Scratch Cream of Mushroom Soup

• Large sauté pan or wide saucepan
• Medium pot (if you want to blanch green beans later)
• Cutting board & sharp knife
• Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• Whisk
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Blender or immersion blender (optional, for ultra-smooth soup)
• Ladle & heatproof bowls

Quantities are based on about 6 starter servings (or 4 big bowls), and match the strength of the cream of mushroom we use as a base for the BiteTalk green bean casserole. Adjust “Target servings” on the front card to scale.

• cremini or button mushrooms, finely chopped
• unsalted butter
• olive oil
• 1 small onion (or 2 shallots), minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• all-purpose flour

• chicken or vegetable stock
• heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg (optional but excellent)
• 1–2 tsp soy sauce or Worcestershire (for depth)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Extra cream or stock to thin to your perfect soup consistency
• Chopped fresh parsley or thyme, for garnish
• Extra sautéed mushroom slices, for topping (optional)
• Crusty bread or toasted baguette, for serving

• Produce: cremini/button mushrooms, onion or shallots, garlic, fresh thyme, parsley (optional)
• Dairy: unsalted butter, heavy cream or half-and-half
• Pantry: olive oil, all-purpose flour, soy sauce or Worcestershire, nutmeg, salt, black pepper
• Stock: chicken or vegetable stock

1. 1. Prep your mushrooms and aromatics. Clean the mushrooms with a damp towel (don’t soak them), then finely chop. Mince the onion/shallots and garlic. Have your stock and cream measured and ready.
2. 2. Brown the mushrooms hard. In a large sauté pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high. Add the chopped mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid, it cooks off, and they get deeply browned around the edges. This is where the soup’s flavor comes from — don’t rush it.
3. 3. Soften the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced onion/shallots and cook until softened, 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more, just until fragrant.
4. 4. Build a roux. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the mushroom mixture. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes so the flour coats everything and loses its raw taste. It should look a bit pasty and clingy around the mushrooms.
5. 5. Add the stock slowly. While whisking or stirring, slowly pour in the stock, smoothing out any lumps as you go. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook a few minutes until slightly thickened.
6. 6. Finish with cream. Pour in the cream and bring the soup back to a low simmer. Add the nutmeg (if using) and a small splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire. Taste and adjust with more soy/Worcestershire until it hits that “supercharged cream of mushroom” level.
7. 7. Blend (optional) and adjust texture. For a rustic soup, leave it as-is with little mushroom pieces. For a silkier version, blend part or all of the soup with a blender or immersion blender, then return to the pot. Thin with extra stock or cream until it’s as thick or sippable as you like.
8. 8. Final seasoning. Taste and season with salt and plenty of black pepper. You want it to taste slightly more intense than a standalone soup if you’re planning to use it as a casserole base.
9. 9. Serve or use as a base. Ladle into bowls, garnish with herbs and extra sautéed mushrooms, and serve with crusty bread. Or fold in blanched green beans and bake as the sauce in BiteTalk’s green bean casserole, topped with homemade fried onions.

Cool the soup to room temp, then store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently over low heat, thinning with a splash of stock or cream if it thickens. For the best texture, avoid boiling hard once the cream is in. This base also freezes well for 1–2 months — thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat low and slow.

Approximate values per one of 6 starter servings, assuming heavy cream and chicken stock. Actual numbers will vary with ingredient brands and portion sizes. Not medical or diet advice.