Description
Julia Child’s classic French mushroom soup blends earthy porcini with rich cream and herbs. Culinary enthusiasts will savor this comforting Parisian-style recipe that delivers elegant simplicity on your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 packages (16 oz / 453 g) fresh sliced mushrooms
- 4 cups (946 ml / 32 fl oz) chicken broth
- 1 cup (237 ml / 8 fl oz) water
- 1 cup (237 ml / 8 fl oz) heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup (57 g / 2 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme (tied in a bundle)
- 1 ½ tbsps all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (for garnish)
- 1 pinch salt
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Mushrooms: Melt unsalted butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt, allowing them to release moisture and caramelize deeply for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until most liquid evaporates and mushrooms turn rich golden brown.
- Build Flavor Base: Incorporate diced onions into the caramelized mushrooms, cooking until soft and translucent. Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the mixture, stirring continuously for 2 minutes to create a smooth roux and eliminate raw flour taste.
- Develop Aromatic Profile: Add whole thyme bundle and minced garlic cloves to the pot. Pour in chicken broth and water, then lower heat and simmer gently for 60 minutes, allowing ingredients to meld and develop complex flavors.
- Purée and Cream: Remove thyme bundle and transfer soup to blender, working in batches to achieve smooth, consistent texture. Return puréed soup to pot, stirring in heavy cream and adjusting consistency with additional chicken broth if needed.
- Season and Finish: Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle into serving bowls, garnishing with reserved mushroom slices and fresh thyme leaves for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Caramelize Mushrooms Carefully: Patience is key when developing deep, rich flavors; low and slow cooking intensifies the mushroom’s natural umami and prevents burning.
- Flour Technique Matters: Cooking flour briefly eliminates raw taste and creates a smooth, velvety base that thickens the soup without lumps.
- Blending in Batches: Work carefully when puréeing hot soup to prevent explosive splatters; fill blender only halfway and use a towel to cover the lid for safety.
- Cream Consistency Control: Add cream at the end and heat gently to prevent separation, adjusting liquid volume for desired soup thickness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg