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This simple cream of mushroom soup recipe (without cream!) is rich, velvety, and flavor-packed but not heavy. Serve it as a starter for a hearty main course or as a cozy light meal along with salad and crusty bread.
I’ve had a ton of people tell me that they wouldn’t dream of eating cream of mushroom soup on its own. They like it just fine in casseroles or as an ingredient in recipes, but that’s as far as it goes.
I’ve heard random reasons like it’s too boring, it reminds them of glue (lol, what?!), or it’s too unhealthy. I’ve even had people tell me, oh, I thought it was only used for cooking! A couple more questions always reveals that they have never had homemade cream of mushroom soup, only the stuff from the can. And I agree, who would be head over heels for that?
I like to make my own because it’s a world of difference from the canned variety (like night and day), plus I can customize it to suit my tastes. For example, I love the freshness of thyme and the woodsy flavor of rosemary paired with mushrooms, so I always add both these herbs. And I’d venture to say that this version is healthier than the canned stuff. If you think you don’t like cream of mushroom soup but you’ve never had homemade, I recommend giving this a try!
Creamy, comforting, and packed with earthy mushroom flavor, this simple cream of mushroom soup recipe (without cream!) is a lighter take on the classic. Whether you’re trying to keep things light or just don’t have cream on hand, this recipe delivers all the richness without the heavy cream. And there’s also a dairy-free vegan option that’s just as satisfying!
What Makes This Recipe Special
- Lighter, yet luscious: There’s no heavy cream, but it’s still velvety smooth.
- Easy to make: A one-pot wonder that comes together in just 30 minutes.
- Rich, umami-packed flavor: The mushrooms shine, enhanced by simple ingredients.
- Versatile: It’s perfect as a starter, it can work as a light main dish (pair it with a green salad and crusty bread to make it a full meal), or you can use it as a base for casseroles and sauces.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – We cook the mushrooms in a mixture of olive oil and butter. The oil helps make sure the butter doesn’t burn.
- Butter – Adds rich flavor.
- Cremini mushrooms – These are also called baby portobello mushrooms or just baby bella mushrooms. You can swap them out for white button mushrooms, or use a mix of any kind of mushrooms you like. Wipe them clean to remove the dirt, and then slice or dice them.
- Yellow onion and garlic – For savory depth of flavor and tons of aroma.
- Flour – Here we use all-purpose flour to thicken the soup. For a gluten free version, omit the flour and add a cornstarch slurry (1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water) at the end of cooking; continue cooking until thickened, about 1 minute, while stirring constantly.
- Fresh rosemary and thyme – These fresh herbs add woodsy, bright depth of flavor.
- Dry white wine – Use sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or an unoaked chardonnay here. If you prefer not to use wine, use 3 tablespoons water + 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar OR 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
- Whole milk – Whole milk adds richness and creaminess here, but any kind of unflavored milk (or plant-based milk alternative) you like or have on hand will work.
- Chicken stock – I love the rich flavor that chicken stock adds here. Vegetable stock (or broth) will also work.
- Bay leaf – Enhances the herby flavor to complement the mushroom’s earthiness.
- Coarse kosher salt – These pantry staple seasonings make sure the soup isn’t bland. If you’re using fine (table) salt instead of coarse kosher salt, just use a bit less.
- Brandy – Adding a splash of brandy is optional, but it’s a fantastic touch that takes this soup over the top. Brandy enhances the earthy mushroom flavor with a subtle depth and a hint of warmth.
How to Make This Easy Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add the olive oil and butter to a 3-quart pot over medium to medium-high heat; once the butter is almost fully melted, add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, then add the flour and cook 1 minute, continuing to stir constantly. (At this point, the bottom of the pot will likely be a hot mess; don’t worry, it’s not burned, that’s where the flavor is, and we’re going to deglaze the pot to release all that flavor.) Add the wine, then turn heat up to medium-high and cook about until the wine is cooked off, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. As it’s cooking, use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom.
- Stir in the milk, stock, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- If using the brandy, stir it in now.
- Remove the soup from the heat, and serve.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave for 45-second increments at 75% power (stirring between each).
Expert Tips for the Best Simple Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe (Without Cream!)
- Use a mix of mushrooms for deeper flavor; cremini, shiitake, and portobello all work wonderfully.
- If you want it ultra creamy, use an immersion blender to puree part of the soup, leaving some mushrooms whole for texture. (Alternatively, transfer half to a blender, then return it to the pot.)
- For an even thicker soup, add a small boiled potato or add a handful of soaked cashews before blending half of the cooked soup.
- Boost the umami factor. A dash of soy sauce, miso paste, Worcestershire sauce (vegan if needed), or nutritional yeast adds complexity.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy along with a green side salad and a slice of crusty bread for a light, yet satisfying meal.
- Serve as a starter before a hearty main dish.
- Spoon it on top of grilled steak, chicken, or salmon for a savory sauce.
- Use as a creamy sauce for pasta.
FAQs
Yes! Swap out the butter for more olive oil. Instead of whole milk, go for a plant-based milk alternative like oat or cashew milk for extra creaminess. And use vegetable broth or stock instead of chicken stock.
Yes, but the flavor will have less depth. If you have it on hand, add a splash of soy sauce or a spoon of miso paste.
More Creamy Soup Recipes
- White Bean Chowder
- Żurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup)
- Okroshka (Cold Russian Soup)
- Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
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Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe Without Cream
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms see Notes
- 1 medium yellow onion diced (abut 1 1/4 cups diced)
- 2 large cloves garlic crushed
- 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 cup dry white wine see Notes
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt use less if using fine (table) salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon brandy optional
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and butter to a 3-quart pot over medium to medium-high heat; once the butter is almost fully melted, add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, then add the flour and cook 1 minute, continuing to stir constantly. (At this point, the bottom of the pot will likely be a hot mess; don’t worry, it’s not burned, that’s where the flavor is, and we’re going to deglaze the pot to release all that flavor.)
- Add the wine, then turn heat up to medium-high and cook about until the wine is cooked off, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. As it's cooking, use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom.
- Stir in the milk, stock, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- If using the brandy, stir it in now, remove the soup from the heat, and serve.
Notes
- Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms are also called baby portobello mushrooms or just baby bella mushrooms. You can swap them out for white button mushrooms, or use a mix of any kind of mushrooms you like. Wipe them clean to remove the dirt, and then slice or dice them.
- Dry White Wine: Use sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or an unoaked chardonnay here. If you prefer not to use wine, use 3 tablespoons water + 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar OR 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
- Storage and Reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave for 45-second increments at 75% power (stirring between each).
- Vegan Version: Swap out the butter for more olive oil. Instead of whole milk, go for a plant-based milk alternative like oat or cashew milk for extra creaminess. And use vegetable broth or stock instead of chicken stock.
- Gluten Free Version: Here we use all-purpose flour to thicken the soup. For a gluten free version, omit the flour and add a cornstarch slurry (1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water) at the end of cooking; continue cooking until thickened, about 1 minute, while stirring constantly.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on February 16, 2011 and updated on March 12, 2025.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
Hello, Faith! I made this soup at home and it was delicious! I have just shared it in my blog, and added a link to your post. If you want to take a look, here’s the link: http://cinarasplace.blogspot.com/
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Best regards from Brazil!
Cinara, Thanks so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup! :)
I made this for lunch yesterday and it was so creamy and flavorful, overall delicious! Kept me full and happy =) Thanks!
I made this cream of mushroom soup. I did use a 1/2 oz. of dried porcinis and added the water I used to hydrate the dried mushrooms… Kinda like a mushroom broth. I added it to the broth added in the recipe and added a slight increase to the amount of flour just to account for the extra liquid. I loved this soup. The flavor was really robust and savory and I plan on using what was left (which wasn’t much) to make a casserole of some sort…Thank you. I will use this one again
Krystal, I’m happy you liked it!! And oh no, hope your little one is ok!
Dawn, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup!! I bet the porcinis were a fantastic addition!
I’ve never actually had cream of mushroom soup, but as a big mushroom-lover, I know I’d go crazy for it! Thrilled you have this recipe with whole foods, nothing mysterious from a can, so I can actually veganize it with ease. I think that cashew milk might make for the perfect sub here… Mm, I can taste it now!
I love cream of mushroom soup. I used to eat it a lot when I was a kid. I love the homemade version…yum!
Wow, that is delicious. I followed your recipe. Used chicken bullion because it was all i had, and delicious. Even with the 5 year old getting a goose egg the size of an egg in the middle of making it, it was quick and easy and a great gourmet flavor to die for. Thanks for sharing your recipes i love them all.
I just bought some fresh mushrooms and garlic today. I wanted something fresh and healthy to boost my immune system. I’m going to go attempt and make that right now. I’ll let you know how it goes.
I do love a good homemade cream of mushroom soup & love that your recipe is not heavy at all. Must try soon :)
I hate canned soups, fresh homemade is so much better. Cream of mushroom soup is on my top favorites, so good and addicting. Your recipe sounds delicious. The cup is adorable.
So good that you kept this vegetarian. And, you’re right, Real mushroom soup is nothing like the glutenous canned stuff that people have dumped into casseroles!
I have used mushroom broth (in those soft liter containers) to great success in certain soup recipes that would work great in your creamy soup.
We have no CSN so it is difficult to check it out… Love this recipe it sounds extra tasty. Diane
When I was little I had a thing for cream of mushroom soup, Mum used to make it just like this. I haven’t had it for ages either, thinking I’ll have to remedy that huh :)
Cream of mushroom has always been a favorite of mine and this is a lovely recipe :)
Homemade cream of mushroom soup is the BEST!
I try not to judge food by its canned version and I would be more than happy to give this lusciously creamy soup a go! So beautiful!
It has been a while I made cream of mushroom soup. Thanks for the reminder. Your soup looks so creamy and delicious!
Just my type of soup: herbiferous, vegelicious and not too rich! But I would have to add shitakes. Don’t try to stop me!
You got to the crux of the problem – most people have only had canned cream of mushroom soup – so no wonder they don’t like it! They don’t know what they’re missing! And the earthier the mushroom the better! What a cute terrine, too :)
LOVE the bowl. Try an ounce of dried, reconstituted chopped porcini in this soup. It will bring it to a whole other level – though it is clearly delicious now… I have a recipe so similar, and then – added some porcini and – swoon… a little white truffle oil on top – and double soon.
Love that bowl!
:)
valerie
You did say that was mushroom soup, right? Not amazing, creamy, heaven in a bowl? I can’t seem to distinguish the difference right now.
I wish I liked mushrooms! Because this sounds like its super tasty! I always up for a good soup :) Happy (almost) Friday!
This is so rich and creamy, Faith! And I love the herbs you used in it. Just the way canned soup looks when you open it is a big turn off to me – this is a million times better!
I have only had cream of mushroom soup once, and it was in a restaurant and I loved it, but I am sure that version was loaded with fat. I can always count on you to come up with a healthy version of the foods that I love. This sounds wonderful:)
Creamy soups are one of my favourites.Though they are in no way healthy.Your version with thyme and rosemary sounds really aromatic.
Excellent soup. I made it as soon as I read the recipe. I can’t believe how simple it was to make and how delicious the result was. This is the kind of soup you don’t want to share… and I don’t even like mushrooms that much!
Adele: I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup! Thanks so much for letting me know! :)
I love cream of mushroom soup, and that looks gorgeous!
Both the husband and I love mushroom soup. Nothing can compare to homemade! I agree, the stuff out of the can – ewww! This looks like a wonderful recipe and I love that soup mug of yours :)
Awesome cream of mushroom soup. I love mushroom to this is soup for me.
Faith, if anybody has ur cream of mushroom soup again , they\’d never go to the canned variety and i come from a land where canned soups aint the rage!
I have made cream of mushrooms soups with all sorts of additions ,but ur recipe fantastically tops any of those:-)
And oh the cute little mug:-)
To me, this sounds perfect. I love thyme and rosemary!
I am not a bog soup person but I do enjoy a nice mushroom sup. And it is true the real homemade stuff rules. Your recipe looks very tempting.
I totally agree with you homemade is unbeatable. It makes a whole lot of difference. Your soup would be ideal for me now that I have a cold.
I’d make mushroom soup all the time if I had that bowl, Faith. :)
I like the herbs a lot….probably couldn’t resist adding cream to mine…bad, bad bad.
I like your healthier version of cream of mushroom soup and that bowl is too cute!
I saw the most beautiful mushrooms at a mushroom store in the Sf Ferry building yesterday and I was thinking, what can I do with these? Thanks for sharing your soup recipe:-)
Sharon @ Fun and Life: I can’t name names to tell you who, as they (yes, there are more than one!) read my blog. ;) And if you were familiar with the canned variety of this soup that is sold here in the U.S., likening it to glue (truth be told, paste seems even more appropriate) may not be all that strange, lol! Which is why I make my own. :)
Blond Duck: Generally, I only freeze soups that are broth-based because I’ve noticed that milk or cream-based soups have the tendency to curdle when re-heated. That being said, I’ve never tried freezing this specific soup so I really can’t say for sure…but I don’t recommend it! :)
I’m one of those people who never thought of making mushroom soup to eat. You’ve given me a good reason to try!
A terrific version of cream of mushroom soup! I love your additions of both rosemary and thyme, excellent flavors!
I loooove cream of mushroom soup – I always get it at restaurants. Campbells just won’t do! I have to try this :)
looks delicious faith! hope you are having a great week.
Could you freeze this? This would be so much better than canned versions.
Homemade cream of mushroom soup is like heaven in a bowl. I love your version; I can almost taste the thyme and rosemary. What a hearty, earthy, delicious bowl of soup! I wish we lived closer, I’d be over in a heart beat to share a bowl with you!
Your soup looks amazing and I would definitely eat it by itself. Actually, nobody uses canned mushroom soup in recipes in Italy ( I don’t think they even sell it here!) so I discovered in my early 20s when I moved to the US!
Oh yummm! This looks delicious!! I love a nice simple, creamy soup! Can’t wait to try it!
Oh I love cream of mushroom. Who says it tastes like glue? Lol. I never eat canned soups so I only have this in restaurants, but not too often because of all the cream in it. This sounds brilliant! Much healthier and less calorific haha. Would be great with some bread!
yup, i agree with you, the best thing about homemade everything is that u can customize according to your preference. This looks like a very yummy soup!
Yumm, thats a delicious soup,looks absolutely divine..
I just love this soup!! yours looks so creamy and delicious!
Your cream of mushroom soup looks heavenly! I love the nice herbs in the recipe. I’m so crazy for mushrooms. I just have to make this! ;)
Lipsmackingly good!
Cheers,
Rosa
I grew up with this out of a can. Man, yours looks WAY better! I can practically taste it just by looking at the pics.
Love that you even have a mushroom soup crock. It looks creamy and delicious.
Faith, thank you for this healthier version of mushroom soup. My kiddies love mushroom soup but I have never made homemade for them. With this wonderful healthier recipe, I now have no excuse not to. I love the bowl you used for your soup, too cute!
Had some mushroom soup last week, and it’s really delicious. Gotta try your recipe too. Looks fantastic!
Yeah, the canned stuff I wouldn’t even consider eating on it’s own but this is just lovely! And yes, much healthier! I love your bowl and even the spoon with the matte finish. I usually don’t notice the props used in food photos, just the overall look, but the (vintage?) bowl was just too cute not to notice and then I started studying it a little more and saw how nice the spoon was too!
I love mushrooms but have never had homemade mushroom soup. I am certainly going to have to make this since it looks so good!
I go through a carton of mushrooms every few days, so I’m sure I would savor this homemade mushroom soup! Thank you for sharing yourself with me tonight. Your words and recipes always bring me joy.
Just bookmarked this one – It sounds great. I know i will make it as my hubby devours this one and your recipe looks perfect n I love that you didn’t use any heavy cream :)
US Masala
This looks fabulous and it has its own little mug too! :) I don’t think I’ve ever used cream of mushroom soup in a recipe but I have eaten it fresh on its own and you’re right, it’s so much better than canned! :)
I ADORE homemade mushroom soup! Add some potatoes and you’ve got yourself the best soup in the world :)
I love homemade mushroom soup- the canned stuff doesn’t even hold a candle to it. Yours looks wonderful!
ahhh this word verification is giving me carpel tunnel!
i wanted to comment though… even tho it huRTS
THIS SOUP LOOKS SO GOOD!
I love cream of mushroom soup, yours has such great flavors and I love that it doesn’t use heavy cream! Looks delicious!