Five Mushroom Soups (and One Marvelous Risotto) for Brisk Fall Days and Cold Nights
Five satisfying mushroom soups for the moment when the weather turns, plus a bonus wild mushroom and red wine risotto for a change of pace that’s equally delicious and comforting
Oct. 20, 2026 | By Bruce R. Feldman
There comes a point each fall when you notice that the skies darken earlier, when you retire your t-shirts and take out your sweaters, and when salad for dinner begins to sound considerably less appealing than something hot simmering on the stove.
That is when a hearty mushroom soup comes into its own.
Mushrooms have enough savory depth to make even a relatively simple soup taste substantial. They work equally well in silky purées, creamy vegetarian bowls, and hearty creations filled with chicken, barley, or wild rice.
These five recipes cover the spectrum, from a 20-minute weeknight supper to a more leisurely Hungarian specialty you might want to serve to company. We’ve added a bonus wild mushroom and red wine risotto for another winter dish bursting with earthy umami.
This is the one to make on the first chilly weeknight when soup comes to mind but you have neither the time nor inclination to spend the evening cooking.
EatingWell's recipe combines mixed wild mushrooms—cremini, oyster, and shiitake—with shallots, thyme, and dry sherry. A small portion of the soup is blended and returned to the pot, giving it a creamy consistency. Sherry vinegar at the end sharpens all those earthy flavors. It takes just 20 minutes from start to finish and serves four.
Why we like it: It tastes considerably more ambitious than its easy preparation suggests.
Tip: Let the mushrooms actually brown before adding the shallots. Browning creates far more flavor than simply steaming them. And don't skip the sherry vinegar at the end; that little bit of acidity keeps a creamy mushroom soup from tasting flat.
This deli favorite combines chicken thighs, pearl barley, leeks, carrots, and both fresh and dried shiitake mushrooms. The dried mushrooms are soaked first, and their soaking liquid goes into the soup along with chicken broth—an easy trick that adds considerable umami without requiring an enormous quantity of fresh mushrooms. The barley makes the soup substantial. Total time is about 1 hour 45 minutes, with much of that being simmering time. The recipe serves eight.
Why we like it: This is dinner, not merely a first course. Add bread and a simple green salad for a quick meal.
Tip: Save every drop of the liquid used to soak the dried shiitakes, but strain it through a fine-mesh sieve before adding it to the pot. Dried mushrooms can leave a little sediment behind. Barley also continues absorbing liquid as the soup sits, so leftovers may need additional broth or water when reheated.
This vegetarian soup starts with celery, carrots, and onions, followed by sliced button mushrooms. Flour lightly thickens the broth; cooked wild rice, heavy cream, lemon juice, and parsley finish it. It is all made in a single pot and takes about 40 minutes.
Why we like it: Wild rice gives the soup enough chew and substance to make a bowl feel satisfying without meat.
Tip: Cook the wild rice in advance—or make extra whenever you serve wild rice with dinner and freeze it in two-cup portions. Then this soup becomes remarkably fast. The soup thickens as it stands, so keep a little extra vegetable broth nearby when reheating leftovers.
This is mushroom soup for company.
The late French chef Joël Robuchon's Food & Wine recipe uses more than two pounds of white and shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and chicken stock, then purées everything until exceptionally smooth. Crème fraîche adds richness and a little tang; ground coriander adds an unexpected aromatic note. Sautéed sliced mushrooms and herbs go on top. Despite its restaurant pedigree, the recipe takes only 40 minutes and serves six.
Why we like it: It is elegant without being overly complicated.
Tip: If you want the velouté genuinely silky, use a high-powered blender rather than an immersion blender. For an even finer restaurant-style texture, pass it through a fine-mesh sieve after puréeing. The soup and mushroom garnish can also be made ahead and refrigerated separately overnight.
When fall has stopped flirting and winter is clearly on its way, make this one.
Food & Wine's Hungarian Mushroom Soup uses both dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms and a generous quantity of fresh cremini or shiitake mushrooms. Hungarian sweet paprika, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, cream, sour cream, and fresh dill give it a distinctive balance of earthy, smoky-sweet, creamy, and tangy flavors. It takes about 1 hour 35 minutes and serves four.
Why we like it: It’s rich, earthy, and deeply warming.
Tip: Buy a fresh jar of Hungarian sweet paprika, not the generic paprika that may have been sitting in the cupboard for three years. When adding the sour cream, temper it first with a few spoonfuls of hot broth. That keeps it smooth rather than curdling when it hits the soup. Serve with warm crusty bread.
When you want mushrooms but not another bowl of soup, risotto is the answer.
This recipe pairs creamy Arborio rice with dry red wine and a full pound of mixed wild mushrooms browned with shallot in butter. Parmigiano-Reggiano and parsley finish the dish. It takes about 30 minutes and serves six, making it practical for a weeknight but polished enough for company.
Why we like it: The red wine gives the risotto a rich color and subtle tang, while the mushrooms make it feel substantial without relying on meat.
Tip: Let the mushrooms sit undisturbed long enough to brown before stirring. Add the warm stock gradually and stir consistently but gently; the finished risotto should spread slightly on the plate rather than stand in a stiff mound.
Mushroom Soup Tips Worth Remembering
• Don't crowd the mushrooms. If a recipe calls for browning them, use a sufficiently large pan or cook them in batches. Crowding encourages steaming rather than browning.
• Mix mushroom varieties. Cremini provide familiar mushroom flavor; shiitakes bring stronger umami; oyster mushrooms are softer and more delicate; dried porcini can transform a broth with very little effort.
• Keep dried mushrooms in the pantry. They last far longer than fresh mushrooms and can turn an ordinary chicken or vegetable broth into something much more interesting.
• Use the soaking liquid. Strain it carefully and add it to soups, risotto, or sauces.
• Add acid at the end. Lemon juice, sherry vinegar, or sour cream can make mushroom flavor taste brighter and more complex.
• Salt thoughtfully. Stock, Worcestershire sauce, and mushroom soaking liquid may already contribute considerable seasoning, so taste near the end before adding more.
The Pantry and Equipment We Would Keep Around
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Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron Dutch Oven — Excellent for browning mushrooms and then building the soup in the same pot. Shop on Amazon
Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven — A less expensive alternative for the same general job. Shop on Amazon
Vitamix Blender — Particularly useful for the Robuchon velouté and any mushroom soup where you want a genuinely smooth texture. Shop on Amazon
Immersion Blender — More convenient when absolute silkiness isn't essential. Shop on Amazon
Fine-Mesh Strainer — Essential for mushroom soaking liquid and useful for an extra-smooth puréed soup. Shop on Amazon
Dried Porcini Mushrooms — One of the easiest pantry shortcuts to deeper mushroom flavor. Shop on Amazon
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms — Useful for the chicken-barley soup and dozens of other soups, broths, and Asian dishes. Shop on Amazon
Hungarian Sweet Paprika — Worth buying specifically for Hungarian mushroom soup. Shop on Amazon
Pearl Barley — An inexpensive pantry staple for substantial fall soups. Shop on Amazon
Wild Rice — Keep it around for soup, stuffing, and cold-weather grain dishes. Shop on Amazon
Wide Soup Bowls — Mushroom soup deserves something more substantial than a coffee mug. Shop on Amazon
Which One Tonight?
For the fastest dinner, make the Creamy Mushroom Soup with Sherry.
For the heartiest meal, choose Chicken, Barley & Mushroom Soup.
For a vegetarian supper, go with Creamy Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup.
For something elegant enough for guests, make Robuchon's Two-Mushroom Velouté.
And for the coldest night of the week, Hungarian Mushroom Soup is the one to put on the stove.
For a mushroom dinner that is not soup, make the Wild Mushroom and Red Wine Risotto.
Five soups, one bonus risotto, and six very different uses for mushrooms—a good excuse to be pleased that fall has finally arrived.
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