By Florence Fabricant
Updated Feb. 29, 2024
- Total Time
- 1 hour plus final broiling
- Rating
- 4(399)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This hearty soup takes its cue from the classic soupeà l’oignon gratinée. I swapped out the onions for mushrooms and served the hearty soup paved with a layer of toast and cheese as a cold-weather first course. For an informal supper, it could be the main event, especially with additions like potatoes or other root vegetables, shredded cabbage, cooked lentils, buckwheat pasta or even chunks of duck confit, sausage or boneless short ribs or veal shank. As for the finishing glaze of cheese, I suggest Gruyère, though the Bitto of the region, a firm cow’s milk cheese made with a funky touch of goat milk, would be lovely if you can find it.
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1pound cremini mushrooms, very finely minced, as for duxelles
- 1large red onion, sliced thin
- 4cloves garlic, sliced
- 1½pounds shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, sliced thin
- Salt
- 5cups mushroom or vegetable stock
- 1cup dry red wine
- 2tablespoons red miso
- Ground black pepper to taste
- ½teaspoon ground cloves
- ½teaspoon ground ginger
- 6slices sourdough bread, about 3 inches in diameter
- 6ounces Gruyère, shaved thin
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
670 calories; 20 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 89 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 1427 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Add minced mushrooms and sauté on low until they glisten with moisture, about 5 minutes. Remove ⅓ cup and set aside. Add onion and garlic to pan and cook, stirring, until the onion wilts. Add shiitakes and a dusting of salt, increase heat to medium and sauté, stirring, until mushrooms have softened, 5 minutes or so. Stir in stock and wine, bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes.
Step
2
Place miso in a dish and dissolve in a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid, then stir back into the pan. Add pepper to taste, cloves and ginger. Simmer, partly covered, about 30 minutes. Check consistency, adding a little water if needed. Adjust salt and pepper. Soup can be finished and served at once, or set aside, then reheated and finished.
Step
3
To serve, heat broiler. Transfer soup to a 3-quart ovenproof dish or casserole. Toast bread. Spread reserved minced mushrooms on each slice and cover with cheese. Float slices on top of soup. Place dish under the broiler long enough to melt and lightly brown the cheese, then bring to the table and serve into bowls. Alternatively, the soup can be divided into individual oven-proof bowls, each topped with toast, mushrooms and cheese, and broiled.
Ratings
4
out of 5
399
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Cooking Notes
Marguerite
Made this tonight but lacking cloves, I went a different direction and added a pinch of spanish paprika - just enough to add a tiny hint of spice and smoke. Totally delicious, but still somehow not perfect. A sprinkling of parsley over each bowl finished the job!
Stacey
The chef didn't trust her ingredients. Beautiful creminis and shiitakes completely overwhelmed by the 1/2 tsp. each of cloves and ginger. Those spices would work better in a squash or bean soup, but in this preparation, the earthiness of the mushrooms was lost.
Monica R.
We really enjoyed this recipe - best new soup recipe I have made in a while. Hearty and perfect for winter. The cloves and ginger add depth of flavour to the earthiness of the mushrooms. We added some baby spinach and cooked quinoa and made it a meal. Delicious and cream-free.
Barb
This was,tasty but maybe more steps than a casual dinner..
I substituted some soy sauce since I didn't have the miso.
I used dried mixed mushrooms wnd their Broth which added flavor.
Joanne
Cream can curdle when adding cold cream to hot mixture. I accidentally hit on a solution when I made this recipe: cook mushrooms in the butter and spices;refrigerate for a few hours. Then combine cold mushroom mixture with the cold cream, milk, cold broth, etc. The cold mixture cooks to the same temp together, preventing curdling. Place it in the refrigerator overnight and the flavors will blend together. Warm up and serve the next day. It was thick, creamy, flavorful.
Christa
The miso, ginger, and cloves all introduced a very interesting, nuanced and complex flavor; I absolutely loved this, and it smelled so richly divine as it was simmering away, particularly from the wine. I used a rich homemade stock, which I'm sure helped, but if I hadn't had any on hand, I wouldn't have let those shiitake stems to go waste, and I would have made a quick stock out of those, which I'm confident would have contributed an earthy and musky flavor.
Em
I really liked this. I did not add the ginger or cloves, I used thyme instead. The miso is key, it gives it a lot of flavor. I skipped the toasts and used some sour cream instead just before serving.
LP
Very disappointed - tastes too strongly of cloves? Was supposed to be my husband's valentines treat but we really didn't like it, and wasted lots of mushrooms... Not sure what to do with the remainder? Mix with cream for pasta sauce? I could not recommend making this recipe : (
Samir
I thought this recipe was good, but I agree on the amount of clove and ginger. I added about a 1/4 tsp (maybe even less) and felt it was fine. Any more would have been overwhelming. I ended up using 1.5 lbs creminis, .5 lb shiitake, and about 1lb worth dried mushroom mix, which I thought was good.
I do wish the reserved duxelles had more flavor. Next time, I'd say sautee the garlic w/ the duxelles and add some salt upon reserving.
Philippe
Instead of wine I add a bit of white vermouth to my mushroom soup.
dimmerswitch
Wonderful flavors. Some prep work but easy execution. Made per recipe for soup. Simplified serving. NOTES; A. For SOUP: 1. Started wiw/David Tanis' Porcini Broth 2. Did not remove 1/3 cup mushrooms. (See service). 3. Next time will reduce clove and ginger to 1/4 tsp each. B. For SERVICE: 1. Didn't broil per recipe. Instead made simple crostini in oven with thin gruyere melted on. Floated on soup. 2. A very little finely chopped parsley on top. Chives would work too.
Barbara from Ottawa
Some red wines have higher sugar content than others, so "dry" wines have lower sugar content. I personally don't use cooking wine -- I cook with wine I like to drink! That way I know the finished dish will have a rich flavor.
Laurie
Delish. I deleted the cloves just because I don't like the taste, but the flavor from the original recipe is so rich and wonderful. I beefed it up with some barley and spinach. Will make it again for sure.
Christa
I disagree, although normally, I'd be one to agree with you, as I believe in allowing good ingredients to speak for themselves and generally avoid smothering sauces and spice cover-ups. It *is* a fine line in this recipe, and I was dubious, but I'm enjoying it right now, and I truly do believe the ginger and cloves actually enhance the mushrooms and red wine rather than overwhelm or another it.
MACook
"Dry red wine" simply means not sweet. Wine is categorized as "dry" or "sweet" (among other characterizations). Don't spend a lot of money at all.....just tell the person at the liquor store that you need dry red wine for a soup recipe.
steven
I loved this, except the cloves. It was too much. Next time I will do half of what the recipe calls for or substitute for something else.
Empress
Cloves and ginger bad idea.
Beth L
I think the spice measurements were right on target! This is an excellent addition to my winter soups.
Em
This recipe ended up taking way longer than projected. I’d give myself 2.5 hours of making again.
Robert
Great recipe, very rich, I added duck confit to have some extra protein, this was a big hit with my wife. Based on other comments and her aversion to clove, I skipped the clove for this one. Will make again soon, comfort food for the winter!
CheesyChuck
Wonderfully rich and satisfying yet OH MY, THE CLOVES... 1/2 teaspoon was wayyyy too much and very much overwhelmed the beautiful flavors that this recipe could’ve portrayed. Many hours of work turned out to be ruined :(BE WARNED: Do not add 1/2 teaspoon of cloves. Much less (perhaps a 1/4 teaspoon or maybe even just a pinch?) is necessary.
Laura
I've just started using Miso. Will I substantively change this soup by using white miso instead of red miso?
Diana
Yes, they are not interchangeable. Red miso is much stronger and usually employed when glazing meats. For inclusion in soups where a more delicate sesame flavor is needed, white miso is the best choice. https://www.spiceography.com/red-miso-vs-white-miso/
patricia
Use a bottle of Charles Shaw, any red, from TJ's. Drinkable and definitely cookable and still "Two Buck Chuck" -- $2.99 where I live!
Deanna
I have dried mushrooms. How can I substitute? Thanks
Maggie
So easy: Place the mushrooms in a bowl, pour hot water over. Try to weight them down so they don't just float on the surface. Most will be ready in about 30 minutes. Rinse off residual grit. Strain the water and add to the stock.
Diana
Maggie has the answer, but in order to weigh the mushrooms down, it will help a lot if you have a mattone. This translates as "brick" in Italian and is a circular heavy piece of pottery you can put over light foods to prevent them rising to the top of a pot when you want them submerged. I improvised a large mattone by using a heavy bottom piece of a cleaning product purchased new for mushrooms and floaty veggies. For chicken you can use a standard US metal grill mattone for flattening bacon.
KM
Added potatoes. Didn't have Gruyere cheese, so we used Parmesan. Very good recipe, but a lot of work!
charlotte
This was so good! I added sausage and farro to it and switched the clove/ginger for pimentón. Highly recommend!!
Suzanne
The cloves and ginger overpowering and I used less than called for. Will not try this again.
Heather Forbes
This soup is fantastic! I only had white miso so used that instead of red miso but the end result was DELICIOUS. A wonderful soup that just shouts mushrooms, mushrooms, mushrooms!
Maria
Why cream ? there is no such an ingredient in the recipe ; am I missing something ?
DrKatie
Why oh why didn’t I listen to all of you who said omit the clove?! It overpowered this soup to the point that I gave mine to my doggy. I added barley (1 cup) and spinach (~2 cups), which definitely made it a substantial, filling dish. I will try this again, minus the cloves. And I will probably sub cremini, baby Bella and large portabella mushrooms for the sh*taki. I am just not a big enough fan of sh*takis to justify the expense (and I actually prefer the others).
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