If you’re an umami evangelist like me, you’ll love this recipe for Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup!

A bowl of Instant pot cream of mushroom soup topped with mushrooms.

Grab a few simple ingredients, and you’ll soon have a comforting bowl of soup that’ll make your taste buds sing.

Mushrooms In All Forms!

Incorporating fresh and dried mushrooms, this soup is already a mushroom lover’s paradise—but add Magic Mushroom Powder and garnish with Crispy Mushroom Chips, too, and the mushroom dial gets cranked all the way up to eleven. Plus, it’s easy to incorporate into a busy schedule; I love that I can start prepping this hearty, creamy soup in the morning, and blend it up when I get home from meetings, running errands, and schlepping the kids around town. And did I mention that it’s Whole30-friendly, too?

This Soup’s Worth the Work!

Before we get started, I want to stress that this Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup is not a dump-everything-in-and-cook-it-in-5-minutes-flat kind of recipe. I love those recipes, too, but only when the shortcuts actually yield the most delicious results possible. So while there are a few steps in this recipe that might seem fussy (like sautéing the ’shrooms for 15 minutes before pressure-cooking in the Instant Pot, or using a high-powered blender to blitz everything into a super-creamy soup), you need to do what Philadelphia basketball fans have been doing for a few years now, and TRUST THE PROCESS. You’ll be delighted and thankful that you didn’t take the easy way out. That said, this recipe really isn’t difficult at all, and you’ll be amazed by the result!

A bowl of Instant Pot cream of mushroom soup topped with mushroom chips.

No Instant Pot or pressure cooker?

No prob. I’ve got tips on how to prep this delicious Cream of Mushroom Soup on the stovetop or in a slow cooker in the notes section of my printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Time to make Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom soup!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Equipment:

Method:

First things first: Make some mushroom chips. Yeah, I said they’re optional, but you really should garnish this soup with Crispy Mushroom Chips. They’re like crunchy umami “croutons!” So go follow this super-simple recipe and pop them in the oven.

Thinly sliced mushrooms on a sheet tray baked and crisped.

Next, grab your sliced mushrooms. You can slice them by hand, but a food processor will save you lots of time (and possibly a few of your fingers).

Someone putting mushrooms into a food processor for paleo Instant pot mushroom soup.

Turn on the “Sauté” function on your Instant Pot. Once the metal insert is hot, add the ghee or your fat of choice. Toss in the mushrooms…

Someone dumping a bowl of chopped mushrooms into an Instant Pot.

…and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid released from the mushrooms has evaporated. This will take about 12-15 minutes, and will help concentrate the mushroom flavor. In other words: don’t skip this step.

An overhead shot of sautéed mushrooms in an Instant Pot.

Toss in the leeks and shallots…

Someone tossing in diced leeks and shallots into the Instant Pot.

…and cook for about a minute.

Someone mixing the mushrooms, leeks, and shallots in an Instant pot for Instant Pot cream of mushroom soup.

Stir in the garlic cloves, dried mushrooms (no need to rehydrate ’em first!), and 1 teaspoon of my Magic Mushroom Powder. (No Magic Mushroom Powder on hand? Add 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt.)

Someone adding in garlic, dried mushrooms, and magic mushroom powder into the Instant Pot.

Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth…

Someone pouring in bone broth into the Instant Pot for Instant Pot cream of mushroom soup.

…and stir in the fresh thyme sprigs.

Someone adding in thyme sprigs into an Instant Pot for Instant Pot mushroom soup.

Turn off the “Sauté” function by hitting “Cancel.” Lock the lid on the Instant Pot, and program it to cook for 5 minutes under high pressure.

Someone locking the lid on an Instant pot and programming it to cook under high pressure.

When the soup is done cooking, release the pressure manually, and fish out the two thyme twigs.

Someone manually releasing the Instant Pot and taking our the thyme sprig.

Now, you have two choices to cream-ify your soup:

  1. You can use an immersion blender—which will mean fewer things to wash, but you’ll end up with a slightly chunkier soup. I’d recommend this option only if you’re in a rush, feeling incredibly lazy, or have no one else you can sucker into doing the dishes for you.
  2. My strong preference is to use a high-speed blender to get the soup as smooth and creamy as possible. (But make sure you follow these instructions if you’re using a countertop blender to prevent a super hot liquid explosion.)

I’m going to assume you’ve gotten the hint, and you’re using a countertop blender. Ladle about half the soup into the blender container…

Someone ladling out the cooked mushrooms out of the Instant Pot and into a high speed blender.

…making sure you don’t go above the halfway point. Secure the lid without the plastic middle piece (i.e., leaving the hole in the lid open) and place a clean kitchen towel on top.

Blending the Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup ingredients in a high speed blender.

Slowly increase the speed of the blender and blitz until smooth.

Blending the Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup ingredients in a high speed blender.

Transfer the rest of the unblended soup from the Instant Pot into a large measuring cup, and pour the blended soup back into the metal insert of the Instant Pot. Then, pour the unblended soup from the measuring cup into the blender…

Transferring the rest of the Instant Pot cream of mushroom soup into a high speed blender.

…and add the coconut cream.

Adding coconut cream to the high speed blender.

Following the same blending instructions above, blitz the soup and cream together.

Blending the Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup ingredients in a high speed blender.

Stir together the blended halves of the soup in the Instant Pot insert.

Stirring together the two halves of the Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup into the Instant Pot.

Squeeze in the lemon juice and taste the soup for seasoning. Adjust as necessary with extra salt, Magic Mushroom Powder, black pepper, and/or additional lemon juice.

Someone adding lemon juice and salt into the Instant Pot.

Ladle the soup into bowls, and top with Crispy Mushroom Chips, chopped chives…

Someone garnishing the Instant Pot cream of mushroom soup.

…and a drizzle of olive oil if desired!

Someone garnishing the cream of mushroom soup with olive oil.

Voilà!

A bowl of paleo and Whole30 Instant Pot Cream of mushroom soup.

You can store the soup in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to a few months. After you reheat the soup, you can blend it with an immersion blender to re-emulsify everything.

With all the aforementioned ’shroomy goodness, this truly is the ultimate Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup. Don’t believe me? Make it and taste it for yourself! (Also: How dare you disbelieve me.)

Wanna watch a replay of me making this soup in my home kitchen on Facebook Live (recorded on 8/29/18)? Check out the video below:


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup

5 from 7 votes
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Servings 6 servings
If you’re an umami evangelist like me, you’ll love this recipe for Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup. It's also Whole30, Keto, and Dairy-Free!

Ingredients  

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Instructions 

  • First things first: Make some mushroom chips. Yeah, I said they’re optional, but you really should garnish this soup with Crispy Mushroom Chips. They’re like crunchy umami “croutons!” So go follow this super-simple recipe and pop them in the oven.
  • Next, grab your sliced mushrooms. You can slice them by hand, but a food processor will save you lots of time (and possibly a few of your fingers).
  • Turn on the “Sauté” function on your Instant Pot. Once the metal insert is hot, add the ghee or your fat of choice. Toss in the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid released from the mushrooms has evaporated. This will take about 12-15 minutes, and will help concentrate the mushroom flavor. In other words: don’t skip this step.
  • Toss in the leeks and shallots and cook for about a minute.
  • Stir in the garlic cloves, dried mushrooms (no need to rehydrate ’em first!), and 1 teaspoon of my Magic Mushroom Powder. (No Magic Mushroom Powder on hand? Add 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt.)
  • Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth and stir in the fresh thyme sprigs.
  • Turn off the “Sauté” function by hitting “Cancel.” Lock the lid on the Instant Pot, and program it to cook for 5 minutes under high pressure.
  • When the soup is done cooking, release the pressure manually, and fish out the two thyme twigs.

Now, you have two choices to cream-ify your soup:

  • You can use an immersion blender—which will mean fewer things to wash, but you’ll end up with a slightly chunkier soup. I’d recommend this option only if you’re in a rush, feeling incredibly lazy, or have no one else you can sucker into doing the dishes for you.
  • My strong preference is to use a high-speed blender to get the soup as smooth and creamy as possible. (But make sure you follow these instructions if you’re using a countertop blender to prevent a super hot liquid explosion.)
  • I’m going to assume you’ve gotten the hint, and you’re using a countertop blender. Ladle about half the soup into the blender container making sure you don’t go above the halfway point. Secure the lid without the plastic middle piece (i.e., leaving the hole in the lid open) and place a clean kitchen towel on top.
  • Slowly increase the speed of the blender and blitz until smooth.
  • Transfer the rest of the unblended soup from the Instant Pot into a large measuring cup, and pour the blended soup back into the metal insert of the Instant Pot. Then, pour the unblended soup from the measuring cup into the blender and add the coconut cream.
  • Following the same blending instructions above, blitz the soup and cream together.
  • Stir together the blended halves of the soup in the Instant Pot insert.
  • Squeeze in the lemon juice and taste the soup for seasoning. Adjust as necessary with extra salt, Magic Mushroom Powder, black pepper, and/or additional lemon juice.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls, and top with Crispy Mushroom Chips, chopped chives, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired!
  • You can store the soup in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to a few months. After you reheat the soup, you can blend it with an immersion blender to re-emulsify everything.

Notes

Stovetop instructions:
  1. Rehydrate the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes or until softened.
  2. Cook steps 2 thru 6 in a 6-quart stock pot over medium heat. 
  3. After you add the broth and thyme, crank the heat up to high and bring the soup to a boil. 
  4. Decrease the heat to medium-low or enough to maintain a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes or until flavors meld.
  5. Fish out the thyme sprigs and finish the soup by following steps 9 thru 17.
Slow cooker instructions:
  1. Cook steps 2 thru 5 in a large stock pot or skillet over medium heat. Transfer the contents to a slow cooker insert. 
  2. Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth and stir in the fresh thyme sprigs.
  3. Program the slow cooker to cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
  4. Fish out the thyme sprigs and finish the soup by following steps 9 thru 17.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Fiber: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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10 Comments

  1. Do you saute mushrooms on high heat? So many of the Instant Pot recipes that say saute, don’t mention temperature.

  2. Michelle I LOVE your recipes, and the organized clear instructions and beautiful pictures! Thanks also for including the alternate cooking methods.

  3. 5 stars
    I recently found out I’m allergic/sensitive to wheat, dairy, sesame, shrimp, and a host of other foods. Decided to follow a paleo diet because it seems most aligned with what I can actually eat. That said, I’m also an umami evangelist. And I love mushrooms. Even though it’s terrible for you, I LOVED eating cream of mushroom soup. I was craving it the other day and looked on The Google to find paleo versions. I found yours.

    The soup was AMAZING. It was the most savory dish I’ve ever had and tasted like cream of mushroom, only much more enhanced (with the added benefit of being healthy). The coconut cream lifted the entire thing in ways I never thought possible. And because of you, I’m now baking mushroom chips on a regular basis. You’re incredible and I’m forever in your debt.

    Thank you for this recipe.

  4. Can this be used for casseroles in place of the glutenous canned that they usually call for? Will it be thick enough to hold up or will it be soupy? I’m thinking about the green bean casserole I always make at Thanksgiving.

    1. Yes! It works great! You can always add a little arrowroot powder slurry to thicken it up if you want the sauce to be thicker.