EN DE FR ES PT IT
French Cream of Button Mushroom Soup
Recipe

French Cream of Button Mushroom Soup

Starter • France

A classic French-style button mushroom soup that’s silky and aromatic, finished with a modest amount of cream for richness without heaviness.

Why smarter

Uses mostly vegetables and a modest amount of cream, relies on sautéing and simmering for flavor, and finishes with a small butter touch for classic taste while keeping the soup balanced.

Chef tip

For deeper mushroom flavor, let the mushrooms sauté until their liquid evaporates and they begin to lightly brown before adding the stock.

Soft line

Serve with a slice of whole-grain baguette or a simple green salad if you want a more filling starter.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 Button mushrooms (Champignons de Paris), wiped clean and sliced 500.000 g button mushrooms
2 Olive oil 1.000 tbsp olive oil
3 Unsalted butter 1.000 tbsp butter
4 Leek, white and light green parts, thinly sliced and rinsed 1.000 medium leek
5 Garlic cloves, minced 2.000 cloves garlic
6 Fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme) 1.000 tsp thyme
7 Dry white wine (optional) 60.000 ml white wine Optional but traditional for deglazing
8 Low-sodium vegetable stock (or chicken stock) 900.000 ml stock
9 Potato, peeled and diced (for natural creaminess) 150.000 g potato
10 Crème fraîche or light cream 80.000 ml cream Use crème fraîche for a French finish
11 Fine sea salt 0.750 tsp salt Adjust to taste and stock saltiness
12 Freshly ground black pepper 0.250 tsp black pepper To taste
13 Fresh parsley, finely chopped (to garnish) 2.000 tbsp parsley
14 Fresh lemon juice 1.000 tsp lemon juice Optional, to brighten at the end

Method

  1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the leek with a pinch of salt and cook 5–7 minutes until soft but not browned.
  2. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to lightly brown. Stir in the garlic and thyme for 30 seconds.
  3. If using, pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits; simmer 1–2 minutes until reduced by about half.
  4. Add the diced potato and stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 15 minutes, or until the potato is very tender.
  5. Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender (or carefully in a countertop blender in batches). If you prefer a more rustic texture, blend most of it and leave a few mushroom pieces.
  6. Stir in the crème fraîche (or light cream) and warm through gently without boiling. Season with black pepper and additional salt if needed. Add lemon juice if using.
  7. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve as a starter.