Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
This creamy, condensed cream of mushroom soup is easy to make, and it’s perfect to use in soups, casseroles, and lots of other dishes. Plus, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week and kept frozen for 2 months. Simply defrost to room temperature before using in your recipes!
Guess what day it is? Make-your-own-homemade-cream-of-mushroom-soup, day!
Hurray! Gone are the days of eating goopy, gloppy ‘cream of crap soup’ in your favorite soups and casseroles. I’ll admit i’ve used my share of condensed cream of [something or other] soup cans in the past, countless times. But once you’ve tried the taste of homemade condensed mushroom soup, you’ll never enjoy the taste of gunky, goopy canned soup ever again. Of course there are several questionable ingredients in those soup cans and whether you choose them or not is totally your choice. No soapbox foodie issues here, thankyouverymuch.
Once you’ve made my version of homemade condensed mushroom soup, trust me, you’ll think twice before using the canned stuff, simply because 1.) it tastes WAY better. Like, bringing casseroles and soup to a whole new playing field, better. Like Paula Deen or Ina Garten made it, better. 2.) you can make a large batch ahead of time and refrigerate/freeze it for later use.
Have you noticed how all the best, creamy and comforting recipes call for condensed soups? Like the classic green bean casserole that graces almost every other table on Thanksgiving. Or the easiest shortcut to good tasting chicken pot pies. And how sometimes cream of mushroom soup is used to transform other soups, like, chicken and wild rice.
I have to say, I do have a little proud-housewife-moment when I use butter, milk, flour, fresh mushrooms, and spices to make a homemade condensed soup. Rather than dumbing a can of jiggly, grey matter into my chicken and rice casserole, I can add in my homemade version and completely transform any recipe.
A few ingredients that you’ve already got in the pantry and a handful of mushrooms is all you need to make condensed mushroom soup at home. It’s simpler than simple! And might I add, the taste of homemade condensed soup takes whatever recipe you’re adding it to 10x better. If you’re using it to just make cream of mushroom soup, use equal parts condensed soup and equal parts milk. Voila!
An ingredient that you’ll find in my cream of mushroom soup that isn’t an ingredient in most condensed soup recipes is the mushroom broth that’s used to enhance the mushroom flavor. If you can’t find mushroom broth in your local grocery store, beef broth (or vegetable broth for the vegetarians) works just fine too. The mushroom and/or beef broth gives the condensed mushroom soup a much heartier flavor.
A double or triple batch of this stuff is perfect to make ahead of time and store in ‘can size’ portions in the freezer. All you need to do is defrost it before you use it for your recipe.
How simple is that? And the taste — TOTALLY WORTH IT.
Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
This creamy, condensed cream of mushroom soup is easy to make, and it's perfect to use in soups, casseroles, and lots of other dishes. Plus, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week and kept frozen for 2 months. Simply defrost to room temperature before using in your recipes!

Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup mushrooms, finely chopped (I used 1/2 crimini + 1/2 button)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup mushroom broth (beef broth or vegetable broth is fine too)
- 1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
- 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, sauté the onions, stirring so they get soft and translucent, but do not brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. The mushrooms should reduce in size and start to brown just a little bit. Sprinkle in the flour, salt, black pepper, thyme, and garlic powder and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the mushroom broth and the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook until the soup thickens, about 5-9 minutes.
Notes
- Soup can be store fridge in an air-tight container for 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months. To use simply defrost before using in your soup or casserole recipe.
- If you're turning this into mushroom soup, add salt to preference. The recipe contains less sodium so that when being used in another recipes, you can still season as the recipe calls for.
This is such a great idea! I bet it tastes amazing on its own and makes everything you use it in taste 100x better! Pinning!
I love this! You make a good point that there are so many comfort food, delicious dishes out there using canned condensed soup, BUT how much better are they with your homemade stuff? Awesome! : )
Do you know how to can this?
Unfortunately I don’t, Angela. Not very familiar with canning. Sorry!
Hi! As one of “those people” who have decided to avoid GMOs at all costs, I want to thank you for sharing this! I’m going to make this (organic) and I know it will be delicious! I can tell by the ingredients that it will be a keeper! Thanks again for sharing. 🙂
Can’t wait to try this! I posted a comment just before this, but the computer froze and it was lost. I’ll be making a NON-GMO version of this. Thank you so much for sharing!
Not lost Beth! Just hadn’t had a chance to approve your comment 🙂 I hope you enjoy it! I’m totally with you on the non-GMO thing. We’ve almost cut out all products that contain them. *yay*
Can Olive Oil be substituted for the butter?
You sure can!
Thank you for the recipe! I set out in search of a low sodium recipe for homemade mushroom soup to use in other dishes. My husband recently had a heart attack and is on a sodium restricted diet. When you start reading labels, it is shocking how much sodium Americans eat! I was so happy when I ran across your recipe, and I can cook it in a larger batch and freeze for future
use.
can I make this with heavy cream instead of milk ?
I have just made a double batch of this using mainly large field mushrooms with some chestnut mushrooms added. It has made a very tasty pan of dark but super flavoursome thick soup for bagging and batching up for the freezer. The flavour from the dark gilled mushrooms is superb. Looking forward to trying it in the finished dishes in the future. If you ever think of doing a version of this recipe for the condensed celery soup, (which is v hard to find here), do let me know!
I made this soup (it’s delish) and froze it. Now I have thawed it to use in a broccoli casserole. Since this casserole is for Christmas Day, I would like to freeze the prepared, uncooked casserole until then. Is it okay that I would be refreezing the mushroom soup?
Fantastic recipe! Perfect substitute!