Creamy Mushroom Soup Recipe - Peas and Crayons (2024)

FAQs

What makes cream of mushroom soup taste better? ›

What are some herbs and spices that can be used to enhance canned cream of mushroom soup? There are several herbs and spices that can enhance the flavor of canned cream of mushroom soup. Popular options include thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika.

These two products aren't identical, but they are very similar. Condensed cream of mushroom soup is a concentrated form of cream of mushroom soup. When you add a cup or two of liquid such as water, broth, or stock to condensed mushroom soup, it becomes cream of mushroom soup!

A. Watery cream soups can come from a couple of different reasons. One of them is that the thickener that was utilized (be it a fat and flour roux or a liquid and flour or corn starch slurry) was inadequate. By inadequate I mean that there was not enough starch to hold the liquids in the desired thickened suspension.

Thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, and bay leaves work well with mushroom soup.

Of course when we were growing up it was Campbell's and it came in a can. But even as an 8 year old I took great pride in heating my own soup, and discovered for myself how much better it was if you added milk instead of water, and how important it was to slowly add the milk while stirring so it wouldn't form clumps.

You can thicken soup with flour or cornstarch, which do not add any additional flavor. If you want more flavor, a roux is the best way to thicken up a soup. Starchy add-ins are another great way to create thick and creamy vegan soups.

Serving Ideas

A bowl of our Cream of Mushroom Soup served with fresh baked bread is hearty enough to serve on its own, or you can beef it up with whatever's fresh in your kitchen. Condensed soups are also the perfect base for casseroles and starters for sauces, so your imagination is the limit.

If you feel the soup is too thin, then just before adding the cream, take 1 tbsp of corn starch and 1 tbsp of cold water and mix together, then pour into the soup. Stir until thickened. This will take a couple minutes to thicken. If still not thick enough, repeat this process.

Milk + cornstarch

To replace one cup of heavy cream, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch into 1 cup milk, whisking well to break up any clumps. Cornstarch requires heat to thicken, so add the slurry to soups and sauces and simmer for at least 1 minute to activate the cornstarch.

Infuse some fresh herbs

Simply tie the herbs together with kitchen twine and let them simmer in the soup while it cooks. We suggest experimenting with classics like thyme, rosemary, and sage for a traditional earthy aroma, enhancing the rich umami flavors of the mushrooms.

Why is my mushroom soup tasteless? ›

Normally cream of mushroom soup is very bland and lacks any taste or texture with a distinct lack of mushrooms. The secret is in the mushrooms. Try some oyster, portabello or sh*taki mushrooms. These will add great flavour and taste to the soup.

According to America's Test Kitchen (via Splendid Table), mushrooms only need five minutes of cooking in order to get tender. After that point, you can realistically remove them from the heat. If, however, you choose to continue cooking your mushrooms, or simply lose track of time, nothing much will happen.

How can people spice up canned mushroom soup? When I'm in a hurry I'll add half a cup of cooked brown rice, half a cup of frozen peas and/or carrots, and black pepper, powdered garlic, powdered onion, and parsley to cream of mushroom soup. Once the soup is simmering I'll serve as is or with a good sprinkle of parmesan.

If you started the soup with broth, stock or water, I would wait until the end to add the cream. You can warm the cream, or “temper” it, which is what I do. Take about half a cup of the hot broth and slowly add your cream to that, stirring constantly.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Older mushrooms or ones that aren't as fresh might lack flavor. Insufficient Seasoning: Soups need a good amount of seasoning to bring out their flavors. Ensure you've added enough salt and other seasonings. Lack of Depth: If only water was used, the soup might lack depth.

Cook in butter and oil for richness

Butter makes everything better, but in some cases it brings out a true luxuriousness of a dish. This is the case for mushrooms. Bring out their umami taste by letting them sauté in a pan of melted butter. Morels are an absolute treat sautéed in butter until golden brown.