Creamy mushroom and fennel soup

Mushroom soup recipe

When it comes to adding rich, meaty flavour to dishes, mushrooms are the go-to veg. They’re super versatile and while they’re great in a variety of dishes, they really shine in soups. Classic mushroom soup recipes are perfect for when the temperature drops - pure comfort in a bowl. Give your next warming mushroom soup a twist by combining mushrooms with leek, fennel and potato. This recipe uses every bit of each vegetable - the potatoes go into the dish unpeeled, the green top of the leek is also used, as are the fennel fronds - so it’s a truly feel-good dish that’s full of flavour. 

Ingredients for an easy mushroom soup recipe

To make the best mushroom soup recipe, you’re going to need - that’s right - mushrooms! While most mushrooms work well, we’ve used two varieties that are brilliant in soups - brown cup and button - to really bring out the mushroom flavour in the dish. The other veggies that go in the soup are leek, fennel and potatoes. Olive oil and butter are used to cook the mushrooms, leek and fennel, softening them and enhancing their flavours. You’ll also need 6 cups (1.5L) salt-reduced vegetable or chicken stock and ¼ cup (60ml) Worcestershire sauce for a savoury hit, and ½ cup (125ml) thickened cream for a silky, creamy soup. Crumbed camembert wedges are the perfect side dish, giving a cheesy crunchy contrast to the soup.

How to make mushroom soup

First, start cooking the veggies by heating the oil and butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. A heavy-based pan will help retain the heat and cook your ingredients more evenly, and this is important when cooking soups. Add 1 thickly sliced leek, including the green tops, to the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until it’s softened. Then add 1 thinly sliced fennel (reserve the fronds to serve with the soup) and cook for 2 minutes or until it’s softened. For the mushrooms, you might like to set aside a few slices to fry and add to the finished soup. Add 200g of thickly sliced brown cup mushrooms and 400g of thickly sliced cup mushrooms to the pan, and cook, stirring for 5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and are tender. Then add the veggie or chicken stock and the Worcestershire sauce, along with 500g white potatoes (unpeeled and chopped) and bring the mixture to the boil. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the potato is tender. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly. Then use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Be sure the mixture has cooled down enough before you do this to avoid hot liquid splashing out of the pan. Once the soup is nice and smooth, place it over medium heat and bring to the boil, then stir in the cream.

Get your spoons ready, it’s time to serve this creamy mushroom soup recipe

For an oozy, cheesy side, serve this soup with baked crumbed camembert wedges. While the soup simmers away, place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake at 200°C for 15 minutes or until golden brown and heated through. Then ladle the soup among serving bowls and drizzle with extra cream. If you’ve fried a few mushroom slices, add them to the soup and then top the soup with the fennel fronds. Serve with the camembert wedges and enjoy.

Now get cooking

For another twist on classic mushroom soup, try this flavour-packed mushroom and onion soup with garlic ciabatta croutons. Keen for more mushroom goodness in your dishes? This mushroom bolognaise is a guaranteed meat-free Monday must-have, and this mixed mushroom and onion galette is a tasty lunch option. There are also plenty of other creamy soups to try, including this whole cauliflower soup with crispy bacon on top and this Italian-inspired green pesto vegetable soup. This butternut pumpkin soup with sauteed mushrooms is hearty yet easy to prepare.