Slow-Cooker Mushroom Soup with Sherry

This comforting and creamy slow-cooker soup is loaded with earthy, umami flavor from the mushrooms and soy sauce. Puréeing only some of the slow-cooker mushroom soup gives the dish complex texture and eye appeal. Garnish with additional black pepper and chopped fresh thyme, if desired.

Prep Time20

Total Time5

Servings: 12

Author: EatingWell Test Kitchen / Cooking Light Everyday Slow Cooker

Ingredients

4 cups boiling water
2 cups dried porcini mushrooms about 1 1/2 ounces
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
⅝ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups sliced shallots about 8 ounces
1 garlic clove minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 cup dry sherry
3 pounds assorted fresh mushrooms such as cremini, portobello, shiitake, and button, sliced
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
⅓ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Pour 2 cups of the boiling water over the porcini mushrooms. Let stand 20 minutes.
Drain the porcini mushrooms in a colander over a bowl, reserving the mushroom broth; set the mushrooms aside.
Strain the mushroom broth through a cheesecloth-lined colander into a bowl; discard the solids.
Stir in the cornstarch, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 cups boiling water into the mushroom broth; set aside.
Heat the oil in a medium-sized nonstick skillet over medium-high.
Add the shallots and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the sherry; bring to a boil, and cook 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
Stir together the porcini mushrooms, broth mixture, shallot mixture, fresh mushrooms, and thyme in a 5-quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on HIGH until the vegetables are very tender and the flavors blend, about 4 hours.
Uncover and cook until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender.
Remove the center piece of the blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure the lid on the blender.
Place a clean towel over the opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters).
Blend until smooth, about 10 seconds.
Return the puréed soup to the slow cooker; gently stir in the cream. Ladle the soup into bowls, and serve hot.

Notes

Tips

Multicooker Directions: Complete Step 1. In Step 2, add the oil to the inner pot of a 6-quart multicooker. With the lid off, press SAUTÉ [Normal]. When the oil is hot, add the shallots and garlic; cook uncovered, stirring often, until the shallots are soft. Carefully stir in the sherry; turn off the cooker. In Step 3, stir in the porcini mushrooms, broth mixture, fresh mushrooms, and thyme. Lock the lid; turn Pressure Valve to “Venting.” Cook on SLOW COOK [More] until the vegetables are very tender and the flavors blend, about 4 hours. Turn off the cooker. Remove the lid; press SAUTÉ [Normal], and cook uncovered, stirring often, until slightly thickened. Turn off the cooker. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth as in Step 3. Return the puréed soup to the pot; gently stir in the cream. Finish Step 3.

Slow-Cooker Mushroom Soup with Sherry