This Rustic Mushroom Soup was inspired by a distant memory. Unforgettable. My second job out of college (the first job is another story for another day) was working for Duquesne Systems, a software company headquartered on Pittsburgh’s North Side. At lunch we used to walk across the park (playground?) adjacent to the building we worked in, then across North Avenue to a little restaurant that is no longer there, as far as I can tell from Google Street View. Everything was made from scratch (well, almost) daily.

I loved their mushroom soup, and true to form, I asked for the recipe. Although the chef didn’t take the time to write it down, he did come out to our table to talk me through the ingredients and the steps. We got kind of hung up when he told me he used beef base. What is beef base? I didn’t know then, and I still don’t really know/want to know now. I’m sure bone broth is much better!

mushrooms for Rustic Mushroom Soup

Soup is the ultimate comfort food, but this Rustic Mushroom Soup brings something else. Mushrooms are so meaty, yet less threatening to our bodies and our planet than factory-farmed beef. They’re clean and satisfying, and the brothiness of this soup is silky. It feels good on your tongue and in your belly. Please try it with a hunk of sourdough and a crisp, green salad. Rustic Mushroom Soup is unforgettable. Simple pleasures are enough.

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Rustic Mushroom Soup

Servings: 4
Author: melinmac

Ingredients

  • 6 portabella mushroom caps
  • 2 T butter
  • 1 cup onion chopped – small dice
  • 1 cup carrot chopped – small dice
  • ½ cup celery chopped – small dice
  • T garlic minced
  • 2 t thyme
  • 2 cups water and mushroom broth
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • 2 T Worcestershire sauce
  • red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Trim and sweat the mushrooms – Remove and discard the stubby stems. Cut the mushrooms in half and slice each half from the center out in fan pattern, so that you have pie-shaped pieces. Add the mushrooms to a dry pan with a generous amount of salt and cook until the mushrooms release all of their liquid. Continue until a bit of the liquid evaporates. Strain the remaining liquid and set aside both the liquid and the cooked mushrooms.
  • Saute the veg – Melt the butter in the same pan that you cooked the mushrooms in. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until very soft. You want the veg to add flavor but not much texture – you want the veg to melt into the broth.
  • Add the mushrooms – Add the minced garlic, cooked mushrooms, and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes on medium low heat.
  • Simmer – Add the water, mushroom broth, wine, stock, Worcestershire sauce, and scant red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce to low an simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
  • Finish and Serve – Stir in half and half. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Thank you!

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