THE ULTIMATE COMFORT SOUP RECIPE

While I usually opt for cooking healthy versions of my favorite meals (low-cal this, dairy-free that), sometimes your body and soul just need some classic comfort food that, with each bite, brings you back to your childhood. For me, that’s cream of mushroom soup. Not feeling too well this week, my amazing boyfriend set out to make me my favorite soup of all-time, from scratch. Being so used to the canned variety I grew up with, his recipe (sourced from the internet and tweaked to his taste) blew my mind and was too good not to share with you. So, I hereby present to you, The Ultimate Comfort Soup Recipe:

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 1/2 lbs fresh mushrooms of your choice (my favorites are just your standard brown cremini mushrooms), sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine 
• 6 tbsp flour
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until melted.
2. Sauté onions for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
3. Add mushrooms and thyme and let cook for 5 minutes.
4. Next, pour in the wine and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the flour in, mixing well and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add the chicken stock, mix again, and bring to a boil.
7. Once boiling, reduce heat to low-medium, then season with salt, pepper, and crumbled bouillon cubes.
8. Put the lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, occasionally stirring, until thickened.
9. Reduce heat to low, stir in cream, and allow to gently simmer for a few more minutes.
10. For presentation, add a sprig of thyme (or a sprinkle of shopped parsley, if you’d prefer), and enjoy!

Tips

For a guilt-free version (lower-calorie and vegan), simply omit the cream (no replacement ingredient necessary), and swap the butter, chicken stock, and beef bouillon for your favorite plant-based alternatives. Et voilà!

If you made this recipe, I’d love to see your creation!

Tag me on Instagram at @meghflanagan and hashtag #EditEats