Shiitake Mushroom Soup is the perfect winter soup, so comforting, unctuous, and flavorful. This easy soup is done quickly and will please the whole family.
Shiitake mushroom soup is straightforward; a simple execution goes a long way. Made with fresh shiitake mushrooms, filled with the beloved umami flavor, it wouldn’t be the same with other varieties of mushrooms. Shiitakes taste stronger than regular button mushrooms, and bring a “je ne sais quoi” to a bowl of soup.
Did you know drying Shiitake reenforce its taste of umami?
Contrary to other types of mushrooms like Portobello, which lose with the drying process. Shiitake gains in guanylate content, therefore, in umami flavor while drying. It is a fantastic mushroom to enhance any meal.
Preparation of Shiitakes
This soup can be made with dried or fresh shiitakes, which have a darker color, resulting in a darker soup but that much more tasty! You’ll need to soak them up for a while if you choose the dry version. The stem is way harder than button mushrooms so better cut them up and discard them. You can always keep them for broth making.
Cream or Broth?
I believe mushroom soups should always have a bit of cream, bringing in this smooth touch we all love. In this version, I added a bit of cream, just a touch, to keep it lighter, but most of the liquid is a flavorful homemade broth.
The Spices
An often forgotten ingredient, the nutmeg! Sadly, it is often omitted or discarded in recipes… A freshly grounded touch of nutmeg goes a long way in creamy soup or sauce. Nutmeg loses many flavors pre-grounded; that’s why they often sell it whole; grinding it fresh makes a lot of difference. There is no need for fancy nutmeg ground; a simple microplane works, too.
The same goes for black pepper. There is a whole world of black peppers, which I am no expert on. But one thing I know is to store it properly. Otherwise, it can lose its flavor, becoming bland and tasteless. Exposure to air, light, moisture, and heat can all contribute to a decline in the quality of black pepper.
Variations
Do you want it vegetarian? Switch the chicken broth for vegetable stock, or use the water of the dried mushrooms to make a broth. You can also, of course, use other types of mushrooms or mix different types for this soup. I like to make this Shiitake Mushroom Soup and use it as a pasta sauce for the kids.
Other Winter Soups
- ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH SAGE
- Butternut Squash Soup with Cream Cheese
- ASIAN BONE BROTH SOUP
Shiitake Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 1 l chicken broth (or vegetable stock)
- 150 g shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
- 120 g French shallots
- 60 ml cream
- 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 tsp nutmeg
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- In a big pot, bring to a boil the chicken broth.
- Wash the shiitakes with a wet towel (soak if dried), cut the stems off, and slice them up.
- In a pan, medium-high heat, cook the shiitakes in the oil until they lose half their size for 5 minutes.
- Add the sliced shallot and garlic to the mushroom pan and soften them up for a minute or two.
- Add the mushrooms mix to the broth and cook for another 10-15 minutes, medium-high heat.
- In the end, add the cream, nutmeg, black pepper and salt.
- Blend with an immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth and homogenous.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin me!
5 Comments
This is the reason I want to force myself to like mushrooms, because I can see I am missing out 🙁
Fantastic recipe though (:
If you have to start somewhere… i recommend shiitakes…
gonna try,now that my logs are producing and im searching for recipes. i usually like sherry with mushrooms and cream. curiuos about brandy flavor instead. sounds good.
This is sooo good! I used chicken (bone?) broth that I made in my Instant Pot with the remains of a rotisserie chicken. Also my first time cooking with shiitake mushrooms! Very flavorful and great for sipping out of a mug, I will continue making this – ty!!
Warms my heart this comment! Glad you like it!