If you still think about the creamy mushroom soup from Sweet Tomatoes, this copycat recipe brings those familiar flavors home. It’s rich, velvety, loaded with tender mushrooms, and made with the same unexpected ingredient that gave the restaurant soup its signature flavor: finely chopped celery.
Prepared on the stovetop with a simple butter-and-flour roux. Beef and chicken base create a deeply savory broth, while whole milk and half-and-half make every spoonful creamy without turning the soup overly heavy.
Sweet Tomatoes was also known as Souplantation in some parts of the country, so you may remember this as Souplantation cream of mushroom soup. Either way, this easy copycat recipe is perfect when you’re craving a nostalgic bowl of one of the restaurant’s most-loved soups.
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Why You’ll Love This Copycat Mushroom Soup
- Inspired by the popular Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation soup
- Loaded with fresh mushrooms
- Creamy without being overwhelmingly rich
- Easy to prepare on the stovetop
- Makes enough for a family dinner or meal prep
- Delicious with crusty bread, salad, or a baked potato
What Made Sweet Tomatoes Mushroom Soup So Good?
The Sweet Tomatoes version was different from a typical condensed cream of mushroom soup. It had plenty of sliced mushrooms, small pieces of celery, and a smooth but spoonable creamy broth.
The combination of chicken and beef base is important because it adds more depth than ordinary chicken broth alone. White pepper also seasons the soup without leaving visible black specks throughout the pale cream base.
This is a copycat recipe inspired by the restaurant favorite, not an official Sweet Tomatoes recipe. However, it uses the ingredients and cooking method most closely associated with the soup people remember.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Fresh mushrooms
White button mushrooms will give you the most traditional restaurant-style flavor. Baby bella mushrooms can also be used for a slightly deeper and earthier taste.
Celery
Finely chopped celery is one of the defining ingredients in Sweet Tomatoes cream of mushroom soup. Cut it into small pieces so it becomes tender and blends naturally into the creamy broth.
Butter
Butter is used both to sauté the vegetables and to make the roux that thickens the soup.
All-purpose flour
Flour combines with butter to create a roux. This gives the soup a creamy, slightly thickened consistency without making it as heavy as gravy.
Beef and chicken base
Using both beef and chicken base gives this mushroom soup its rich restaurant-style flavor. Better Than Bouillon or another concentrated soup base works well.
Whole milk and half-and-half
The combination of milk and half-and-half creates a silky soup that is creamy but still light enough to enjoy by the bowl.
White pepper
White pepper has a slightly earthy heat and disappears into the creamy broth. Black pepper can be substituted if that is what you have.
How to Make Copycat Sweet Tomatoes Cream of Mushroom Soup
1. Sauté the mushrooms and celery
Melt four tablespoons of butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the sliced mushrooms, chopped celery, and white pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms and celery soften and release their liquid.
Transfer the vegetables and all their cooking liquid to a bowl. Do not drain the mushrooms because that liquid contains plenty of flavor.
2. Make the roux
Return the pot to medium heat and melt the remaining butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until a smooth paste forms.
Cook the roux for two to three minutes, stirring frequently. This removes the raw flour taste while preventing the flour from browning too much.
3. Build the soup base
Gradually pour in the water, adding approximately ½ cup at a time and whisking well after each addition. Adding the liquid slowly helps prevent lumps.
Whisk in the beef base and chicken base. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 15 minutes. The broth will begin to thicken.
4. Add the creamy ingredients
Stir in the whole milk, half-and-half, cooked mushrooms, celery, and all the reserved vegetable liquid.
Warm the soup gently for another five to ten minutes. Do not let it boil after adding the dairy because high heat can cause the milk to separate.
Taste and add salt or additional white pepper as needed.
Sweet Tomatoes Cream of Mushroom Soup
This Copycat Sweet Tomatoes Cream of Mushroom Soup recreates the nostalgic restaurant favorite with tender sliced mushrooms, celery and a silky broth made with whole milk and half-and-half. It’s also known as Souplantation Cream of Mushroom Soup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: SOUP
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: copycat recipe
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 pound white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 6½ tablespoons salted butter, divided
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper, plus more to taste
- 4½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3¼ cups water
- 1 tablespoon concentrated beef base
- 1 tablespoon concentrated chicken base
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- Salt, to taste
- Finely chopped parsley, optional for serving
Instructions
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the sliced mushrooms, chopped celery and white pepper. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the mushrooms have released their liquid.
- Transfer the mushrooms, celery and all their cooking liquid to a bowl. Do not drain the vegetables.
- Return the pot to medium heat and melt the remaining 2½ tablespoons of butter.
- Add the flour and whisk until a smooth roux forms. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking frequently, to remove the raw flour taste without browning the roux.
- Slowly pour in the water, approximately ½ cup at a time, whisking well after each addition to prevent lumps.
- Whisk in the beef base and chicken base. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth begins to thicken.
- Stir in the whole milk, half-and-half, cooked mushrooms, celery and all the reserved vegetable liquid.
- Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup is hot and creamy. Do not allow it to boil after adding the dairy.
- Taste and add salt or additional white pepper as needed. Garnish with a small amount of chopped parsley, if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- White button mushrooms provide the flavor and appearance closest to the restaurant-style soup. Baby bella mushrooms can be substituted for a deeper mushroom flavor.
- Do not discard the liquid released by the mushrooms. It adds important flavor to the finished soup.
- Wait until the end to add salt because concentrated chicken and beef bases can be salty.
- For a vegetarian version, replace both meat bases with concentrated vegetable or mushroom base.
- If the soup becomes too thick, stir in additional milk or water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Reheat leftovers gently over low heat. Do not boil dairy-based soup because it may separate.
- This is a copycat recipe inspired by the Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation restaurant soup. It is not an official restaurant recipe.
Tips for the Best Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Slice the mushrooms approximately ¼-inch thick so they resemble the restaurant soup.
- Save every drop of liquid released by the mushrooms.
- Add the water to the roux gradually to prevent lumps.
- Use concentrated chicken and beef base rather than plain broth for the strongest copycat flavor.
- Wait until the end to add salt because soup bases can already contain quite a bit of sodium.
- Keep the heat low after adding the milk and half-and-half.
Make It Your Own
Although the original-style recipe is delicious as written, you can adjust it to suit your family.
- Use baby bella mushrooms for a deeper mushroom flavor.
- Replace the beef and chicken bases with vegetable base for a vegetarian version.
- Add finely chopped onion with the celery.
- Stir in cooked wild rice for a heartier soup.
- Add shredded cooked chicken to turn it into a complete meal.
- Blend one or two cups of the finished soup and return it to the pot for a thicker consistency.
- Garnish with sautéed mushrooms, fresh thyme, or chopped parsley.
What to Serve with Cream of Mushroom Soup
Serve this creamy mushroom soup with warm sourdough bread, garlic bread, or buttery dinner rolls. It also pairs well with a crisp green salad, baked potato, or simple sandwich.
To recreate the Sweet Tomatoes experience at home, serve smaller bowls of soup alongside a large build-your-own salad.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Allow the soup to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerate it for up to four days.
Reheat the soup slowly in a saucepan over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of milk if it becomes too thick in the refrigerator.
You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave using short intervals and stirring between each one. Avoid overheating the soup because the dairy may separate.
Can You Freeze Cream of Mushroom Soup?
Dairy-based soups can change texture after freezing, but this one can still be frozen if necessary. Cool the soup completely and freeze it in an airtight container for up to two months.
Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it gently while whisking. A small splash of fresh milk or half-and-half can help restore its creamy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sweet Tomatoes the same as Souplantation?
Yes. The restaurant operated under the Sweet Tomatoes name in some areas and Souplantation in others.
Can I use vegetable broth instead of the soup bases?
You can, but concentrated beef and chicken bases provide the savory depth associated with the restaurant-style soup. For a vegetarian version, use a concentrated vegetable or mushroom base.
What mushrooms are best for this soup?
White button mushrooms are the closest choice for a classic copycat version. Baby bella or cremini mushrooms provide a stronger, earthier flavor.
Why is my mushroom soup too thin?
The soup may need additional simmering time. Keep it at a gentle simmer so the roux can thicken the liquid. It will also continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
Why is my soup too thick?
Stir in additional milk or water, a little at a time, until the soup reaches your preferred consistency.
Final Thoughts
This Copycat Sweet Tomatoes Cream of Mushroom Soup is creamy, savory, and full of tender mushrooms in every spoonful. The combination of celery, white pepper, chicken base, and beef base gives it that distinctive restaurant-style flavor so many people remember.
Serve it with crusty bread and a fresh salad for a cozy lunch or easy dinner that feels just like a trip through the Sweet Tomatoes soup and salad bar.
