Cream of Mushroom Soup with White Wine and Leeks

Cream of Mushroom Soup
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I could wax poetic about the fall season; how the crisp, cool air lends itself to thoughts of those warm, comfort foods that just seem perfect for this season. How there is something about soup that warms not just our bellies but our soul. Oh, I know, I know…I could tell a lovely story about how my love and I sit in front of a warm fire, reading poetry to each other and sipping on this nourishment that seems to evoke so many feelings.

But I won’t. It would be a lie. Not that soup isn’t a precursor for most of us that a cooler season is upon us but if I’m honest? I decided to clean out my fridge, bringing back the organization that I crave (maybe more so than soup!).  I had groceries to put away and I could no longer just try to ‘fit’ everything in, so I thought I would just straighten things up a bit. Two hours later my refrigerator could have had it’s own television show…it was spotless and ad perfect. Butter stacked neatly, salted and unsalted no longer intertwined. Veggies in one bin, fruit in another and cheese in it’s own special place. Nirvana for someone like me.

In the course of that magical transformation I did come upon some things that needed to be:

  1. Pitched – You all know that little storage bin back in the ‘way back’ that had been forgotten. Forgotten so long that the ingredient previously put in there was now indiscernible.
  2. Taken out of refrigerator storage and put back into the bar. Three bottles of white wine? Really? I don’t even like white wine.
  3. Used. Not in bad shape but at that moment it was time to do something with them or lose them forever.  Something very ‘Top Gun’ about them.

For me, number three meant time to use carrots, celery, mushrooms and leeks. I made two soups, one I’ll call Mirapoix soup because it was primarily carrots, celery and onion and this soup, using up a Costco sized container of mushrooms and one lone leek. (I call it a Costco sized container mostly because it was from…tada…Costco!)

If this red and white can represents the only version of cream of mushroom soup you have ever had, well, it’s just time for a change! Much like homemade tomato soup, this is so good and so easy that I’m sometimes upset that I spent so many years using the prepared versions. But no regrets…as a girl they were the perfect beginning to my ‘cooking’ experience; even learning to whisk as I added the water milk according to directions.

Though I had that gargantuan package of mushrooms, I’ve made this using smaller quantities more typical of what is available at the grocery. But I’ve got more than you. Neener Neener. :)

Cream of Mushroom Soup with White Wine and Leeks

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Cream of Mushroom Soup with White Wine and Leeks

So easy and so good; mushroom soup will never be coming from a can again!

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup slicked leeks
  • 1 1/2 pounds sliced mushrooms (I used plain old button mushrooms
  • 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 cup half and half

Preparation

  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the leeks and saute for 3-5 minutes until they are tender. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until they just start to soften. Do not overcook!
  2. Remove 1/4 cup of the mushroom mixture to use for garnish.
  3. Add the flour and mix with the leeks and mushroom mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the chicken broth and white wine and bring to a soft boil to thicken.
  5. Reduce heat and add the half and half, cooking just until warm; garnish each serving with a spoonful of the mushroom and leek mixture.
http://www.creative-culinary.com/cream-of-mushroom-soup-with-white-wine-and-leeks/

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{ 57 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Pam Hatton November 18, 2012 at 7:06 am

Good to find something I am really looking for!

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2 Creative Culinary November 18, 2012 at 7:26 am

This is worth finding and beyond easy…now that I’m reminded I think I want some today. :)

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3 Pam D December 2, 2011 at 10:22 am

I got this recipe from the Door 2 Door Organics website. It was delicious!! Can’t wait to make it again this winter!

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4 Creative Culinary December 2, 2011 at 9:08 pm

Good to hear Pam…so easy too isn’t it and beyond better than anything canned. Now I want some again.

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5 Kim November 6, 2011 at 9:27 am

Barb – yes! I love it! And we always have half-empty bottles of red wine lying around after we entertain (because we all prefer reds, too.)

I really bums me out that Mr. RGBistro isn’t a fan of mushrooms. He says he can’t deal wth the texture. So… maybe I can get away with it if I make some soup?!

Yours is beautiful.

[K]
Kim Most Recent Post: Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting | The Calm Before the Storm

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6 Mountain Mama Cooks October 17, 2011 at 10:10 am

Mmm, this looks so perfect for the change in weather. I swear I could eat soup every meal during the fall and winter and be as happy as can be!

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7 Creative Culinary October 17, 2011 at 11:05 am

I’m with you. I made a wonderful sweet potato soup last week too. So wonderful I ate it all up without getting a photo for a post. I will be making more; it was so easy and soooo good!

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8 sarah October 16, 2011 at 8:33 pm

i just made this for dinner tonight and, damn girl, it is fiiiiine! thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!

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9 Creative Culinary October 17, 2011 at 11:03 am

Sarah, the only thing that might warm my heart more than a great soup is sharing a recipe that someone loves as much as I do. So glad you enjoyed it.

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10 Courtney October 16, 2011 at 8:42 am

Barb, I can’t wait to try this soup – I never eat any soup from a can except for when I was a child and didn’t know the difference.
Courtney Most Recent Post: Wordless Wednesday – Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

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11 Creative Culinary October 16, 2011 at 6:47 pm

I haven’t for some time but I won’t say since I was a kid. I used the convenience of the canned soups til I realized it didn’t take much longer to make them from scratch…and that they were so much better too. Lesson learned!

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12 Beth October 15, 2011 at 4:40 am

This soup looks terrific. I don’t eat soups from a tin (although I sometimes use them for recipes), but homemade mushroom soup sounds amazing!

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13 Creative Culinary October 15, 2011 at 3:24 pm

Amazing it is…so much more flavorful and beyond that? The mushrooms are sliced, not diced squares…they actually ‘look’ like mushrooms!

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14 Priscilla-She's Cookin' October 14, 2011 at 7:30 am

Too funny, and I’m so relieved you didn’t use that can in your soup! I often end up cleaning out the fridge as I’m making dinner which leads to a radical change in the outcome – its called adult onset ADD :) You’ve got me dreaming of cozy sweaters, cuddling in front of a blazing fire while sipping on luscious, creamy mushroom soup!
Priscilla-She’s Cookin’ Most Recent Post: Carrot Pumpkin; Sauce or Soup

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15 Creative Culinary October 15, 2011 at 3:09 pm

Hehe…yes, might be some ADD…I just like the old fashion term of ‘neat freak’ better!

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16 Lana October 13, 2011 at 3:31 pm

Farmers’ market in my town here in Serbia is overflowing with gorgeous, tender leeks and I try to dig up as many recipes as I can to have a reason to buy them (I think the vendors will start to look at me suspiciously as I look adoringly at their beautiful produce every day – visiting farmers’ markets here in Serbia is a bit more prosaic than in the U.S.:)
Nothing fills me with more pride then a meal concocted out of the ingredients available in my fridge, so I can relate to your story. I have managed to stop my husband from buying the cans of soup once he tasted the awesomeness of homemade stuff. And for me, soup is for any weather and I make it almost every day (I am finishing off the tomato soup with poached eggs I made today).
I love the colors of your photo – very earthy and reminiscing of the woods and Autumn.
Lana Most Recent Post: Summer of Cabbage (Apologies to Trevanian)

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17 Creative Culinary October 15, 2011 at 3:08 pm

I too often have limited my soups to standards I love like chicken with dumplings and split pea. I’m making more and more and loving the results. I’ve got another one I’ll post soon…the basics of carrots, onion and celery with just a touch of serrano pepper. It’s also very yum.

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18 Nisrine M. October 13, 2011 at 2:11 pm

The soup looks and sounds delicious, Barbara.

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19 Creative Culinary October 15, 2011 at 11:34 am

Thank you Nisrine; I think it’s both too and though I made a lot I have not regretted it…just as tasty when reheated as I can attest to for my lunches this week!

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20 Kiran @ KiranTarun.com October 12, 2011 at 9:23 pm

There should always be a “throne” in the fridge for butters :D

I love your sense of humor and how drool-worthy this soup looks!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com Most Recent Post: {Aloo baingan} in a tomato yogurt gravy

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21 Creative Culinary October 13, 2011 at 2:15 pm

Thank you…gotta have fun with it right? Or at least trying to. It’s a simple soup but it’s so very good too.

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22 Renee Fontes October 12, 2011 at 9:00 pm

I love this post! SO REAL. Some of my best soups came to be in that same way. But I usually don’t remember how I made them. Glad to have found your blog!

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23 Creative Culinary October 13, 2011 at 2:14 pm

Thank you Renee…that’s me. Real. Sometimes really in a hurry, sometimes really a bit facetious…but all in good fun I hope! Glad you found me!

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24 foodwanderings October 12, 2011 at 3:21 pm

Boring ole’ me I just hop between matzo ball chichen soup, dahl and pea soup. I need to change up my repertoire. Love mushroom soup your version looks so hearty for BRISK cool fall evening in front of the FIREPLACE while we read POETRY (not!). (lol)
foodwanderings Most Recent Post: Egg Roll – A “Wrap” around the streets of Kolkata a Guest Post by eCurry

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25 Aggie October 12, 2011 at 2:26 pm

Oh this looks so delicious! My fridge tends to get cleaned out as I’m putting away groceries too :)
Aggie Most Recent Post: {Guest Post with Katie’s Cucina} Ziti and Zucchini with Lime & Herbs

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26 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:14 pm

Well…sounds like a soup day for you too. Clean out our Fridge Soup doesn’t sound that tasty but seems like it’s a recurring theme Aggie. Go for it!

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27 Kathleen October 12, 2011 at 11:21 am

This sounds delicious! Just stumbled it :)
Kathleen Most Recent Post: Pumpkin Crunch Cake

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28 Nancy@acommunaltable October 12, 2011 at 10:54 am

Hi Barb,
Ok, you definitely had me chuckling with that last comment… and had me drooling with this soup!! I am a fan of “anything” mushroom and good mushroom soup is one of my all time favorites!! This one sounds so good with leeks and now that the cooler weather has arrived (ok, so it’s 90 degrees at home today but..we are thinking positive here..) I will be making lots of soup and can’t wait to make this one!!

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29 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:11 pm

Yeah…you knew better right? I’m sort of into soups lately too. It’s fun to experiment a bit…I have to get one posted that I made with sweet potato. So amazing.

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30 abby dodge October 12, 2011 at 9:11 am

Barb.. this looks and sounds absolutely delicious.. and timely, too , as I was just thinking about dinner for tonight.. As always, thanks for solving my dinnertime dilemmas as well as my website site ones too!

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31 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:10 pm

Always here for you…hope you do try it. Simple and satisfying…like your desserts Abby!

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32 Barbara @ Barbara Bakes October 12, 2011 at 6:57 am

Looks like a perfect meal for winter. My fridge right now looks like I’m going on vacation or something. I really need to hit the store.

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33 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:09 pm

Of course once I did cleanup then I had no veggies…isn’t that the way it too often goes?

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34 Jessica / Green Skies and Sugar Trips October 12, 2011 at 6:42 am

Barb,
Two of my favorite things about you, your honesty, and your humor. Seriously, thank you for you. 3rd thing, though maybe it should be the first, is that you have ALL the best recipes! I made cream of mushroom soup way back when at the CIA, back when I had time to roast my own bones (ummm ok, maybe not MINE)! Point being, I LOVE the soup, just never have the time to make it! (Too busy sipping wine fireside and being fed grapes of course) but now you have inspired me and made me feel like I CAN indeed, go to BJ’s, get a HUGE thing of mushrooms, and make this.
Thank you. You my dear, are simply the best. :-)

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35 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:09 pm

Aw thanks sweetie and really coming from your experience that is such a huge compliment and one that means a lot. I mean a lot a lot. :) xoxo

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36 Jessica October 13, 2011 at 9:59 am

Awww that is so sweet Barb, thank you :-) xoxo

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37 Jenn October 12, 2011 at 5:42 am

Ok, I’m making this tonight – I can’t stop thinking about how awesome it sounds :)
Jenn Most Recent Post: Maple Pumpkin Granola, Gluten Free

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38 Kris @Krazy_Kris October 11, 2011 at 9:45 pm

BEAUTIFUL! tis the season…. I’ll be trolling and shopping for soups – this one looks LOVELY!
Kris @Krazy_Kris Most Recent Post: Dancing With the Pips | Music Monday

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39 Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen October 11, 2011 at 9:13 pm

I need to do that with my fridge, it’s getting out of hand these days. You should see how stuffed it is, I’m always afraid I’m going to open the door too quickly and everything is going to tumble out.
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen Most Recent Post: Carrot and Watercress Salad with Orange Blossom Water | A False Start

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40 Lora @cakeduchess October 11, 2011 at 8:00 pm

I’d be thrilled to come sit by your fireplace and have a bowl of this gorgeous soup with you. You could even read ME poetry if you’d like. Or better yet, you come here. We’ll go for a swim. And then maybe you could help me organize my fridge after we eat some of this yummy soup.:)
Lora @cakeduchess Most Recent Post: Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles

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41 Karen Harris October 11, 2011 at 7:45 pm

Boy, I wish you’d come over and work some of your magic on my fridge, it really needs it. I love homemade C of M soup, there’s nothing like it. I had no idea how good it could be until I made my own. Yours looks fantastic.
Karen Harris Most Recent Post: Dusting Off an Old Favorite Flavor Combination for Halloween or Bonfire Night: Company Red Chili and Orange Cinnamon Rolls Plus Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins

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42 Móna Wise October 11, 2011 at 2:19 pm

I love mushroom soup. When we lived in Ohio we had a girl (who worked as a nurse full time) that used to grow oyster mushrooms for us and we had a mushroom and sherry soup on the menu. it was one of the best soups I have ever eaten.
I share your ‘fridge cleaning’ feeling. All is right with the world once this has been tackled
We usually make what we call ‘MusGo Soup’. Everything ‘Must Go’!
Móna Wise Most Recent Post: Emerging Author with an Identity Crises

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43 Boulder Locavore October 11, 2011 at 1:06 pm

This is so funny Barb because I too am cleaning out EVERYthing! Fridge, pantry, auxillary storage pantry (and every other area of the house). I feel like my spring cleaning happens now. Maybe the cooler weather draws one to cook more and the disarray of things is crazy-making.

Love the soup. I’ve never made mushroom soup, from scratch or not. I only have begun to like it as an adult (maybe due to the red and white can). I am completely on the soup train now that the weather has turned. This is perfectly timed for me. Have all the ingredients! Beautiful photos and styling too!

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44 Katherine Martinelli October 11, 2011 at 12:46 pm

This looks divine!!!

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45 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:08 pm

Thanks Katherine…it truly is.

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46 Rosa October 11, 2011 at 11:31 am

That cream looka mazing! A perfect fall dish. So comforting and warming.

Cheers,

Rosa

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47 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:08 pm

Thanks and cheers back to you Rosa…thank as always for visiting.

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48 Tickled Red October 11, 2011 at 10:48 am

Oh my nummy!! Sigh…how I love anything mushroom.
Tickled Red Most Recent Post: Pumpkin Honey Pound Cake

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49 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:07 pm

Me too me too…I make this mushroom dish for Thanksgiving that almost makes me just ignore the bird it’s so good.

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50 Lana @ Never Enough Thyme October 11, 2011 at 9:51 am

Lovely, lovely soup! I don’t know why I’ve never made my own cream of mushroom but I intend to correct that. And quickly.

I’m also a neat fridge nut. Everything has a proper place and that’s where it belongs, darn it! Even use baskets for organizing inside the fridge. As I said…a nut.
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme Most Recent Post: Sausage and Kale Soup

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51 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:06 pm

I’ve heard that a lot Lana and the first time you do you will know some of my regret…but do it. So good.

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52 Paula October 11, 2011 at 9:49 am

Neener, neener?! Hilarious Barb. I can relate to your joy of having your fridge all clean and organized. I love everything neat, clean and in it’s own place. I remember when I was in my early twenties and *forgetting* about a half a pomegranate at the back of the fridge. When I reached for it and turned it over, whatever it had morphed into inside the plastic wrap scared the heck out of me! Never again! Since then, my fridge gets an inspection once a week, on garbage pick-up days.
Your soup is one that Ron would love, he’s a big fan of soups and of mushrooms. I just made broth from our Thanksgiving turkey carcass. Do you think that I could use that broth instead of chicken to make this soup?
Paula Most Recent Post: Apple Pie with Pumpkin Spice Crumble Topping

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53 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:05 pm

I had to right? I do keep mine in fairly good shape but seems it just got out of hand and those scary morphed things…eww; hate that don’t you Paula? So happy to always see your sweet comments; very appreciated!

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54 Jenn October 11, 2011 at 9:45 am

Ha, I play the “what needs to be used up now” game nearly every night! Great excuse for soup, and love the sound of the addition of leeks to the mushrooms.
Jenn Most Recent Post: Gluten Free Moitié-Moitié Sausage Pizza

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55 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:04 pm

I do it too often…I need to stop with the Costco stuff on veggie I guess. Old habits do die hard!

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56 Elle October 11, 2011 at 9:29 am

I had to laugh at how this came from not a romantic gesture, but a fridge clean out! You made excellent use of things that needed to be used or tossed. This puts me in the mood for thick, creamy, earthy mushroom soup. Lovely!
Elle Most Recent Post: West Bend Platinum Edition Six Slice Convection Toaster Oven {Giveaway}

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57 Creative Culinary October 12, 2011 at 8:04 pm

Thanks Elle…I must admit that sometimes those over the top lovey dovey things make me want to, hmm…eat mushroom soup? :)

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