This surprisingly simple and hearty soup is packed with nutrition! Cremini mushrooms give lots of great umami flavor while fresh herbs and aromatics lift it up! Make it totally meat-free by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth. Or if you prefer, add a drizzle of cream or crumble on some goat cheese for a rich, creamy soup!
This soup really doesn’t take much! Just a few fresh and healthy ingredients and about an hour of waiting! It’s a recipe that I make over and over because it’s so easy to whip up and is sure to please!
Here’s what you need:
This soup comes together in 4 steps:
- Sauté the veggies
- Make a roux
- Add liquid and simmer
- Purée
Step 1:
Sauté the mirepoix in olive oil. Mirepoix is a term that refers to the combination of onion, celery and carrot. This is the foundation for loads of soups, sauces, etc,… Add a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes on medium, until the onions are translucent and the carrots and celery are a bit tender.
Add the garlic and fresh herbs. Sauté 1 or 2 minutes more.
Add the mushrooms.
Season with another pinch of salt. Sauté until the mushrooms are browned and tender, about another 4 minutes or so. Because this soup is going to puréed later on, don’t worry about getting your cuts perfect. Just give them a quick chop and toss them in.
Step 2: Make a roux.
Roux is a French term, just like mirepoix, that refers to the adding of flour to fat to make a thickener. You typically use equal amounts of each. I used 1/4 cup of olive oil to sauté the veg, so now I’m adding 1/4 cup of flour.
Stir to coat the veggies and to cook the roux. It needs to cook until the flour is no longer raw, which takes a couple minutes. You will be able to tell the difference between the smell of raw flour and the smell of cooked flour, that has a nutty, toasty aroma.
Step 3: Add liquid.
You could use chicken or vegetable broth, whichever you prefer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits of roux that is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add salt. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
I love my immersion blender! It’s not a tool I need to use every single day, but when I do need it for a recipe like this, I am so glad I have it! It makes puréing soups a breeze.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, no need to worry. A blender or food processor works just fine. Just carefully ladle the soup over, purée, then transfer back to the pot.
Serve it up!
I just have to have a big pile of crunchy croutons on top of this delicious soup! You could top with fresh herbs or parmesan or a good drizzle of cream!
This soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Other recipes to try:
- Fettuccini with Mushrooms, Kale and Walnuts
- Fancy Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms
- Pepperoni Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms
- Hearty Black Bean and Vegetable Soup
Simple, Hearty Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 pounds cremini mushrooms de-stemmed cleaned and chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 6 cups broth veggie or chicken
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat a large pot to medium. Add the olive oil and sauté the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes. Add the herbs and garlic and sauté 2 minutes more. Add the mushrooms with another pinch of salt and sauté until tender. Add the flour to make a roux. Toss to coat all of the veggies. Cook the roux for about 2 minutes, or until you no longer smell raw flour. Add the broth and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil then turn immediately to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup to a smooth consistency, or transfer to a food processor, purée, then pour back into the pot. Check for seasonings and add more salt if needed.