Fast Mushroom Soup with Fresh Herbs for Full GAPS

This quick mushroom soup takes about 45 minutes from chopping to serving. Onions soften in butter or ghee, a pound of mushrooms cooks down with dill and paprika, and homemade chicken or beef meat stock makes the broth. Lemon and parsley go in at the end. A little homemade yogurt can make it creamy without boiling the pot.

Our family keeps meat stock going most days, started in the morning so we can use it for soup or drink a mug during the day. Dinner plans can still change late. On those evenings, a shorter stovetop soup is useful because the stock is ready and the mushrooms do not need a long simmer.

Full GAPS Ingredients

This is a Full GAPS soup. Mushrooms, lemon, and the other ingredients are used here in their Full GAPS form. It is not an Introduction Diet recipe.

• 4 tablespoons butter, homemade ghee, or rendered tallow
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
• 1 tablespoon plain paprika
• 2 cups homemade chicken or beef meat stock
• 1 teaspoon natural sea salt
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• Juice of 2 lemons
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup homemade 24-hour yogurt or Luvele sour cream, optional

Chicken meat stock gives this soup a lighter base, while beef meat stock makes the mushroom flavor deeper. Use either one: GAPS Chicken Meat Stock or GAPS Beef Meat Stock. For the cooking fat, choose homemade butter, homemade ghee, or plain rendered tallow. The soup gets its flavor from the meat stock, mushrooms, dill, paprika, and lemon.

If you add the optional cultured finish, use homemade yogurt made with your 24-hour GAPS yogurt method, or try the separately cultured Luvele 24-hour sour cream. Stir it in at the end and warm the soup gently. Do not boil it.

Equipment

I use a 5.5-quart Le Creuset Signature Round Dutch Oven in Artichaut for this kind of soup. A heavy soup pot of a similar size also works. Have a cutting board, chef’s knife, wooden spoon, ladle, and measuring spoons ready.

How to Make Mushroom Soup

1. Chop the vegetables. Chop the onions and slice the mushrooms. Keep the pieces close in size so the mushrooms soften at the same pace.
2. Soften the onions. Melt the butter, ghee, or tallow in the soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about five minutes, stirring often. They should turn translucent and feel soft at the edges, not brown or crisp.
3. Cook the mushrooms. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for five minutes, stirring so the fat coats them. They will shrink, release moisture, and change from firm slices to soft, glossy pieces. The earthy mushroom smell becomes stronger as they cook.
4. Add the herbs and stock. Stir in the dried dill and paprika. Pour in two cups of homemade chicken or beef meat stock. Bring it just to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot.
5. Simmer until tender. Cook for 15 minutes. You should see small, gentle bubbles around the edge of the pot, not a rolling boil. The mushrooms should be fully soft when pressed with a spoon.
6. Finish with lemon and parsley. Stir in the sea salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Taste the broth. The lemon should brighten the earthy mushroom flavor without making the soup sharply sour.
7. Add the optional yogurt. If using homemade yogurt or Luvele sour cream, lower the heat and stir it in. Warm the soup for three to five minutes, just until hot. Small wisps of steam are fine. Do not let it boil.

The soup is loose enough to sip from a mug but has plenty of mushrooms in each spoonful. If you prefer a thicker bowl, use a little less stock. Keep the 2-cup amount for a soup you can ladle easily.

Serving and Storage

Serve the soup hot with parsley on top. If you like the creamy finish, add the yogurt at the end rather than boiling it with the stock. The butter or ghee version already has a full, rounded taste; the yogurt adds a little tang.

Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers, cover, and refrigerate. Use them within three to four days. Reheat slowly and do not boil if the yogurt is already mixed in. For another mushroom soup with a more substantial meal, see Chicken Tetrazzini Soup with Spaghetti Squash.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which meat stock works best?

Chicken meat stock keeps the broth lighter. Beef meat stock gives it a deeper, more savory flavor. Use whichever homemade stock you already have ready.

Which liquid should I use?

Use two cups of the linked homemade chicken or beef meat stock for this recipe. Chicken gives the soup a lighter base; beef makes it deeper and more savory.

Can I leave out the yogurt?

Yes. The soup is complete without it. You can also serve the cultured topping at the table instead of stirring it into the pot.

Can I blend the soup?

The mushrooms stay sliced in this version. If you prefer a smoother bowl, blend carefully while the soup is hot, working in batches and keeping the lid vented according to your blender instructions.

More Soup Ideas for Your Kitchen

The planned Soup & Stew Recipe Card Deck will gather more practical soup ideas in one place. It will be listed in the Courses section of the WFLI Shop.