Uncover the secret to Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa mushroom soup recipe. This recipe stars wild mushrooms, fresh thyme, and a splash of white wine—a trio that promises to dance on your taste buds. We’ll walk through making this delightful dish step by step. Plus, we’ve got some tricks up our sleeves for vegetarians! Ready to stir things up? Let’s get cooking.
Ingredients for Barefoot Contessa Mushroom Soup
Collect wild mushrooms like shiitake, portobello, morels, and porcini. Get olive oil, pancetta, onion, carrot, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
You’ll also need chicken or vegetable stock and farro.
Wild mushrooms (shiitake, portobello, morels, porcini)
Wild mushrooms like shiitake, portobello, morels, and porcini make Barefoot Contessa’s soup special. Shiitake adds a meaty texture and rich taste. Portobello gives a beefy essence. Morels add earthy, nutty notes. Porcini brings intense depth.
Olive oil is next on our ingredient list, setting the stage for sautéing mushrooms to perfection.
Pancetta
Pancetta, a key player in our soup, starts the flavor party. Consider it as Bacon’s fancy Italian cousin who decided to skip smoking. Diced into small pieces, it packs a punch with every bite.
A rich fragrance bursts forth as it hits the pan, combining with onions and carrots in the kitchen. This isn’t cooking; it’s making music that your taste buds can hear.
Sautéing pancetta with veggies lays down the base melody of our wild mushroom soup. It’s like laying down a red carpet for shiitake, porcini, and their mushroom friends to strut on in.
This step also turns simple ingredients into something amazing. It’s a cooking technique worth wearing an apron for. Next up? Mixing in those mushrooms and cranking up the flavor volume even higher!
Olive oil
Olive oil adds richness without heaviness to dishes. I tried it in my wild mushroom and farro soup instead of cream. The result was a warm, comforting flavor. Olive oil is a secret ingredient that boosts taste and adds texture. I used it to combine porcini mushrooms, carrots, thyme, and salt.
It lets me control the creaminess, perfect for when I want indulgence without overdoing it.
Onion
Chop 1 onion. Also, use 3 cups of chopped yellow onions (2 onions). Sauté the chopped onions with garlic and other vegetables for the Barefoot Contessa Mushroom Soup recipe.
Carrot
Carrot adds a natural sweetness and depth to the soup. It’s chopped and sautéed with onions, garlic, and thyme to create a flavorful base. This enhances the taste of the Barefoot Contessa Mushroom Soup.
Garlic
Garlic adds depth and antioxidants to Barefoot Contessa Mushroom Soup. Two minced cloves sautéed with onions create a rich flavor base. This small amount balances the soup without overpowering other ingredients, such as mushrooms or thyme.
Thyme
Fresh thyme adds depth and aroma to this mushroom soup. If you do not have fresh thyme, dried thyme works too.
Thyme has a distinct fragrance and enhances the earthy flavor.
Now, let’s move on to preparing the soup.
Salt and pepper
Salt and pepper are essential seasonings for the Barefoot Contessa mushroom soup. They amplify flavors: 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Sauté mushrooms, onions, and garlic in olive oil with salt and pepper. Season with salt and pepper again at the end.
Chicken or vegetable stock
For the Barefoot Contessa mushroom soup, you’ll need 3 1/4 cups of either vegetable or chicken stock. To make your homemade stock, simmer mushroom stems, onion, carrot, thyme, salt, and pepper in water for about 30 minutes.
This ensures a rich flavor that complements the earthy taste of the mushrooms without overpowering them.
It comes down to preference and diet. Use chicken or vegetable stock. Vegetable stock provides a lighter and more neutral base while enhancing the other ingredients’ flavors.
On the other hand, chicken stock adds a savory depth that can complement the umami-rich mushrooms. Feel free to experiment with both options to best suit your palate.
Farro
Farro adds heartiness and texture to this homemade soup. It’s delicious, nutritious, and packed with protein and fiber. Farro enhances the taste and provides essential nutrients when combined with wild mushrooms. It unlocks the secrets of hearty comfort food and supports a well-rounded diet.
Butter
When making the Barefoot Contessa Mushroom Soup, remember the unsalted butter. It’s 30g or 2 tablespoons and adds richness and flavor to the soup. Use this butter to sauté the vegetables with olive oil. It will add a delightful taste to every spoonful of your dish.
The unsalted butter in this recipe is crucial for enhancing the overall taste of your dish—adding that extra touch of creamy richness. So when you’re serving the soup, keep in mind that each bite has been carefully crafted to deliver an exceptional dining experience!
Directions for Preparing Barefoot Contessa Mushroom Soup
To prepare Barefoot Contessa Mushroom Soup:
- Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes, then strain and reserve the liquid.
- Sauté onions, garlic, and chopped cremini mushrooms in butter until softened.
- Add the strained soaking liquid, chicken or vegetable broth, farro, and thyme to the pot.
- Simmer for 20 minutes until the farro is tender and the flavors blend.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
After preparing your delicious soup, you can enjoy its rich flavors and nutritious goodness on a delightful evening at home.
Tips for Vegetarian/Vegan Adjustments
For a veggie twist, swap pancetta for vegetable oil. You can also use veggie stock instead of chicken, skip the farro, or try quinoa or rice.
Replace pancetta with vegetable oil
To make Barefoot Contessa Mushroom Soup vegetarian, simply replace pancetta with vegetable broth. This allows vegans to enjoy the soup too.
Using vegetable oil instead of pancetta maintains the soup’s hearty texture and expands the recipe beyond traditional mushroom soup.
Switching from pancetta to vegetable oil makes the soup suitable for vegetarians and vegans. It also reveals how to create a dish that fits various diets.
With this simple change, you can enjoy flavorful mushroom soup without compromising on taste or appeal.
Use vegetable stock instead of chicken
To make the soup vegetarian or vegan, use vegetable stock instead of chicken. This swap adds a rich flavor and accommodates different diets.
Omit farro or substitute it with quinoa or rice
You can make this dish gluten-free or change it up by leaving out the farro or swapping it for quinoa or rice. This way, everyone can enjoy the soup, no matter their dietary needs.
Final Thoughts and Extra Recipe Recommendations
Homemade Barefoot Contessa Mushroom Soup is a delicious treat. It’s filled with wild mushrooms, pancetta, and hearty farro. Making soup at home gives you control over ingredients and results in a more flavorful dish.
To make this delightful treat:
- Gather your tools: a large pot, a wooden spoon, and a blender or immersion blender.
- Follow the simple directions.
- Try Ina Garten’s zucchini bread or a green salad for more recipes like this.
They complement the mushroom soup’s earthy flavors.
FAQs
- What’s the secret to making Barefoot Contessa Mushroom Soup?
The secret lies in two special ingredients: marsala wine and crème fraîche, adding depth and creaminess to the soup. Also, don’t forget that “Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook” emphasizes preparation!
- Can I substitute anything for crème fraîche in this recipe?
Absolutely! If you’re out of crème fraîche, silken tofu or coconut milk can save the day. Both are excellent dairy substitutes.
- Is it possible to pair this mushroom soup with other dishes from the same cookbook?
Yes, indeed! The green salad or zucchini bread recipes from “Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook” would pair well with your mushroom soup.
- How important are measurements like teaspoons when following this recipe?
Measurements are critical here; they ensure every bite is a delicious homemade delight! So grab those teaspoons and let’s dive into cooking heaven.
