The Simple Fix For Saving Your Bland Mushroom Soup

Mushroom soup is a comforting classic, but sometimes its thick, velvety texture is downgraded by one-dimensional flavor. To elevate the taste of this humble dish, we turned to chef Suresh Sundas, owner of the Michelin-approved, D.C.-based Indian restaurant Daru. Known for his bold and innovative takes on traditional dishes, Sundas shared some expert advice with Mashed on how to enhance the flavor of mushroom soup without overpowering its delicate, earthy essence. Sundas is also preparing to launch a new restaurant, Tapori, which will serve street food inspired by dishes from India, Kerala, and Nepal.

A cream of mushroom soup recipe typically calls for plenty of its namesake, along with garlic and onion aromatics, herbs like thyme and parsley, plus cooking wine and heavy cream. A homemade soup with fresh ingredients beats canned any day, but there are ways to upgrade even the most traditional elements. To start, Sundas recommended adding silky roasted garlic to the soup. "Roasted garlic softens its sharpness and introduces a sweet, nutty depth that complements mushrooms beautifully," he said. A roasted garlic recipe is easy to follow — simply cut off the top of a garlic bulb, cover the bulb in foil, and roast it slowly until the garlic is ultra fragrant. It should be so soft that, once cool, you can squeeze it right into the blender with the other soup ingredients. Roasted garlic lends a caramelized sweetness that melds seamlessly with mushrooms.

One of the best ways to cook with mushrooms is using dried varieties, another great tip that Suresh Sundas backs. "Dried shiitake mushrooms have an earthy, smoky, and deeply savory flavor that makes it ideal for tamarind-based soups like rasam or coconut milk-based soups. Their intense flavor enhances both spicy and creamy broths," he told Mashed. Plus, dried shiitake mushrooms are easy to cook with, and in many ways, they can provide even more flavor than fresh options.

First, soak a handful of them in either warm or room-temperature water for rehydration. Warmer water quickens this process, but room-temperature water helps extract deeper flavors. As the mushrooms soak, they infuse the water with their savory flavor, making a pseudo broth. But be careful — this broth packs a punch and shouldn't replace whatever vegetable or chicken stock forms the base of the soup. Instead, substitute only 1 or 2 cups of the stock with the mushroom broth for an umami boost that won't overpower the other flavors.