Name: Mushroom Potato Soup (No Cream)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1.1 pounds mixed mushrooms (chopped into chunks ); 7-8 dried porcini mushrooms (plus ⅓ c/80ml cold water for soaking); 3 medium potatoes (peeled, cubed); 1 onion (roughly chopped); ½ celery stalk (roughly chopped); 1 bay leaf; 2½ tablespoons olive oil; 3¼-3½ cups vegetable stock (hot, adjust the amount to suit your taste); Sea salt and white pepper to taste

Jump to Recipe

This mushroom potato soup is creamy and comforting yet light despite its hearty appearance. It’s made without any cream and owes its rich, delicious flavour to the combination of regular and dried mushrooms. Simple to make and ready in 40 minutes!

See also traditional Polish mushroom soup!

Creamy mushroom soup with chives in white bowl with spoon, green cloth, herbs, knife and large pot in background.

This mushroom potato soup has a rich and delicious flavour and creamy texture. It is made using simple ingredients which do not involve heavy cream or flour. So it's light but packed with flavour thanks to the ingredients as well as method.

Mushroom potato soup ingredients and substitutions

Mushrooms: I used a mixture of regular, white mushrooms as well as a small amount of dried porcini mushrooms for a more intense flavour (see mushroom leek pie, where I've also used this combination).
Potatoes: Use all-rounders such as Maris Piper or Russets as these potatoes contain a lot of starch needed to produce creaminess (which also makes them perfect for mashing). Reserve Alexandra or red potatoes, which are firm and waxy, for potato salads.
Vegetables: I used onion and celery for the soup base, but you could also add garlic if you prefer.
Stock: use either vegetable or chicken stock.
Herbs: I only used a bay leaf, but you could also add a little thyme (approx. ½ a teaspoon of dried or leaves from 1 small sprig).
Seasoning: I like to use white pepper with mushroom dishes, but black pepper is fine to use too.
Oil: Use either olive or vegetable oil.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Prepare porcinis: Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl, add a bit of water and rub gently with your fingers to get rid of any grit. Then rinse the mushrooms and soak in ⅓ cup of clean water for 10 minutes.

Dried porcini mushrooms in small white bowl with water.

2. Prepare mushrooms: Wipe the mushrooms using a paper towel sheet and chop into large chunks. In a large pan heat about 1 tablespoon of oil and cook the mushrooms over a high heat for a few minutes until the moisture has evaporated and they are lightly browned. Stir occasionally.

Chopped mushrooms in large pan with steam visible.

3. Make soup base: In a large pot heat 1.5 tablespoons of oil, add the bay leaf, onion and celery and cook gently for 3 minutes until softened stirring occasionally.

Chopped onion and celery in large pot with spoon.

4. Add mushrooms and potatoes: Add the mushrooms as well as porcinis (along with the water they soaked in), potatoes, pepper to taste and hot vegetable stock. Cover and bring the soup to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Mushrooms and cubed potatoes in large pot with water.

5. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.

Chunky mushroom potato soup in large pot with spoon.

6. Puree soup: Puree the soup, adjust the seasoning, add a little more vegetable stock/water if needed and serve.

Partly pureed mushroom soup with stick blender in large pot.

Serving suggestions

This mushroom and potato soup is delicious with freshly chopped chives or parsley, a dollop of yogurt/sour cream, splash of cream or coconut milk if desired or knob of butter (or vegan spread). You can also add croutons for crunch or enjoy it with homemade breadsticks, garlic bread, rye or pumpernickel bread.

Top tips

Mushrooms: Use regular closed cup or chestnut mushrooms.
Rinse the porcinis thoroughly to get rid of any grit.
Potatoes: Use floury potatoes such as russets or Maris Piper.
Adjust the amount of vegetable stock to suit your preference.
Leftover potato mushroom soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. This soup might thicken after a while so add a drop of water/stock when reheating it.
Freeze for up to 3 months.

Top down view of creamy mushroom soup in white bowl with spoon, fresh herbs on cutting board to the right and soup in pot at the top.

More simple creamy soups to try next

See also these other easy, delicious soup recipes including creamy vegan soups.

Recipe