This garlic mushroom soup is rich, creamy, and packed with savory mushroom flavor, but is surprisingly simple to make. It’s the kind of cozy soup that works just as well for a quick weeknight dinner as it does as a starter for a larger meal, like my Thai hot and sour chicken soup.
Pair a bowl of this comforting soup with some crusty bread or homemade biscuits to make it a meal, perfect for a cold winter day.
I recently tried making this soup when I had a pack of extra buttom mushrooms waiting to be put to use, and I'm so glad I did.
It was light, comforting, delicious and so versatile. I'm actually going to team it up with my homemade cheese tortellini to bulk it up and turn it into a hearty meal. In fact, I think I could also add some of my Air Fryer shredded chicken to add more protein to the soup.
Quick Look: Garlic Mushroom Soup
- 🔪 Prep time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook time: 15–20 minutes
- 🍽️ Servings: Depends on final yield
- 🥣 Main ingredients: Mushrooms, onion, garlic, butter, oil, cornstarch, stock, thyme, heavy cream, chives
- ➡️ Method: Slice and chop → sauté mushrooms, onion, and garlic → add cornstarch → add stock and seasonings → simmer → add cream → garnish with chives
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🍞 Best served with: Crusty bread, Parmesan croutons, garlic bread, sandwiches, or a simple salad.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
- The combination of mushrooms, garlic, onion, and thyme gives the soup plenty of savory flavor. Also, it comes together in one saucepan, making cleanup easy.
- Cornstarch thickens the soup quickly, so you don't need to make a separate roux. Plus, heavy cream adds richness right at the end without needing to simmer the cream for long.
- It packs in those cozy, comforting flavors that make it perfect to make and enjoy on a cold winter night- just like my French onion soup chicken.
Recipe Ingredients
Mushrooms: Button mushrooms are best for that hearty texture and flavor.
Aromatics: Onion and garlic, finely chopped. You can also use Air Fryer roasted garlic for a bit of smoky depth.
Butter + heavy cream: For the richness. Use plant-based butter and cream if you you're sensitive to dairy.
Cornstarch: To thicken the soup.
Stock: Vegetable stock works best, especially if you want to make a vegetarian soup. I love using low sodium vegetable broth to have more control over the seasonings.
Herbs: Just some thyme and chives.
Seasonings: I kept it simple and used just some salt and pepper. You can use an infused salt like garlic parsley salt or mixed herb salt if you want to.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use vegetable stock or corn stock for a vegetarian version, or chicken stock if you want a deeper flavor.
- Swap thyme for dried or fresh rosemary for a slightly different herbal flavor.
- Use a mixture of mushrooms for more depth and texture.
- Add a pinch of chili flakes if you like a little heat, or spoon some homemade chili garlic oil over the soup right before serving.
How to Make Garlic Mushroom Soup
Step 1: Slice the mushrooms and finely chop the garlic and onion.
Step 2: Melt butter with a little oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic until they soften.
Step 3: Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cornstarch and turn down the heat and cook for 2 more minutes.
Step 4: Add the stock and give it a stir. Cook on low until the soup thickens.
Step 5: Add the heavy cream and cook for another minute.
Step 6: Take off heat, garnish with chopped chives and serve.
💭Top Tip
Don't rush the sautéing step. Let the mushrooms, onion, and garlic soften properly before adding the cornstarch. This builds the savory base of the soup and gives the mushrooms time to develop more flavor.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Slice the mushrooms fairly evenly so they soften at roughly the same rate. Finely chop the onion and garlic so they become tender quickly and distribute throughout the soup.
- Stir continuously when cooking the cornstarch to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. I always do this when I make cilantro chicken soup too.
- Add the stock gradually while stirring if you want an especially smooth soup.
- Give the soup a few minutes to thicken before adding the cream.
- Keep the heat low after adding the heavy cream to prevent the soup from becoming overly hot or boiling.
- Add the chives just before serving for the freshest flavor and brightest color. You can also add fresh or dried parsley if you want to.
How to Serve Garlic Mushroom Soup
This creamy garlic mushroom soup is delicious with a thick slice of crusty bread for dipping. Garlic bread, toasted sourdough, dinner rolls, or a simple grilled cheese sandwich would also make great accompaniments.
For a lighter meal, serve it alongside a crisp green salad or crispy Parmesan potatoes or even some Potato Aligot. You can also serve smaller bowls as a starter before roasted chicken, steak, pasta, or another hearty main course.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Cornstarch can continue thickening the soup as it cooks. If yours becomes thicker than you like, stir in a little additional stock until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Give it a little more time to simmer after adding the stock. The cornstarch needs heat to activate and thicken the soup.
Allow the soup to cool and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. If the soup has thickened in the refrigerator, loosen it with a little stock or water.
More Comforting Recipes
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If you tried this garlic mushroom soup or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Garlic Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups button mushrooms
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 3 cups stock
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon chives
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice the mushrooms and finely chop the garlic and onion.
- Melt butter with a little oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic until they soften.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cornstarch and turn down the heat and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add the stock and give it a stir. Cook on low until the soup thickens.
- Add the heavy cream and cook for another minute.
- Take off heat, garnish with chopped chives and serve.
Notes
- Adjust the consistency with additional stock if the soup becomes thicker than you prefer.
- Keep the heat low after adding the heavy cream.
- Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container and reheat gently.
- Exact ingredient quantities and yield should be added to the recipe card once finalized.
