Recipe · 27 October 2026
Mushroom Soup Without Cream
A rich, velvety mushroom soup with no cream at all. Well browned mushrooms and a potato give it body, and it is easily made vegan.
- Serves 4
- Prep 10 min
- Cook 30 min
- Total 40 min
- Soup
- British
Suits
- Vegetarian
- Vegan with oil and vegetable stock
- Gluten free (check the stock and soy sauce)
Ingredients
- 10g dried porcini (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 25g butter (or more olive oil for vegan)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
- 1 medium potato (about 200g), peeled and diced
- 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tsp soy sauce (optional)
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper
- Chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil, to serve
You don't need cream to make mushroom soup taste rich. The flavour comes from browning the mushrooms properly, so they caramelise and turn deeply savoury, and the silky texture comes from a single potato blended with them. A few dried porcini, if you have them, make it taste even more intensely of mushrooms, and a dash of soy sauce adds depth without anyone guessing it is there. The result is lighter than a cream of mushroom soup but just as comforting. Use olive oil and vegetable stock and it is vegan.
Method
- 1
If using porcini, cover them with 150ml boiling water and leave to soak for 15 minutes.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan over a high heat. Add half the mushrooms and cook without stirring for 3 minutes, then stir and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until well browned. Tip onto a plate and repeat with the rest of the oil and mushrooms.
Brown the mushrooms well in batches - 3
Turn the heat down to medium, add the butter and onion to the pan and cook gently for 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
- 4
Lift the porcini out of their soaking water, chop them and add them to the pan. Pour in the soaking liquid, leaving any grit at the bottom of the bowl.
- 5
Return the browned mushrooms to the pan, keeping a few aside to garnish if you like. Add the potato and stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the potato is completely soft.
- 6
Blend until smooth with a stick blender or in a blender, in batches. Add the soy sauce, a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper to taste. If it is too thick, add a splash of hot water.
Blend until smooth - 7
Serve topped with the reserved mushrooms, chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
Tips
Brown, don't boil. The deep flavour comes from browning the mushrooms in batches over a high heat. If you put them all in at once they will release water and stew. Thicker or thinner. Use a larger potato or a drained tin of cannellini beans for a thicker soup, or more stock for a thinner one. Blending only half the soup gives it more texture. Freezing. Cool and freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight and reheat until piping hot. Old-fashioned style. For a more traditional soup, leave out the porcini and soy sauce and stir in a small knob of butter just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you thicken mushroom soup without cream?
Blend in a potato cooked with the soup, or a drained tin of cannellini beans. Both give a creamy, velvety texture without any dairy.
Can I make mushroom soup vegan?
Yes. Use olive oil instead of butter and a vegetable stock. Check that the stock cube and soy sauce suit your diet.
Which mushrooms are best for soup?
Chestnut mushrooms give a good, earthy flavour at a sensible price. A few dried porcini make it taste much more intensely of mushrooms.
Can I freeze mushroom soup?
Yes. Soups without cream freeze particularly well. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months and reheat until piping hot.
Why is my mushroom soup grey?
The mushrooms were stewed rather than browned. Brown them well in batches first, and use chestnut mushrooms rather than white ones for a richer colour.
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