Save There's something about the smell of mushrooms hitting hot butter that stops me mid-conversation every time. My neighbor once popped over unannounced on a October evening, caught a whiff from my kitchen, and just sat down at the counter without invitation. That's when I realized this soup had become something people wanted to be around. It's stroganoff reimagined as something you can spoon into a bowl, with all that deep umami comfort but lighter, more forgiving, somehow easier to share.
I made this for a potluck where everyone brought something complicated, and somehow this simple pot of soup disappeared first. Someone asked for the recipe mid-bite, which rarely happens. That moment taught me that the best dishes aren't the ones that look fancy—they're the ones that make you feel taken care of.
Ingredients
- Mixed mushrooms (500 g): Use cremini, shiitake, and button together for complexity—each one brings different earthiness to the pot.
- Onion, garlic, carrot, and celery: This foundation builds flavor quietly; don't skip the step of letting them soften first.
- Olive oil and unsalted butter: The combination gives you both richness and the ability to heat to a proper temperature.
- Vegetable broth (1 L): Quality broth here means you're not fighting to make something taste good.
- Dry white wine (optional): Even a splash brightens everything, but honestly I skip it sometimes and don't regret it.
- Soy sauce and white miso paste: These two are doing the heavy lifting on flavor—miso especially transforms this from nice to unforgettable.
- Smoked paprika and dried thyme: The paprika adds warmth without heat; thyme keeps everything grounded.
- Sour cream or crème fraîche: Full-fat is non-negotiable here—it's what makes this actually creamy instead of just dairy-added.
- All-purpose flour: Just a tablespoon, but it's your insurance against the soup being too thin.
- Fresh parsley: The green on top does more than garnish—it cuts through richness and reminds you this is fresh.
Instructions
- Build your base:
- Heat oil and butter together over medium heat until the butter melts and foams slightly, then add onions, carrots, and celery. Watch them soften for about 5 minutes—you're not browning them, just letting them surrender to the heat.
- Coax out the mushroom magic:
- Stir in garlic, breathe in that moment, then add your mushrooms. They'll seem like too much at first, then they'll release their liquid and shrink down into jammy gold. This takes 7-8 minutes and is worth the wait.
- Toast the flour:
- Sprinkle flour over everything and stir for a full minute—this removes the raw taste and creates a subtle thickener. It's a small step that changes everything.
- Deglaze if you're using wine:
- Pour in white wine if you have it open, scraping the bottom of the pot to catch all those caramelized bits. They're flavor gold.
- Add the liquid and seasonings:
- Pour in broth, add soy sauce, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and let it bubble quietly for 15 minutes—the time it takes to set a table and pour a drink.
- Miso moment:
- In a small bowl, whisk miso with 2 tablespoons of the hot broth until it's completely smooth—no lumps allowed. Stir this back into the pot. The miso blooms here, turning everything deeper.
- Make it creamy carefully:
- Turn the heat to low and stir in sour cream slowly until silky, never letting it boil—curdled cream is nobody's friend. Taste everything now and adjust salt and pepper to what makes you happy.
- Serve it warm:
- Ladle into bowls, top with fresh parsley and an extra dollop of sour cream if the mood strikes. Eat it while it's hot.
Save My sister brought her partner over for dinner last winter, and he had this soup, then asked if I could make it again the next week. It's become his comfort food now, which means something. Food that people remember and ask for a second time is food that did its job well.
Why Miso Changes Everything
Miso is fermented conviction—it adds a savory depth that tastes like you spent all day building this soup when really you didn't. The soy sauce alone would be fine, but together they create something almost meaty despite zero meat. I didn't understand this until I made it once without miso and realized I'd made something technically fine but spiritually incomplete.
The Mushroom Selection Strategy
Different mushrooms bring different things to the party. Cremini are earthy and substantial, shiitake add that umami punch, button mushrooms are reliable and mild. Using all three together means you're getting a full conversation instead of a monologue. If you only have one type on hand, the soup still works—it just tells a simpler story.
Flexibility and Variations
This soup is patient and forgiving in ways that matter. You can add spinach at the end if you want something green, or cooked egg noodles if you want it more substantial. Some versions ask for cream instead of sour cream, and that works too. The vegan version using cashew cream or plant-based sour cream is genuinely good—not a compromise, just different. The point is you can make this soup that fits what's actually in your kitchen and your life.
- Add a handful of fresh spinach in the last 2 minutes if you want color and iron without changing the taste.
- Egg noodles cooked separately then stirred in make this heartier—about a cup of cooked noodles does it.
- For vegan, use plant butter, miso, soy sauce, and vegan sour cream—everything else stays exactly the same.
Save This soup asks nothing of you except attention for 45 minutes and a willingness to let simple ingredients become something memorable. That's the whole thing right there.
Recipe FAQ
- → Can I make this mushroom soup vegan?
Absolutely. Substitute butter with plant-based alternatives and replace sour cream with either cashew cream or a quality vegan sour cream. The miso and soy sauce already provide excellent umami depth that works beautifully with dairy-free options.
- → What mushroom varieties work best for stroganoff soup?
A mix of cremini, shiitake, and button mushrooms creates the best flavor profile and texture variation. Shiitakes bring intense umami, cremini add meatiness, while button mushrooms provide mild earthiness. Avoid delicate mushrooms like enoki as they don't hold up during simmering.
- → Why add miso paste to this soup?
White miso paste serves as a flavor enhancer, adding fermented depth and saltiness that mimics the rich character traditional stroganoff gets from beef. It dissolves beautifully into hot broth and creates that restaurant-quality savoriness without needing meat stocks.
- → How do I prevent the sour cream from curdling?
The key is reducing heat to low before adding sour cream and never allowing the soup to reach boiling point afterward. Whisking a small amount of hot broth into the sour cream first (tempering) helps it incorporate smoothly. Stir gently until just combined.
- → Can I add protein or make this more substantial?
Cooked egg noodles or small pasta shapes work wonderfully added during the final simmer. For extra protein, consider white beans, lentils, or cubed tofu. Baby spinach stirred in during the last two minutes adds nutrition and vibrant color without compromising the creamy consistency.
- → What can I substitute for white wine?
Additional vegetable broth makes a perfect non-alcoholic alternative. For similar acidity, try a splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice diluted in water. The wine primarily adds brightness and helps deglaze the pot, which broth accomplishes effectively.