Mushroom Vegetable Soup

This mushroom soup uses a smart technique: half the mushrooms get chopped and cooked into the soup base for deep flavor, then the other half get sliced, sauteed separately, and stirred in at the end for texture. You get both concentrated mushroom depth and visible, meaty slices in every bowl.

A full pound of fresh mushrooms makes this intensely savory. Combined with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, beef stock, and tomato paste, the base simmers for an hour until everything is soft enough to puree smooth. That tomato paste is subtle but important. It adds body and a savory backbone without making the soup taste like tomato.

After pureeing, the sauteed mushroom slices and a splash of dry sherry get stirred in. The sherry adds a nutty, slightly sweet note that rounds out the earthy mushroom flavor. It goes in off the heat so the alcohol doesn’t cook off entirely, keeping that warm, winey aroma in each spoonful.

Chef Tips

• Chop the soup mushrooms fine so they break down completely during the simmer. Large pieces resist pureeing.
• Saute the sliced mushrooms in hot margarine until golden and slightly crisp. Soft, pale mushrooms add nothing to the finished soup.
• Puree in batches. Overfilling a blender with hot liquid is a recipe for a dangerous, messy eruption.
• Add the sherry just before serving. Its flavor fades quickly with extended heating.

Variations

• Use a mix of cremini and shiitake mushrooms for a more complex, woodsy flavor.
• Swap beef stock for vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.
• Stir in a splash of heavy cream after pureeing for a richer, more luxurious texture.