz Avatar

    I used it for a green bean casserole on thanksgiving and it wasn’t the best for it! I ended up thickening the portion That went into the casserole with tapioca starch. The amount I used was the equivalent of what the Campbell’s soup recipe calls for. I had to lengthen the baking time significantly as well. I wouldn’t recommend this way but since you already made it, just work with it.

    1. Helena Avatar

      4 stars
      Thanks! I ended up adding some coconut flour to it as well. I made green bean casserole and used almost all of what the recipe made, and did have to cook it a lot longer. Next time, I will cook the green bean/mushroom soup mixture, covered with foil, until it bubbles and then add the onion strings. I also think that a final zap from the broiler will crisp up the strings nicely as well. Everyone that tried it did like it so I’m happy it wasn’t a flop.

  9. Helena Avatar

    I made this last night and it is incredibly runny. I let it simmer for over an hour. I did try adding more arrowroot in to see if that would help thicken it, but had no luck. Also, I’m not sure how much of this to use in the green bean casserole. Thanks!

  10. Jen Avatar

    Which mushrooms do you most prefer? I was debating doing a mushroom medley with oyster, shiitaki, cremminis…what do you think?

  11. Mary Avatar

    5 stars
    I made this soup for my green bean casserole for Thanksgiving today and it turned out wonderful. My husband was a little skeptical as he grew up with the canned stuff, but her tried it and he was impressed. I even did it with the broth from the turkey that added a ton of flavor. I never have bought cream of anything soup before, but in the past I never have been able to make recipes with that ingredient because I didn’t have a substitute for it and now I do. I am so excited to use this recipe more in the future. Love it!

  12. Jen Starks Avatar
    Jen Starks

    This is great because I have abandoned some old favorite recipes because it calls for Cream of Mushroom from the can. I was wondering whether this might freeze well in portion sizes. Then I could do a large batch and have it ready on hand for convenience.

  13. Coco Avatar

    If not adding to a recipe it’s good to add some thyme & whiskey (preferably Irish). I will use this for my green bean casserole recipe next time.

  14. Angi Avatar

    5 stars
    This recipe looks to be wonderful and I can’t wait to try it. We quit using most canned soups years ago because they have so much “junk” in them. Especially the creamed soups. Thank you.

  15. sami Avatar

    I make mine similarly, except instead of cream & sour cream & arrowroot root powder, I add an undiluted can of whole evaporated milk at the end, just prior to serving. I love homemade cream of mushroom soup! I do the same with other cream soups.

  16. Leslie Avatar

    Thanks! Wellness Mama, I always looking for the healthier option. Question, I don’t have arrowroot, but I use garbanzo bean flour for thickening Will that work for this recipe?
    Thanks for input.??

  17. Bertie Avatar

    Thanks Katie,

    I plan to give this recipe a try. I use to love Cream of Mushroom Soup but haven’t had it in years and have been looking for a recipe. I went on an elimination diet this time last year, eliminating gluten, dairy and soy so I will try this recipe with heavy coconut milk and ghee. Surprisingly soy really seems to bother me and as I’m sure you know soy lecithin is in so many things….

    I am a firm believer we need to get back to eating more real foods and stay away from as many processed foods as possible, so thanks again….

    Bertie

  18. Angela Gore Avatar
    Angela Gore

    If this is replacing condensed cream of mushroom soup in recipes, as this is not condensed, how much would need to be used in place of a typical can? Thanks!

4.06 from 37 votes (27 ratings without comment)

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