Creamy Mushroom Bisque (Printer view)

A rich, velvety wild mushroom soup with aromatic herbs and a smooth cream finish for a comforting meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Mushrooms

01 - 1 lb mixed wild mushrooms (chanterelle, cremini, shiitake), cleaned and sliced

→ Aromatics

02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small leek, white part only, sliced

→ Liquids

06 - 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
07 - ½ cup dry white wine
08 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or ½ tsp dried thyme
10 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - ½ tsp sea salt, or to taste
12 - Pinch of ground nutmeg

→ Garnish (optional)

13 - Fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped
14 - Drizzle of truffle oil

# Directions:

01 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, leek, and garlic; sauté gently until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes, without browning.
02 - Add mushrooms and thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release moisture and start to brown, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
03 - Pour in white wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the pot bottom.
04 - Add stock, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat and purée using an immersion blender until smooth and creamy, or blend carefully in batches using a standard blender.
06 - Return soup to low heat, stir in cream, and warm gently without boiling. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs and a drizzle of truffle oil if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but asks almost nothing of you except patience and decent mushrooms.
  • The cream transforms everything into silk, and you'll understand why French cooks treat this technique like a secret.
  • It's the kind of soup that makes people think you've been cooking all day when you've barely spent an hour.
02 -
  • Do not skip the 20-minute simmer—it's where the mushroom flavor becomes concentrated and rich, not just mushroom-flavored water.
  • Use an immersion blender if you have one; it's faster, safer, and gives you better control than a regular blender with hot liquid.
  • Never let cream boil once it's in the pot; it will split and separate, and there's no good fix once that happens.
03 -
  • Buy the best mushrooms you can find—they're the star here, not a supporting player, so their quality matters more than anything else in the recipe.
  • Keep your stock temperature even close to the mushroom mixture's warmth; adding cold liquid to hot can cause temperature shock and affect the final texture.
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