Cream of Roasted Mushroom Soup

This simple way to maximize mushroom flavor and showcase a wide array of mushroom varieties is perfect during any season but shines especially bright during the cooler fall months.

I like to make this soup with a combination of domestic mushrooms – ones that are simple to find in many supermarkets. I generally mix oyster, portabella, shiitake, king oyster and simple brown mushrooms…and include different wild varieties if the mushroom people at the market have an interesting selection.

Roasting is one of my favorite ways to cook mushrooms. The time in a hot oven concentrates the mushroom’s flavor…with the bonus of being simple and very hands-off. It works exceptionally well in preparing this soup.

Using a can of cannellini beans to create creaminess in a soup is an old Italian method. The beans puree into a richness that is hard to achieve any other way. The bean flavor dissolves into the background and is not perceptible in the final dish.

Make Ahead Note: Roast the mushrooms, garlic and shallots 1-2 days in advance. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to finish the soup.

Difficulty: simple
Yield: makes about 2 liters (2 quarts)