Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup (Campbell’s Copycat)
This homemade cream of mushroom soup is thick, creamy, and made with fresh mushrooms, butter, broth, milk, and simple seasonings. Use it as a Campbell’s-style condensed soup substitute in casseroles and comforting dinners, or thin it with milk for an easy bowl of mushroom soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 2½ cups condensed soup 1x
- Category: Homemade Pantry Staples, SOUP
- Method: STOVETOP
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: (if using veg broth), Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned and very finely chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
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Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and most of their released moisture has evaporated. Avoid deeply browning them for a milder, Campbell’s-style flavor.
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Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms. Stir until evenly coated and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
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Slowly whisk in the broth, adding a little at a time and stirring until smooth between additions. Gradually stir in the milk and heavy cream.
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Add the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
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Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan, until very thick and creamy. Avoid a hard boil. The soup will thicken further as it cools.
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Taste and adjust the seasoning. Use undiluted in recipes calling for condensed cream of mushroom soup, or add milk or broth to reach a spoonable soup consistency.
Notes
- Canned soup substitute: Use approximately 1¼ cups of homemade condensed soup in place of one standard 10.5-ounce can. The thickness and seasoning will differ slightly from the canned version.
- For casseroles: Do not dilute the soup before measuring. Keep any additional milk or broth called for in the casserole recipe.
- To serve as soup: Start with ½ cup milk or broth per 1 cup condensed soup. Warm gently, adding more liquid as needed, and adjust the seasoning.
- Mushroom texture: Chop the mushrooms very finely for a texture closer to canned soup. Briefly use an immersion blender after cooking if you prefer a smoother consistency.
- Vegetarian option: Use vegetable broth.
- Without heavy cream: Replace the heavy cream with an equal amount of whole milk.
- Storage: Refrigerate in a shallow, airtight container within 2 hours of cooking. Use within 3–4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently while whisking. Some separation or graininess may occur.
- Yield: Finished volume varies with evaporation. Measure before substituting in another recipe.