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Lightened Up: Creamy Mushroom Soup

From "America's Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2011" - Lightened up Creamy Mushroom Soup
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: thesugarpixie

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds white mushrooms broken into rough pieces
  • 2 leeks white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin and rinsed thoroughly
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
  • 5 cups beef broth
  • 1/2 cup Madeira sherry, plus extra for serving
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Combine the mushrooms, leeks, butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are well-browned, 8 to 12 minutes longer. Transfer 2/3 cup of the mushroom mixture to a cutting board, chop fine and set aside.
  • Stir the garlic and thyme into the pot and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth and Madeira, bring to a simmer, and cook until the mushrooms and leeks are completely tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Working in 2 batches, process the soup in a blender until completely smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Return the soup to the pot. Stir in the chopped mushroom mixture, half-and-half and lemon juice and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve, drizzling individual portions with additional Madeira.