Mushroom Bisque Recipe - Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup (2024)

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4.92 from 12 votes

By Hank Shaw

November 28, 2016 | Updated June 17, 2020

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Mushroom Bisque Recipe - Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup (2)

Birch bolete bisque. These words have been rolling around in my head a long, long time, and when I finally made the dish that I’d been thinking of, it did not disappoint.

Don’t get me wrong, you can make a mushroom bisque with any mushroom — indeed, the garnish on mine were simple cremini mushrooms from the supermarket. But birch boletes just kinda lend themselves to soup. And I’ll admit I like the alliteration.

What is a bisque? Technically it’s a creamy seafood soup from France, but the term has morphed to mean any creamy soup. Think of this recipe as one for real-deal, homemade cream of mushroom soup.

What is a birch bolete? Well, it is a cousin ofthe King of All Mushrooms, the porcino, a/k/a cepe, penny bun or steinpilz. These ‘shrooms tend to be smaller, however, and, as you might expect, like to live around birches.

Mushroom Bisque Recipe - Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup (3)

We have no real birch forests here in NorCal, but they are often used as landscaping plants. Look for them here in late November and December. Technically they are a leccinum, L. scabrum to be exact… ish. You see, there are lots of different kinds of these. Most have red or orange tops. Birch boletes don’t. They’re pretty gray-brown all over. And so far as I can tell, have never made anyone sick — the same can’t be said for the orange-topped aspen bolete in Colorado.

Mushroom Bisque Recipe - Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup (4)

Anyway, don’t get all hung up on birch boletes. Like I said, any mushroom will do.

The secret to this recipe is to use both dried and fresh mushrooms, and to use the soaking water as the broth. Sure, you can use chicken broth, but it won’t be quite so mushroomy then.

Another key is to blend only part of the soup, so it will be smooth and creamy, but still with some texture. I find that if I blend the whole thing, everyone thinks I am serving them a bowl of gravy… not that there’s anything wrong with eating a bowl of gravy.

Note that unlike many mushroom bisque recipes, I use no flour to thicken the soup — the mushrooms themselves do that — and I only use a little cream. Feel free to use more if you’d like, but I find that too much cream makes the soup impossibly rich.

Again, not that there’s anything wrong with impossibly rich…

4.92 from 12 votes

Wild Mushroom Bisque

While I relied on wild birch boletes and store-bought cremini mushrooms here, you can really use any mushroom you'd like. Each one will make the bisque a bit different, and you will ultimately come up with your own blend that suits your taste, your time, and your place. Whatever green garnish you choose, please use something. I find that the bisque gets disturbingly like gravy if you don't have something bright and green in it. And while yes, this is vegetarian, feel free to use chicken or beer or wild game broths in its place.

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: French

Servings: 6 people

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces of dried mushrooms
  • 5 cups hot water
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus one more tablespoon
  • 1 pound fresh mushrooms, minced (save aside a few nice mushrooms for garnish)
  • 1 large yellow or white onion, minced
  • 1/3 cup sherry or brandy
  • Salt (smoked salt if you have it)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Chives, parsley or some other green herb to garnish
  • Lots of black pepper

Instructions

  • Break the dried mushrooms up and soak them in the hot water for 45 minutes to an hour. Chop fine once they're soft. Save the soaking water and strain it through a paper towel to remove debris and dirt.

  • Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a soup pot and cook the onions and mushrooms over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, about 10 minutes.

  • Add the reconstituted mushrooms to the pot, stir well and cook another minute or three. Add the sherry, a healthy dash of salt and the thyme. Stir well and scrape off any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

  • Add 4 cups of the soaking water and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 20 t0 30 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, slice the garnish mushrooms and saute in the remaining tablespoon of butter until nicely browned. Set aside.

  • Ladle about 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup into a blender and puree. Chances are it will seize up and be too thick, so add the remaining soaking water to loosen things up. Return this to the pot, stir well and add some water if you think it's too thick. Return to a simmer.

  • To serve, stir in some heavy cream and lots of black pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the sauteed mushrooms and herbs.

Notes

Once made, this bisque will keep in the fridge a week. It doesn't freeze very well once it has the cream in it, so if you make a big batch to freeze, skip the cream until you plan to eat it.

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 567mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
Featured, Foraging, French, Mushrooms, Recipe

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Read More About Me

Mushroom Bisque Recipe - Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup (2024)

FAQs

Is mushroom bisque the same as cream of mushroom? ›

Mushroom Bisque is a stepped up version of cream of mushroom soup. It is smooth and rich with an earthy flavor. There is a small amount of cream but not enough to obscure the flavor of the mushrooms. Instead of using thickeners like corn starch or all purpose flour, the soup is pureed so it is thick without them.

What makes a soup a bisque vs creamy soup? ›

Key Differences

Ingredients: Bisque is often made with seafood and enriched with heavy cream, whereas soup can be made with a wide range of ingredients, offering more versatility. Consistency: Bisque is consistently smooth and velvety, while soup can have a diverse range of consistencies, depending on the recipe.

Is condensed cream of mushroom soup the same as cream of mushroom soup? ›

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!

What is a substitute for heavy cream in mushroom soup? ›

Milk + Butter

This sub isn't ideal if you're making whipped cream, but it'll do the trick if you're using heavy cream in baked goods, soups and casseroles. Butter is a whopping 80% fat, so combined with whole milk, it works as a heavy cream substitute.

What is mushroom bisque made of? ›

This luscious mushroom bisque recipe features a variety of freshly foraged mushrooms including cauliflower, morel and porcini. Each mushroom is prepared mushroom separately, then composed in the bottom of each bowl before surrounding the fungi with the velvety mushroom soup.

Is mushroom soup different than cream of mushroom soup? ›

The difference is the cream. Mushroom soup has a thin clear broth.

What is the thickener in bisque? ›

A bisque is a smooth, creamy French style of soup, traditionally made from crustaceans like lobster, crab or crayfish. It should include a stock made from the shells, a large amount of cream, and a thickening agent made from either finely-ground shells or rice.

What ingredient makes a soup a bisque? ›

A traditional French chef would define a bisque as being a thick, creamy soup made with shellfish and thickened by a paste made from their shells. Julia Child was one chef to popularize lobster bisque in the United States; her recipe uses both the shells of the lobster and rice to thicken the bisque.

What is the classic thickening for bisque? ›

The traditional way to thicken bisque is to remove the shells from the broth, grind them into a paste, and add it to the bisque to create a thick, velvety texture; today, a roux of flour and butter is the standard way to thicken the soup.

How to make cream of mushroom soup taste better? ›

Herbs: The best herbs we have found over the years to compliment those incredible flavours is a combination of thyme and parsley. Of course, if you don't like those, you can also use rosemary, oregano, tarragon, chives or cilantro. Use what you love!

Do people eat cream of mushroom soup as a soup? ›

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.

Do you add milk or water to Campbell's cream of mushroom soup? ›

In a 4 quart pot, combine one can of soup and one can of water. Simmer over low heat, stirring often. For extra creamy, in a 4 quart pot combine one can of soup with 1/2 can of water and 1/2 can of milk.

What thickens mushroom soup? ›

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.

Why is my cream of mushroom soup curdling? ›

If your sauce or soup contains an acidic ingredient like wine, tomatoes, or lemon juice, the milk is more likely to curdle. To counteract the effect of the acid, you can use a starch along with the acid.

How can I thicken my cream of mushroom soup? ›

To thicken cream of mushroom soup with flour, you can create a roux. Start by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then, whisk in an equal amount of all-purpose flour until it forms a smooth paste. Slowly add the roux to the soup while stirring constantly.

What is another word for cream of mushroom? ›

Canned cream of mushroom soup has been described as "America's béchamel". In Minnesota, the ingredient is often called "Lutheran binder," in reference to its thickening properties and its prominence in hotdish recipes, especially in Lutheran church cookbooks.

What is the difference between bisque chowder and cream soup? ›

Although a bisque and a chowder are both cream-based soups and most often feature seafood, it is their consistency that defines them and makes them quite different from each other. Whereas a bisque is smooth, a chowder is chunky, chock full of hearty pieces of ingredients such as potato and clams or corn.

Is bisque a creamy soup? ›

A traditional French chef would define a bisque as being a thick, creamy soup made with shellfish and thickened by a paste made from their shells.

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