This Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup is the best bowl of cozy french onion soup. It has everything you love about a warming, cheesy bowl of French onion soup…only better. There’s a touch of cream to make every spoonful rich and creamy. Slowly caramelized onions in wine with fresh herbs deliver the most delicious flavor. Then add that classic cheesy bread topping, and you’ll have the perfect bowl of soup. Great for both fall and winter days!

overhead photo of Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup

You guys, this creamy French onion and mushroom soup!

This isn’t your average bowl of French onion soup. Not that French onion soup could ever be average, it’s always delicious, but this bowl is a step up. It took me a while to get this one figured out, but once I did, I knew it was special. It’s funny, my process for developing recipes can be all over the place. Sometimes I have a solid idea in my head. One that already really excites me and I don’t think twice about creating the recipe.

Other times I have an idea that I like, but don’t love. Often times it’s these recipes that take me a little longer to get just right. That was kind of the case with this French onion soup. I wanted to make a French onion soup with mushrooms and lots of herbs. Of course, that would have been delicious, but I needed something to really make me excited.

After many texts back and forth with my sister-in-law, who has really become one of my best sources to help me think even more outside the box, we landed on this soup. A creamy french onion and mushroom with double the amount of herbs. With a few simple tweaks to the recipe, I was finally excited…so excited. It’s hard to make a classic recipe like french onion soup any better, but this recipe might just do it.

prep photo of caramelized onions

OK, the simple(ish) details.

If you’ve ever made french onion soup, you know two things. One, it’s really pretty straight forward and there’s nothing too complicated. Two, the onions take a second (or two) to really caramelize down. It can take a little more time than the usual thirty-minute start to finish dinner, but it’s worth the wait.

And I don’t know, something about caramelizing onions on the stove is very relaxing and cozy. However, I am weird…I’m probably the only one that feels that way.

Anyway, I’ve made a lot of French onion soup over the years. Sometimes I’ve taken shortcuts with the onions, but with this soup, I wanted to deeply caramelize them to ensure they make for the most flavorful French onion soup.

So, start with sweet yellow onions, butter, a touch of honey, and dry white wine.

The butter is used for obvious reasons…fat, flavor, and deliciousness. The honey helps to cook and caramelize the onions faster. I always find these ingredients to be key when trying to achieve perfectly caramelized onions. Now, the wine…use a dry white wine, which is pretty traditional in most French onion soups. You’ll cook about half of the wine into the onions. Not only does this help the onions to caramelize quickly and evenly, it also infuses the onions with incredibly rich flavor.

It’s delish.

If you prefer not to cook with wine, I recommend using about half a cup of apple cider or apple juice to caramelize the onions. For the remaining amount of wine (another half cup), use chicken or vegetable broth.

prep photo of Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup before adding the cheese

Once the onions have been caramelized, toss in the herbs and those mushrooms. The mushrooms add such a rich flavor, they help to highlight the caramelized onions and herbs.

Now add the broth. You can use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian, or use chicken broth…either one works really well. Simmer the soup for ten or so minutes, then add the cream. The cream is the key to this soup. It’s not heavy, but it adds a rich creaminess that really makes this soup just a touch better, a touch more indulgent, and truly just delightful.

side angled photo Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup

Finish it up.

Once the soup has simmered for a bit, transfer it to small oven-safe ramekins. These are the mini Staub cocottes I sometimes like to use. But I adore these mini pumpkin cocottes as well, so cute. Top with crusty french bread, and a layer of cheese. Then place under the broiler to melt. Watch closely, the broiler works fast.

If you don’t have any oven-safe bowls, simply melt the cheese onto the bread, then add the cheesy bread to the soup.

Then simply pull these out of the oven and experience the bubbling cheese and the deliciousness of a truly good bowl of French onion soup. And guys, that’s it. This soup is truly one of those roll your eyes back, crave-worthy, fall/winter comfort foods.

It’s going to make the best Sunday night dinner, but will be equally great for the upcoming holidays and for low-key entertaining. I already have plans to make this on both Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s a soup that everyone loves!

side angled photo of Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup

Looking for other warming fall/winter soups? Here are my favorites: 

Healthier Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup

Creamy Wild Rice Chicken Soup with Roasted Mushrooms

Cream of Mushroom Soup with Garlic Herb Breadcrumbs

Lastly, if you make this Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup | halfbakedharvest.com
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3.66 from 1025 votes

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

The Recipe

Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup.

Everything you love about a warming, cheesy bowl of French onion soup...but better!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Calories 461 kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons salted butter
  • 4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/4 cups dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
  • 3 cloves garlic minced or grated
  • 2 cups cremini or wild mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 6-8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 6 slices french bread
  • 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  1. 1. Melt together the butter, onions, and honey in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes. At this point, you want to slowly add 3/4 cup of the wine, 1/4 cup at a time, until the wine cooks into the onions. Continue to cook another 10-15 minutes until you've used the 3/4 cup of wine and the onions are deeply caramelized.

    2. Add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and sage. Season with salt and pepper, cook another 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup wine, the broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and return the soup to a simmer, simmer 10 minutes, then stir in the cream and cook another 5-10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and toast for 10-15 minutes, until very dry. Switch the oven to broil.

    4. Ladle the soup into oven safe bowls. Add a slice of bread to each, and top evenly with cheese. Place each soup bowl on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven, broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with fresh thyme. Eat!

horizontal photo of Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup