Homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

Comfort food season is here and that means one thing in the Midwest: tater tot hotdish, hearty casseroles, and satisfying soups.

It’s also the season of condensed cream of mushroom soup. Growing up in the midwest, those little cans were THE quintessential ingredient for some of our favorite cozy recipes, and the ingredient I couldn’t quite ever figure out, but I knew I loved those recipes it was in.

For the longest time, it truly seemed like one of those ingredients you just had to buy processed, that there was no other way. Until one day I decided that can’t be true, and it was time to experiment.

Now here we are, with a deliciously creamy, flavorful, and best of all, homemade condensed soup. It’s just like that store-bought stuff, but… yes, better.

Better in all the right ways. I love that this homemade version is bursting with fresh mushrooms (there’s definitely no shortage!) and between the fresh onion and garlic, the flavors are bursting. And you definitely can’t argue with the love that goes into homemade recipes.

What is condensed soup?

Before we go any further, let’s clear up this really confusing concept: what is condensed soup? It’s called for in these casserole recipes, there can be chicken or celery cream soups that are also…condensed.

Condensed cream of mushroom soup (or any condensed soup) is a concentrated cream that can be turned into an actual soup by adding more liquid, or it can be used to thicken and add creaminess to a recipe, like tater tot hotdish.

Because it is concentrated – or condensed – it’s not intended to be consumed as it is.

If you want to enjoy this cream of mushroom soup recipe as an actual soup, dilute this condensed soup with vegetable stock, or even water, until the flavor and texture is what you desire. It’s much too thick and concentrated to eat on its own.

Ingredient Spotlight

With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll have homemade condensed mushroom soup in no time! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Mushrooms: a must for this recipe (wink, wink). I prefer using baby bellas, but honestly, you can use whatever variety of mushrooms you prefer.
• Half-and-half: this is our cream base, the half-and-half makes it super luxurious and creamy!
• Vegetable stock: keeping it vegetarian with vegetable stock (hey, you could even use homemade, too!). If you’re not vegetarian, you could substitute chicken stock. Or, make it extra mushroom-y with mushroom stock.
• Butter: unsalted is best so you can add your own amount of salt.
• Onion: yellow onion adds a bit of sweetness and an aromatic punch to the soup. And isn’t it a must in cozy comfort food recipes?
• Garlic: obviously!
• White Pepper: ah, white pepper. It has an earthy, warm, semi-pungent way about it and adds a subtle, unique kick to this recipe without the heat that black pepper brings. If you’re not a fan, you can absolutely sub with black pepper or omit.
• Thyme: I love adding a hint of thyme to this recipe because it’s cozy, warm, and so comforting! It also pairs well with just about whatever you’re going to use this condensed soup in. Not into it? You can also omit it if needed.
• All-Purpose Flour: thickens the condensed soup.

Make it Dairy Free

Others have used coconut milk, with the cream, to make it dairy-free. You may want to add more aromatics to balance out the coconut flavor. You could also try plant-based milk.

How to Make Condensed Soup

This recipe is quite easy to make, and aside from the chopping of the vegetables, it comes together in about 15 minutes on the stovetop. If you’ve made a roux or homemade soup before, it will be a breeze. And if you haven’t? Then no worries, it’s a good one to start with!

Use Room Temperature Half-and-Half

Along with the vegetable stock, I recommend using lukewarm or room temperature ingredients so the dairy does not seize up when added to the soup. So before you start making this recipe, take it out of the fridge.

Chop the Mushrooms

I find that store-bought cream of mushroom soup just isn’t all that mushroom-y. So when I’m making it at home, I am amping up the mushroom game.

Chop them as fine or as coarse as you’d like here. I typically range from a fine-medium dice, or if I’m not feeling the time that takes, I put the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until they’re chopped together (as pictured here).

Once they’re chopped, you’ll cook them down first. Mushrooms release a lot of water as they cook. Allow much of the water to release before adding the liquids in this recipe. This will ensure your soup is thick and creamy, with pure mushroom flavor, not watery.

Make the Roux

Roux is a fancy word for cooking flour and fat together to thicken soups and sauces. In this recipe, the butter and flour cook together and is what thickens the condensed soup. Allow the flour to cook down, continuing to stir so it doesn’t burn, before adding the liquids.

To make it gluten-free, use cornstarch or gluten-free flour in this recipe. If using cornstarch, start with 2-3 Tablespoons and go from there.

Whisk in the Liquids

Slowly whisk in room temperature half and half and the stock. As you whisk in the liquid, a uniform mixture will form and begin to thicken. Once it does start to thicken, remove from the heat so the cream doesn’t overcook.

This recipe makes approximately 4 cups of condensed soup, which would be equivalent to just about 3 store-bought cans. A typical store-bought can of condensed soup is about 1 and 1/4 cups.

Ways to Use Condensed Soup

Many recipes which call for a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. They’re usually casserole or as us Minnesotans refer to it, hotdish type recipes, where a lot of stuff is combined and baked together. They’re creamy and totally indulgent.

A popular recipe that uses cream of mushroom soup is green bean casserole. I also use it in my vegetarian hotdish recipe as a base. Use it as a shortcut in pot pie recipes, too!

As I mentioned, you can turn it into an actual soup dish by adding additional liquid like more stock/broth or water. Serve it with a loaf of crusty bread or a side salad.

Storage & Freezing Tips

Make the soup in advance and store it in a glass jar for best results, or another airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

I have frozen this soup with success. And while freezing dairy-based soups isn’t always the best option, as they do tend to separate, since it’s typically used in other recipes, I’ve found any slight difference in textures go unnoticed.

To freeze, make sure the container has enough room for expansion. I like to use Souper Cubes because you can easily portion it out, which makes it so easy to just thaw the amount you need.

To thaw and reheat it, do so low and slow. That means, use low heat and slowly thaw and bring the soup to room temperature, whisking often to keep it together.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!