Gordon Ramsay Creamy Mushroom Soup Recipe

Most mushroom soups taste flat because the mushrooms are simply boiled in stock. This creamy mushroom soup recipe starts the way Gordon Ramsay starts any mushroom dish: by searing them hard in a hot pan until deeply golden. That browning gives the soup a roasted, savory depth. Onion, garlic and fresh thyme build the base, half the soup is blended for a velvety texture, and a swirl of cream and a squeeze of lemon finish it. On the table in 45 minutes.

It’s my version, inspired by his technique rather than one of his own recipes.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 lb (680 g) cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus whole leaves for serving

Choosing mushrooms

Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms have the deepest, earthiest flavor. White buttons work too, and swapping in a handful of shiitake makes it even richer.

Method

1. Sear the mushrooms in batches. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the mushrooms in a single layer and leave them alone for 3 minutes, then stir and cook for 5–7 minutes more until deeply golden. Move them to a plate and repeat with the rest. Crowding the pan makes them steam instead of brown.
   
2. Soften the onion. Turn the heat to medium. Add the remaining butter, the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and thyme for 1 minute.
   
3. Thicken and simmer. Sprinkle over the flour and stir for 2 minutes to cook out the raw taste. Slowly whisk in the broth, then return the seared mushrooms to the pot, keeping back a small handful for topping. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
   
4. Blend half. Use an immersion blender to blend about half the soup in the pot, leaving plenty of mushroom pieces. You get a velvety base with texture in every spoonful.
   
5. Finish with cream and lemon. Stir in the cream and lemon juice and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Don’t let it boil hard, or the cream can split. Season with the salt and pepper. The lemon brightens the earthy mushrooms; taste and add a little more if it needs lifting.
   
6. Serve. Ladle into warm bowls and top with the reserved seared mushrooms, parsley and a little thyme. Serve hot with crusty bread.
   

Adjusting and swaps

• Too thick: thin it with a splash of broth. Too thin: simmer for 5 more minutes before adding the cream.
• Vegetarian: use vegetable broth.
• Vegan: olive oil instead of butter, and full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream instead of heavy cream.

Leftovers

The soup keeps for 4 days in the fridge. Reheat it gently over low heat, stirring, with a splash of broth if it has thickened. Never boil it once the cream is in.

Soup Recipes

Gordon Ramsay Creamy Mushroom Soup Recipe

A rich, velvety creamy mushroom soup with deeply seared mushrooms, fresh thyme, garlic and a swirl of heavy cream — finished with golden sautéed mushroom slices and fresh parsley.

Chef Gordon Ramsay Recipes

Prep
15 minutes

Cook
30 minutes

Total
45 minutes

Serves
6 servings

🖨 Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided1 tbsp olive oil1.5 lb (680 g) cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced1 medium yellow onion, finely diced3 cloves garlic, minced2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper1 tbsp fresh lemon juice1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus whole leaves for serving

Instructions

01

Sear the mushrooms

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the sliced mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then stir and cook until deeply golden, 5 to 7 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining mushrooms.

02

Build the base

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the diced onion and a pinch of salt to the pot; cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme leaves and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

03

Make the roux and simmer

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the broth while whisking, then return the seared mushrooms to the pot, keeping back a small handful for topping. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

04

Blend half the soup

Use an immersion blender to blend about half the soup directly in the pot until smooth, then stir it back into the rest. You want a velvety base with pieces of mushroom still visible.

05

Finish with cream

Stir in the heavy cream and lemon juice. Simmer gently for 5 minutes — never let it boil hard or the cream may split. Season with the kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

06

Serve

Ladle into warm bowls. Top each with a spoonful of the reserved sautéed mushrooms, whole parsley leaves and extra thyme. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Chef Tips

• Do not crowd the pan when searing — cook the mushrooms in batches so they caramelize instead of steam.
• Cremini mushrooms give a deeper, earthier flavor than white buttons; a handful of shiitakes lifts it even further.
• If the soup is too thick, thin it with a splash of broth; if too thin, simmer 5 more minutes before adding the cream.
• Reheat gently over low heat and never boil once the cream is in, or the soup can curdle.

For a comforting meal, serve it with my Boursin Mashed Potatoes or alongside the Green Bean Casserole. If you like creamy dinners, try the Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta.