Mushroom Soup with Thyme Cream
This cozy mushroom soup with thyme cream is the perfect beginning to your holiday meal! It’s light yet bursting with delicious earthy flavors that everyone will love.
Cremini mushrooms, also known as Baby Bellas (the babies of portobello mushrooms), provide a rich and earthy base for the soup. When sautéed until golden, they develop a delightful depth of flavor. The addition of sautéed leeks introduces a gentle sweetness, balancing the overall profile of the soup. The cherry on top—well, I mean the dollop on top—is the real superstar of the soup: thyme cream. It adds a touch of indulgence without making the soup heavy. It totally elevates the whole dish.
This mushroom soup with thyme cream is incredibly easy to prepare, with only a handful of ingredients, making it a fantastic option for the hectic season. Its light yet robust flavors set the stage for your holiday feast. The best part? You can make it well in advance.
This cozy bowl is the perfect flavorful starter. Pair it with my simple skirt steak and creamy orzo, and you will have a pretty impressive menu. (Don’t forget a signature cocktail, like my pear gin fizz) I have also made it for those cozy nights in with my very own Jeffrey. (You’re not the only one, Ina!)
Thyme Cream Ingredients
- Heavy Cream – Creates a smooth, fluffy texture when whipped. Don’t use light cream for this whip. Heavy cream has a higher fat content, which allows it to hold the fluffy shape and creates a richer, creamier whipped cream.
- Thyme – Fresh is best, infusing the cream with an earthy, slightly lemony, and aromatic flavor you can’t replicate with dried thyme.
Mushroom Soup Ingredients
- Cremini mushrooms – They have a rich, earthy flavor and a firm texture. If you prefer a lighter color in your soup, you can substitute half of the cremini mushrooms with button mushrooms. However, I wouldn’t recommend replacing all of them, as cremini mushrooms provide that distinct earthy taste.
- Leeks – Slice and saute until tender, offering a gentle sweetness to the soup. Be sure to soak the leeks in water after slicing, as dirt can hide in their layers.
- Chicken broth – Low-sodium chicken broth provides the savory base for the soup. Vegetable broth can be substituted.
- Butter – Adds richness and helps saute vegetables.
- Flour – Used to thicken the soup.
- Thyme – Fresh chopped thyme enhances the soup with fragrant, herbal notes.
- Salt and Pepper – Essential for seasoning and bringing out all the flavors.
How to Make Mushroom Soup with Thyme Cream
We’ll start by making the thyme cream first. This will allow the fresh, earthy herb to really infuse the cream. The cream can be made up to two days ahead and stored in the fridge.
Thyme Cream
To make the thyme cream, whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer on medium-high in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Add freshly chopped thyme and gently fold it into the cream. Cover and store in the fridge until ready to use, but be sure to remove it from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving to lose the chill.
Mushroom Soup
Now, onto the soup. Start by melting 2 tablespoons of butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 pound of the mushrooms, season with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the juices from the mushrooms evaporate and the mushrooms are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a large bowl and repeat using 2 tablespoons of the butter and the remaining mushrooms.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the Dutch oven. Add the sliced leeks and cook, stirring often, until the leeks soften, about 5 minutes.
Return the mushrooms to the pot. Sprinkle with flour and stir well. Now, add the chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Bring the soup to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover. Simmer to blend the flavors for about 20 minutes. When you’re ready to serve, spoon hot soup into a soup bowl and dollop with that delicious thyme cream.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Substitute some cremini mushrooms with button mushrooms to tone down that earthy flavor profile. For a more robust taste, experiment with wild mushrooms.
- Be sure to wash the mushrooms thoroughly to remove dirt. Place them in a colander and rinse with cold water. Shake off excess water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Swap the chicken stock with vegetable stock to make it vegetarian.
- Adjust the consistency. If you prefer a thinner soup, add a little more both.
Make Ahead & Store
I love this mushroom and thyme cream soup because it gets even better after sitting for a day or two. The flavors have more time to develop, and the soup is extra savory.
- Store the soup in an airtight container and the thyme cream in a separate airtight container. Don’t combine them in the same container. Both will last up to 2-3 days in the fridge.
- Reheat on low heat until hot. While the soup is reheating, remove the thyme cream from the fridge to loosen the chill. Dollop the cream on top when ready to serve.
- You can freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup before reheating. Thyme cream does not freeze well, so make the thyme cream while thawing the soup.
Let’s Keep It Cozy
If you make this, let me know, I love hearing how you serve it. If you’re craving something heartier, don’t forget to check out my sausage and bean soup for a main-meal moment. And if soup season is your love language (same), be sure to join the Cozy Crew where I share new soup recipes, hosting tips, and all the comfort-food goodness straight from the cabin.
Mushroom Soup with Thyme Cream
Equipment
- Hand mixer
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
Thyme Cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
Mushroom Soup
- 6 tbsp butter divided
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms sliced thin
- 2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only sliced thin
- ⅓ cup flour
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Thyme Cream
- Pour cream into a large chilled bowl. With a hand mixer, mix cream on medium high speed until soft peaks form. About 3 minutes.
- Fold in chopped thyme.
- Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors.
Mushroom Soup
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 pound of the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until juices evaporate and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with 2 tablespoons butter and remaining mushrooms.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the Dutch oven. Add sliced leeks and cook, stirring often until leeks soften, about 5 minutes.
- Return mushrooms to the pot. Sprinkle with flour and stir.
- Stir in chicken broth, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
- Reduce heat to low and partially cover. Simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.
- Serve hot, topping each serving with a dollop of thyme cream.
