Indian Vegetarian Recipes
cream of mushroom soup | how to make mushroom soup
https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/veg-cream-mushroom-soup-recipe/
as a family, we love soups. i make various kinds of soups along with our family favorites – tomato soup and sweet corn soup. most of the times i make light and clear soups and on occasions i make thick and creamy soups.
how is cream of mushroom soup made
there are many ways a homemade cream of mushroom soup can be made. in the traditional method, a roux (flour and butter cooked together) is made first and then milk, water or vegetable stock or mushroom stock are poured in. later sautéed or cooked mushrooms are tipped in. finally, cream is added.
i follow the basic technique of making the recipe. the only difference i make to the basic method is that instead of adding the cooked mushrooms to the soup later, i sauté the mushrooms first, add the flour, add milk and then make the whole soup in one pot. easy and quick – isn’t it?
this cream of mushroom soup is
- a one-pot soup recipe.
- an easy and quick way of making homemade cream of mushroom soup.
- what you get is a creamy and smooth soup comforting in any season.
- purely vegetarian as chicken stock is not used in this recipe. you can use veg stock instead of water if you have vegetable stock ready.
- the roux is made with whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. both of them help in thickening in the soup and you can use the one which you prefer.
is cream of mushroom soup gluten free
cream of mushroom soup is not gluten free as wheat flour is used to make the roux. that said, a gluten free cream of mushroom soup can be made by substituting potato starch, tapioca starch or corn starch.
these starches aid in thickening the soup and also giving it a creamy consistency. in my cream of mushroom recipe, you can easily substitute any of these gluten free flours that i have mentioned above. the taste will slightly change when using tapioca starch and potato starch.
how to make cream of mushroom soup
preparation
1. measure and keep all the ingredients ready for the soup (mise en place).
2. rinse or wipe dry 200 to 250 grams of white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms. slice of the lower part of the base stalk of each mushroom. then chop them in halves or quarters. you can even slice them.
beginning to make cream of mushroom soup
3. heat a heavy saucepan or pan. keep the flame to a low or medium-low. melt 2 tablespoons of butter (salted or unsalted) in the pan.
4. when the butter has almost melted then add one tej patta (indian bay leaf) or bay leaf. take care not to burn the butter.
5. sauté till fragrant for about 2 to 3 seconds.
6. add ⅓ cup finely chopped onions (about 1 small to medium-sized onion) and ½ teaspoon minced or finely chopped garlic (2 to 3 small to medium garlic cloves).
7. mix and stir.
8. sauté till the onions soften and become translucent.
cooking mushrooms for mushroom soup
9. add the sliced or chopped mushrooms.
10. mix again. you will see the mushrooms releasing water after a few minutes.
11. continue to sauté.
12. sauté till all the water dries up in the pan. you can continue to cook till the mushrooms become a light brown. then add 1 tablespoon of whole wheat flour (atta) or all purpose flour (maida).
13. sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame. keep stirring often. the raw aroma of the flour should go away.
14. then add freshly crushed black pepper or ground pepper as per taste.
15. mix well.
making cream of mushroom soup
16. add 1 cup of water or vegetable stock or mushroom stock.
17. stir and mix well.
18. next add 1 cup whole milk or full-fat milk. milk needs to be at room temperature when you add it.
19. mix very well.
20. season with salt as per taste.
21. mix again.
22. on a low to medium-low flame let the mushroom soup come to a gentle simmer. the soup will begin to froth and bubble.
23. the soup would also begin to thicken.
24. continue to simmer the mushroom soup for about 4 to 5 minutes more. the soup will thicken more. stir at intervals.
25. then add 6 tablespoons low fat cream (about 25% to 30% fat) or 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or whipping cream. you can also add 7 to 8 tablespoons of half and half.
26. stir and mix well.
27. add 1 to 2 teaspoons of chopped parsley or coriander leaves or any fresh herbs of your choice.
30. simmer the cream of mushroom soup for 1 to 2 minutes more stirring often
31. lastly, sprinkle 1 to 2 pinches of ground nutmeg powder and stir. nutmeg gives a nice pleasant aroma but can be skipped if you do not have it.
32. switch off the flame and pour the mushroom soup in individual serving bowls. serve the cream of mushroom soup steaming hot garnished with parsley or coriander leaves or croutons or a toasted bread by the side.
what to serve with mushroom soup
- you can serve a side of any sandwich or toast – any kind of stuffed or open toast sandwiches can be made.
- crostini or bruschetta also pair well.
- a pasta or spaghetti dish can also be served.
- a side salad of mix vegetables or cherry tomatoes or potatoes can be made.
- a rice-based dish like a pilaf or a side of bread can also be served.
looking for more soup recipes? do check some of my favorite soup recipes.
this recipe is from the archives and was originally published on 1st jan 2014 . the post has been updated and republished on 12 october 2019.
cream of mushroom soup
this cream of mushroom soup is a one-pot quick, easy and tasty cream of mushroom soup recipe.
(1 CUP = 250 ML)
- 200 to 250 grams button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms or 0.5 pounds button mushrooms
- ⅓ cup finely chopped onions or 1 small to medium-sized onion, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic or 2 to 3 small to medium-sized garlic, finely chopped (lahsun)
- 1 tejpatta (indian bay leaf) or bay leaf
- 1 to 2 pinches ground nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk whole or full fat – at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons cream, – low fat, about 25% to 30% fat (i used amul cream).
- 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour (atta) or all purpose flour (maida)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped parsley or coriander leaves (dhania patta) or any fresh soft herbs like thyme or basil
- freshly crushed black pepper as required
- salt as required
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley – can also use the same herb you add in the soup for garnishing like coriander, thyme or basil
sauteing onions and garlic
- melt the butter in a heavy saucepan.
- add the bay leaf and saute till fragrant for about 2 to 3 seconds.
- add the finely chopped onions and garlic.
- saute till the onions soften and become translucent.
cooking mushrooms for mushroom soup
- add the sliced or chopped mushrooms and saute till the mushrooms start to release water.
- saute till all the water dries up and the mushrooms become a light golden.
- add the flour and saute for 3 to 4 minutes stirring often on a low to medium-low flame. the raw aroma of flour should go away.
- then add freshly crushed black pepper and mix well.
making mushroom soup
- add water first followed by milk.
- stir well and season with salt.
- on a low to medium-low flame let the soup come to gentle simmer first.
- the mushroom soup would also begin to thicken. stir at intervals.
- simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes till the soup thickens more.
- then add the cream and chopped parsley.
- simmer mushroom soup or 1 to 2 minutes more stirring often.
- lastly, sprinkle ground nutmeg powder and stir.
- switch off the flame and pour the soup in individual serving bowls.
- serve the cream of mushroom soup steaming hot garnished with parsley or coriander.
- use fresh milk at room temperature. you can also warm or make the milk hot before adding.
- to increase the heat and warmth in the soup, you can add a little extra of black pepper powder. use freshly crushed or powdered black pepper
- nutmeg can be skipped.
- recipe can be easily scaled to half or double or triple.
- instead of button mushrooms you can use baby portabella mushrooms or cremini mushrooms.
Indian Vegetarian Recipes
Paneer Tikka Masala
Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese), onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices, grilled and then tossed in a creamy tomato based curry. This dish goes extremely well with butter naan or paratha or basmati rice.
About This Recipe
You know the most famous Indian food in the world? It is Chicken Tikka Masala, at least that’s what I think. You talk to anyone in the UK or USA and even if they don’t know much about Indian food they definitely know about chicken tikka masala. I think the dish is synonyms with Indian food in the west. The vegetarian version of it is of course Paneer Tikka Masala which is also quite popular and you would find it on the menu of most Indian restaurants.
Growing up in India, I had never heard of paneer tikka masala. Sure, we had paneer tikka but adding it to a curry was unknown, at least to me. I remember watching a MasterChef India episode some 10 years back which had chef Vikas Khanna and chef Kunal Kapoor talking about the origin of this dish. They also shared a recipe and so this recipe is inspired from their version.
They of course shared the recipe for chicken tikka masala but I changed it to paneer tikka masala and also made few changes depending on my preferences and availability. This recipe uses curry powder which is a common spice mix in the west (again this spice mix doesn’t even exist in India) and it makes sense since this dish originated in the UK. There are stories of how a chef added cream sauce to chicken tikka to please the taste buds of British people and that’s where it originated from.
There are 2 parts to this recipe- the tikka part where paneer, onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices and then grilled. You can cook the tikka in tandoor, oven or in your pan. The other part of the recipe is the curry which is a smooth curry made with onions, tomatoes, cream and butter. The grilled tikka is added to the curry and then served as a main course with side of bread.
This Paneer Tikka Masala
- is super creamy, smooth.
- goes well with naan, paratha.
- makes a comforting meal.
- leftovers are great as well!
Ingredients
There are 2 parts to this recipe- the paneer tikka and the curry.
Paneer Tikka
Paneer: you can use either homemade or store bought paneer but whatever paneer you use, it should be firm and be able to hold it’s shape. You can find paneer at Indian grocery stores or make it at home.
Yogurt: for the marinade, it is best to use thick yogurt. Either use Greek yogurt or if using regular yogurt, use store bought yogurt which tends to be thicker than homemade yogurt. If using homemade yogurt, strain it using a muslin cloth for at least 3 to 4 hours to get rid of all the excess water.
Spices: the marinade uses coriander powder, garam masala, two types of chili powder, ginger-garlic and lime juice. You can also use fresh herbs like cilantro, mint.
The Masala/Curry
Curry base: the base is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic which is quite a staple for most creamy Indian curries. I like using white onion for that sweet, subtle flavor.
Spices: this paneer tikka masala recipe uses curry powder which is a mix of spices and is popular in the western world. It’s not so much popular in India actually, in fact I didn’t even know it existed until I moved out of India. If you don’t have it, you can use a blend of coriander, cumin, turmeric and ginger.
Flavor enhancers: to make the curry creamy, we finish the recipe with butter, cream and cilantro!
Step by Step Instructions
1- We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add yogurt (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon), make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe). To that add the following:
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- juice of 1/2 lime
2- Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
3- Now add 225 grams paneer (cubed into big cubes), 1 medium red onion (quartered and separated into petals) and 1 medium green pepper (cut into 1 inch cubes).
4- Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.
5- Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1-inch cinnamon stick.
6- Let the seeds sizzle and then add 1 large white onion (roughly chopped), 3 to 4 large garlic cloves, chopped and 1-inch chopped ginger.
7- Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
8- Then add 3 large tomatoes (chopped) along with the following:
- 1& 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
9- Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
10- Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
11- Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.
12- Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.
Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).
13- Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
14- Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
15- Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry.
16- Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve paneer tikka masala with the following:
- Butter Naan: nothing like fluffy, soft homemade naan to dip into the curry.
- Jeera rice: rice seasoned with cumin seeds makes the perfect pairing.
- Roti: you can never go wrong with the classic Indian everyday bread.
- Tandoori roti: another great bread to serve the curry with.
Vegan Variation
For a vegan version of this recipe you can do the following substitutions:
- use extra-firm tofu in place of paneer.
- marinate the tofu with thick coconut milk (use the top part from the can) or vegan yogurt (plain almond milk works well).
- replace butter with vegan butter.
- replace heavy cream with coconut milk.
Tips & Notes
- I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added toward the end for that nice aroma.
- If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
- You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
Frequently Asked Questions
No they are different. Paneer Tikka is served as an appetizer and has cubes of grilled paneer where for paneer tikka masala the grilled paneer is added to a creamy curry and served as a main dish.
Go for a mix of coriander powder, turmeric, cumin and ginger. For replacing 1 u0026 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in this recipe, I would probably use 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger.
They are both popular paneer recipes but the way you make them is different. For the tikka masala, we first marinate the paneer, grill it and then add to the curry. For the paneer makhani, the sauce is made with nuts, onions, tomatoes and then paneer pieces are added to it directly.
This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in April 2014. I have updated the recipe with better photos, videos and made slight modifications to make it better. The curry part of the recipe is same but I have added onions and peppers to the tikka part. If you wish to make it like the old recipe, just skip on the onions and peppers.
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Paneer Tikka Masala
Ingredients
Paneer Tikka
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp yogurt use thick plain whole milk yogurt which has been strained or Greek yogurt
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder for color
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
- 1/2 lime juice of
- 225 grams paneer cut into cubes
- 1 medium red onion quartered and separated into petals
- 1 medium green pepper cut into 1-inch cubes
Curry
- 1 tablespoon oil I used avocado oil, use oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons butter divided, unsalted or salted either works
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 large white onion roughly chopped, around 150 grams
- 3-4 large garlic cloves chopped
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 3 large tomatoes roughly chopped, around 400 grams
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder divided (for color, not hot)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar I used granulated white sugar
- 1 cup water or more as needed
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream 30-45 ml
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
-
We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add thick yogurt, make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe or use Greek yogurt).
-
To that add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and juice of 1/2 lime.
Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
-
Now add cubed paneer, onion (quartered and separated into petals) and green pepper
Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.
-
Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.
-
Let the seeds sizzle and then add white onion (roughly chopped), chopped garlic cloves and chopped ginger. Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
-
Then add the roughly chopped tomatoes along with curry powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and sugar. Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
-
Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
-
Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.
Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.
Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).
-
Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
-
Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cream and chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
-
Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry. Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.
Video
Notes
- I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added towards the end for that nice aroma.
- If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
- You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
- Older recipe: I have updated the recipe to make it better. The older recipe didn’t have onions and pepper added to the marinade and had a tablespoon of less butter in the curry. You can definitely use the old recipe, it’s almost same except these minor changes.
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