Mohamed Shili Julia Child Cream Of Mushroom Soup is a classic French-style lunch that uses fresh mushrooms, unsalted butter, and a hint of lemon juice. The soup gets its smooth texture from a rich egg yolk and heavy cream enrichment.
The first time I made this, I tried to skip the step where you cook the mushrooms in butter before adding the liquid. Now I always give them the full time they need to soften. If you just boil them in the stock, they stay spongy and the flavor won’t develop the way it should.
Julia Child’s version works because she uses a specific thickening method that most modern recipes ignore. The base is a light roux, but the real magic happens at the end when you stir in the cream and egg yolks. This gives it a silky feel that makes other mushroom soups feel thin by comparison.
Julia Child Cream Of Mushroom Soup Ingredients
For the Mushroom Base
- 1 lb (450g) fresh mushrooms
- 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
- 1/8 tsp (0.3g) white pepper
- 1 tsp (5ml) lemon juice
- 2 tbsp (15g) minced shallots or green onions
For the Soup Body
- 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp (24g) all-purpose flour
- 6 cups (1.4L) boiling chicken stock
- 2 sprigs of parsley
- 1/3 bay leaf
- 1/8 tsp (0.3g) dried thyme
For the Final Enrichment
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, softened
How To Make Julia Child Cream Of Mushroom Soup
- 1. Prep the mushrooms: Wash the mushrooms quickly in cold water and dry them well with a towel. Trim the ends of the stems and then slice the mushrooms into thin pieces or chop them into small bits depending on how chunky you want the soup.
- 2. Cook the mushrooms in butter: Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over moderate heat until it stops foaming. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and shallots, then cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
- Don’t let the mushrooms brown during this stage because you want the soup to stay a light, creamy color. The lid keeps the moisture in so the mushrooms steam in their own juices and the butter.
- 3. Make the roux: Take the mushrooms and their juices out of the pan and set them aside in a small bowl. Melt another 3 tablespoons of butter in the same pan, then whisk in the flour and cook over low heat for 2 minutes without browning it.
- 4. Add the stock: Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the boiling chicken stock while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Add the parsley, bay leaf, and thyme, then bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for 15 minutes.
- 5. Combine the bases: Pick out the parsley sprigs and the bay leaf piece from the liquid and discard them. Pour the cooked mushrooms and all their juices back into the pan and simmer the whole thing for another 10 minutes.
- 6. Prepare the enrichment: Whisk the egg yolks and heavy cream together in a medium mixing bowl until they’re well blended. Slowly pour one cup of the hot soup into the cream mixture while whisking to warm it up without scrambling the eggs.
- 7. Finish the soup: Pour the warmed cream and egg mixture back into the large pot of soup and stir it over low heat for a minute or two. Do not let the soup come to a boil once the eggs are in or they’ll curdle and ruin the texture.
- 8. Final seasoning: Turn off the heat and stir in the last 2 tablespoons of softened butter one tablespoon at a time until it’s fully melted. Taste the soup and add more salt or pepper if you think it needs a bit more punch before serving.
Recipe Tips
- 1. Use white pepper. If you use black pepper, you’ll see little dark specks all through your light soup. White pepper keeps the color uniform and adds a specific earthy heat that fits the French style.
- 2. Watch the heat with the eggs. The final step is where most people go wrong because they get impatient and turn the stove up. Keep the heat low and stay right there with the pot so you can pull it off the burner the second it thickens.
- 3. Pick small mushrooms. Smaller mushrooms usually have a tighter texture and won’t release as much dark liquid as large, open ones. This helps keep the finished soup looking bright and appetizing instead of a dull grey.
- 4. Clean with care. Don’t let the mushrooms sit in a bowl of water or they’ll turn into little sponges. A quick rinse or a wipe with a damp paper towel is all they need to get rid of any dirt.
- 5. Prepare the stock ahead. Make sure your chicken stock is actually boiling when you add it to the roux. If the stock is cold, the flour might clump up and you’ll spend ten minutes trying to whisk out the lumps.
- 6. Soften the final butter. Take the last bit of butter out of the fridge when you start cooking so it’s at room temperature by the end. Cold butter takes too long to melt into the soup and might not blend as smoothly.
What To Serve With Cream Of Mushroom Soup
A warm piece of crusty French bread or a sourdough roll is the best thing for soaking up the extra liquid. You can also serve this with a simple green salad dressed in a light vinaigrette to help balance the weight of the cream.
If you want something heartier, a grilled cheese sandwich made with mild white cheddar works perfectly. Some people like to scatter a few extra sautéed mushroom slices or a pinch of fresh chives on top for a bit of visual flair.
How To Store Cream Of Mushroom Soup
- Fridge: Keep the soup in an airtight glass container once it has cooled down to room temperature. It will stay fresh for about three days, though the texture might thicken up slightly as it sits.
- Reheat: The best way to warm this up is in a small pot over low heat on the stove. Stir it often and make sure it never reaches a boil, as the high heat will cause the egg yolks and cream to separate.
- Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this soup because the egg and cream base will break and become grainy when you thaw it out. It’s much better to eat it fresh or keep it in the fridge for a few days.
Julia Child Cream Of Mushroom Soup Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 6):
- Calories: 245 kcal
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 680mg
FAQs
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream in this Julia Child Cream Of Mushroom Soup?
You can use whole milk, but the soup won’t have the same velvety weight that Julia intended. If you make the switch, you might need to add an extra egg yolk to help with the thickening process.
Why did my soup turn out thin?
The soup relies on both the flour roux and the egg yolks to get its body. If you didn’t cook the flour and butter long enough or skipped the step where you temper the eggs, the liquid won’t hold its shape properly.
Can I make Julia Child Cream Of Mushroom Soup ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the mushroom and stock base earlier in the day and keep it on the stove. Just wait to add the egg yolk and cream mixture until right before you’re ready to sit down and eat.
Is it okay to use dried mushrooms for this recipe?
It’s better to stick with fresh ones because the texture of dried mushrooms can be quite tough in a creamy soup. If you really want that deep flavor, you could swap one cup of the chicken stock for filtered mushroom soaking liquid.
More Julia Child Recipes:
Julia Child Cream Of Mushroom Soup Recipe
Description
Julia Child Cream Of Mushroom Soup is a classic French-style lunch that uses fresh mushrooms, unsalted butter, and a hint of lemon juice. The soup gets its smooth texture from a rich egg yolk and heavy cream enrichment.
Ingredients
For the Mushroom Base
For the Soup Body
For the Final Enrichment
Instructions
-
Prep the mushrooms: Wash the mushrooms quickly in cold water and dry them well with a towel. Trim the ends of the stems and then slice the mushrooms into thin pieces or chop them into small bits depending on how chunky you want the soup.
-
2. Cook the mushrooms in butter: Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over moderate heat until it stops foaming. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and shallots, then cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
Don’t let the mushrooms brown during this stage because you want the soup to stay a light, creamy color. The lid keeps the moisture in so the mushrooms steam in their own juices and the butter. -
3. Make the roux: Take the mushrooms and their juices out of the pan and set them aside in a small bowl. Melt another 3 tablespoons of butter in the same pan, then whisk in the flour and cook over low heat for 2 minutes without browning it.
-
4. Add the stock: Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the boiling chicken stock while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Add the parsley, bay leaf, and thyme, then bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for 15 minutes.
-
5. Combine the bases: Pick out the parsley sprigs and the bay leaf piece from the liquid and discard them. Pour the cooked mushrooms and all their juices back into the pan and simmer the whole thing for another 10 minutes.
-
6. Prepare the enrichment: Whisk the egg yolks and heavy cream together in a medium mixing bowl until they’re well blended. Slowly pour one cup of the hot soup into the cream mixture while whisking to warm it up without scrambling the eggs.
-
7. Finish the soup: Pour the warmed cream and egg mixture back into the large pot of soup and stir it over low heat for a minute or two. Do not let the soup come to a boil once the eggs are in or they’ll curdle and ruin the texture.
- 8. Final seasoning: Turn off the heat and stir in the last 2 tablespoons of softened butter one tablespoon at a time until it’s fully melted. Taste the soup and add more salt or pepper if you think it needs a bit more punch before serving.
