Creamy Wild Mushroom Bisque Recipe for Cozy Dinners

{ Mushroom Bisque }

Yesterday at our church we held a “Souper Bowl” Sunday. Several people brought crockpots filled with soup, and for $3.00 attendees received a bowl of soup, a sandwich and a dessert. All proceeds and the donated non-perishable food items supported Cooperative Christian Ministries, which assisted 430 families last year with food, medicine, rent and utilities.

I chose to make this Mushroom Bisque for the lunch because I’ve made it before and we loved it. It’s easy to prepare and full of rich flavor, so I knew it would be popular.

It was a hit!

This bisque isn’t merely mushroom-flavored — it’s packed with hearty mushrooms. I enjoy it loaded with mushrooms, but you can easily use fewer or add more to suit your taste.

At home I often use a mix of baby Bella, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, but for the church batch I used only baby Bellas and it turned out just as well.

“Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by KitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset”

Mushroom Bisque
Adapted slightly from Mary Pat Fralick/Food Network

(Printable Recipe available on the original recipe page)

Serves 6–8

*This recipe divides easily and can be doubled or tripled*

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth

1 pound mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon onion salt

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

8 tablespoons half-and-half

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons white pepper

2–3 teaspoons hot sauce (to taste)

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil.

2. Add the chopped mushrooms and onion salt. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes so the mushrooms release their flavor and soften.

3. When the mushrooms have simmered for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, prepare the roux. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until fully incorporated and smooth.

4. While whisking, slowly pour in the half-and-half. Add the bay leaves and continue whisking until the sauce is thick and silky.

5. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir the roux into the mushroom and broth mixture, blending thoroughly.

6. Season the soup with white pepper and hot sauce, and adjust salt if needed. Simmer for about 5 more minutes to combine flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

Notes: This bisque is flexible — swap mushroom varieties, adjust the mushroom quantity to your preference, and scale the recipe to feed a larger crowd. For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.