mushroom soup.

This soup is something of an ongoing experiment. My mom adapted it slightly from a 1970s issue of Bon Appetit kept from when she and my dad were first married, and I've tweaked the recipe a bit further. It seems like it would lend itself to further experimentation: a splash of white wine, perhaps, or maybe some caramelized leeks. Different varieties of mushrooms might also be interesting. Hmm. As is, this is a satisfyingly creamy mushroom-packed soup that is a cinch to make and only gets tastier as it sits. (In fact, I made it a few hours ahead and then reheated it for dinner; the additional time lets it thicken and brings out the sherry.) With a big green salad on a gloomy-gray weeknight? Yum.

Mushroom Soup
adapted from Bon Appetit and Mom

20 oz. mushrooms, sliced*
4 tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 c. finely-chopped onion
Kosher salt to taste
4 - 5 tbsp. flour
10 - 14 oz. chicken broth
2 - 3 tbsp. sherry
1 1/2 c. milk

*Note on the mushrooms: The original recipe calls for a pound of mushrooms. Since it's easiest to find 10-oz. packages of cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, I just use two of those. I like to chop them finely with the slicing blade of my food processor (see below) but the soup would also work if they were more coarsely chopped.


1. Melt 2 tbsp. butter and cook the onions for 2 minutes at med-low heat. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook ~8 minutes, until they've let off some of their liquid but aren't too cooked down. Set aside. *Note: In order not to crowd the mushrooms, I do this step in two pans, dividing the butter, onions, and mushrooms between them. More dishes, yes, but better results.

2. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp. butter in a large saucepan, then whisk in the flour. Off the heat, add the chicken broth and the sherry; return to med-low heat and whisk until smooth and slightly thickened, about a minute.

3. Stir in the milk and mushrooms (if your mushrooms have let off a large amount of liquid, you might want to strain some of it out to avoid a watery soup), then add salt and/or more sherry to taste. Let the soup cook on low heat, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or so, to let the flavors blend.

A sprinkling of fresh parsley before serving brightens up the flavor.


Makes around 4 servings, depending on additional broth/milk.

The soup will thicken as it cools; these measurements of broth and milk yield a fairly thick consistency, particularly when reheated. (The original recipe called for 2 c. milk but I found that too, well, milky.) I might decrease the flour and increase the chicken broth to thin it a bit, especially if serving it as an appetizer. I did use skim milk and found it quite rich enough, though you could probably add a glug of whatever you have on hand and adjust the broth accordingly.

I'll continue to play with this one; if you make some adjustments of your own, please let me know!