8 Creamy Mushroom Soup Recipes You’ll Crave

There’s a particular kind of cold-evening satisfaction that only a bowl of creamy mushroom soup can deliver. Not the kind from a can — that watery, gluey imitation that smells faintly of tin — but a real bowl, with that deep, earthy aroma hitting you before the spoon even reaches your lips. The kind where mushrooms have been coaxed into releasing every last drop of their savory, umami-packed potential.

What makes mushroom soup so endlessly worth making at home is how many directions it can go. The same humble fungi that make a simple French-style broth taste like it came from a Parisian bistro can just as easily anchor a coconut-laced Southeast Asian bowl or a smoky, paprika-dusted Eastern European classic. The mushroom is one of the most flavor-forward vegetables — technically fungi, of course — and its ability to absorb and amplify surrounding flavors is something no other ingredient quite matches.

The eight recipes collected here span the full range of what creamy mushroom soup can be. Some are weeknight-fast. Some reward a little patience with extraordinary depth. Some skip the dairy entirely and still come out velvety smooth. Every one of them will make you wonder why you ever settled for anything less.

1. Classic Cream of Mushroom Soup

This is the benchmark. The version that earns its place as a household staple not through novelty, but through sheer, unapologetic deliciousness. A proper classic cream of mushroom soup is built on deeply browned cremini or button mushrooms, a generous pour of dry white wine, good stock, and just enough heavy cream to pull everything into silky cohesion.

The single most important step in this recipe — and the one most home cooks rush through — is browning the mushrooms properly. When mushrooms are added to a crowded pan, they steam instead of sear. Steam produces a soft, waterlogged mushroom with very little flavor development. Sear produces caramelized, golden-edged slices with concentrated, almost meaty depth. Work in two batches, and don’t touch the mushrooms for the first two minutes after they hit the pan.

What sets this version apart is the addition of tamari or a few dashes of soy sauce alongside the stock. It sounds unconventional, but these ingredients amplify the mushroom’s own glutamate compounds, punching up the umami without making the soup taste remotely Asian in character. It simply tastes more like mushroom.

Ingredients

For the Soup:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 pound white button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• ¼ cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil, to serve

Yield: Serves 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner — straightforward technique with no special equipment required.

Instructions

Sauté the Base:

1. Heat olive oil and butter together in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until the butter melts and begins to foam.
2. Add the diced onion, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until the onion softens and turns translucent at the edges.
3. Add half the mushrooms in a single layer. Do not stir for the first 2 minutes — let them make contact with the pan and begin to brown. After 2 minutes, stir and continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Add the remaining mushrooms and repeat.
4. Stir in the grated garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Build the Soup:
5. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon. Cook for 2 minutes until the wine reduces by half.
6. Add the broth, tamari, and thyme. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

Blend and Finish:
7. Remove from heat and allow the soup to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer two-thirds of the soup to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Always remove the blender cap and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel when blending hot liquid to prevent steam pressure from forcing the lid off.
8. Pour the blended portion back into the pot and stir to combine with the chunky remainder.
9. Add the heavy cream and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
10. Serve in warmed bowls with chopped parsley and a thin drizzle of good olive oil.

Tips for This Recipe

Use fresh thyme — dried thyme works in a pinch, but fresh leaves carry a brightness that dried simply can’t replicate here. If you want to skip the cream entirely, the soup is still luscious after blending because the mushrooms themselves break down into a naturally velvety purée. For the richest possible result, substitute half the broth with a cup of homemade mushroom stock made from simmering the mushroom stems and trimmings in water for 20 minutes.

2. Slow-Caramelized Mushroom Soup With Thyme and Garlic

This is the recipe for evenings when you have an hour and you want something that tastes like real effort, even though most of that time is hands-off. The difference between this and the classic above is one technique: long, slow caramelization. Instead of browning mushrooms quickly over high heat, this version coaxes them over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes until they shrink to a fraction of their original size, turn deeply amber, and develop a concentrated sweetness that’s almost impossible to achieve any other way.

Chef John’s approach from AllRecipes captures this beautifully — the key is patience while the mushroom liquid first floods the pan, then slowly evaporates, eventually leaving the mushrooms sizzling in their own rendered fat with nothing left to steam away. At that point, browning begins, and the flavor compounds that form during that stage are what give this soup its near-miraculous depth.

Ingredients

For the Soup:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 2 pounds sliced fresh cremini or button mushrooms
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen twine
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
• 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh thyme leaves and reserved mushroom slices, to garnish

Yield: Serves 6 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes | Difficulty: Intermediate — the technique is simple, but the long caramelization requires active monitoring and patience.

Instructions

Caramelize the Mushrooms:

1. Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add all the mushrooms and a pinch of salt.
2. Cook, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid. This will look like a lot of liquid — that’s normal. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring often, until all that liquid evaporates and the mushrooms begin to sizzle and turn deep golden-brown, 20 to 25 minutes total.
3. Set aside a few of the best-looking mushroom slices on a small plate — these are your garnish.

Build and Simmer:
4. Add the diced onion to the caramelized mushrooms and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
6. Add the thyme bundle and garlic cloves, then pour in the broth and water. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
7. Fish out and discard the thyme bundle.

Blend and Finish:
8. Purée the soup in batches using a countertop blender until completely smooth and thick.
9. Return to the pot, stir in the cream, and season generously with salt and black pepper.
10. Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved mushroom slices and a few fresh thyme leaves.

Tips for This Recipe

The long simmer after adding the broth is what allows the garlic to mellow from sharp to sweet and the thyme to fully infuse the liquid. Don’t rush it. An immersion blender works for convenience, but a countertop blender delivers a noticeably smoother result for this particular soup, given how long the mushrooms have cooked down.

3. Dairy-Free Coconut Milk Mushroom Soup

Skipping the cream doesn’t mean compromising on richness. Full-fat coconut milk brings an almost identical velvety body to mushroom soup — and it adds its own subtle sweetness that pairs surprisingly well with earthy, umami-forward mushrooms. This version layers in fresh ginger and a splash of lime juice at the end, which cuts through the coconut’s fat in the way that lemon brightens a butter sauce.

This recipe works particularly well with a shiitake-forward mushroom blend. Shiitakes have a meatier texture and more pronounced savory flavor than button mushrooms, and that intensity holds up against the coconut milk in a way that milder varieties sometimes don’t. Use them for at least half the total mushroom weight.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or neutral oil
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro or thinly sliced scallions, to serve

Yield: Serves 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner — one pot, no blending required if you prefer a chunkier texture.

Instructions

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3 minutes until softened and just beginning to color.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
3. Add both mushrooms and the soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until the mushrooms soften and most of their liquid evaporates.
4. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to low. Pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine. Do not boil the soup after adding coconut milk — high heat can cause it to separate.
6. Stir in lime zest and lime juice. Taste and adjust with salt and white pepper.
7. For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to purée half the soup before adding the coconut milk. Serve topped with fresh cilantro and scallions.

4. Wild Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Soup

Roasting garlic transforms it from sharp and pungent to buttery, caramel-sweet, and almost spreadable. When that roasted garlic gets stirred into a mushroom soup alongside a mix of wild mushrooms — shiitake, oyster, maitake, or whatever your market carries — the result has a complexity that’s genuinely hard to explain without tasting it.

The wild mushroom blend is the heart of this recipe. Even adding just 4 ounces of shiitake or oyster mushrooms alongside a pound of cremini lifts the soup’s flavor profile from pleasant to memorable. Wild mushrooms contain different flavor compounds than cultivated button varieties, and they bring a funkier, more forest-like earthiness that makes every spoonful interesting.

Ingredients

For the Roasted Garlic:

• 1 whole head of garlic
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Pinch of salt

For the Soup:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
• 4 ounces oyster mushrooms, torn into pieces
• ½ cup dry sherry or dry white wine
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Fresh chives, finely chopped, to serve

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 | Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 40 minutes roasting) | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Difficulty: Intermediate — roasting the garlic adds time but minimal effort; the technique is straightforward.

Instructions

Roast the Garlic:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Slice the top ¼ inch off a whole head of garlic to expose the cloves. Place on a small square of foil, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt, and wrap tightly. Roast for 40 minutes until the cloves are golden and completely tender.
2. Allow to cool slightly, then squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins. They should slip out effortlessly. Set aside.

Make the Soup:
3. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes until softened.
4. Add all the mushrooms in two batches, allowing the first batch to soften before adding the second. Cook for a total of 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the edges are beginning to brown.
5. Add the sherry or wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add the broth, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and roasted garlic cloves. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
7. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
8. Blend two-thirds of the soup until smooth, then stir back into the pot. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Season to taste.
9. Serve topped with chopped chives and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

5. Flour-Thickened French-Style Mushroom Bisque

A bisque differs from a standard cream soup in one crucial way: it uses a roux — a cooked mixture of fat and flour — as its thickening agent rather than relying solely on blending. This produces a soup with a distinctly silkier, more coating texture. Each spoonful clings slightly to the palate, delivering flavor in a way that a blended-only soup can’t quite match.

This approach borrows from both the French technique and the Café Delites method of sprinkling flour directly over the cooked mushrooms before adding liquid, which is a slightly more forgiving method than making a separate roux. Either way, the flour needs two full minutes of cooking before the liquid goes in — that step cooks out the starchy, paste-like raw flour flavor that would otherwise muddy the final soup.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 2 cups finely diced yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ pounds brown cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
• ½ cup Marsala wine, dry sherry, or Pinot Noir
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled (or 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce for vegetarian)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• Fresh parsley and thyme, to serve

Yield: Serves 6 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner — the roux method is easier than it sounds, especially when done in the same pot.

Instructions

1. Heat butter and oil together in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the sliced mushrooms and 2 teaspoons of thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the mushrooms begin to soften.
4. Pour in the wine and cook for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot.
5. Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture. Stir well and cook for 2 full minutes — the mixture will look thick and paste-like. This is correct. Do not skip this step, as undercooked flour will make the finished soup taste chalky.
6. Gradually add the broth, stirring constantly as you pour to prevent lumps from forming. Add the crumbled bouillon cubes, salt, and pepper.
7. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
8. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cream slowly and simmer for 2 minutes — do not boil after adding the cream.
9. Stir in the remaining thyme and fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.

6. Mediterranean Olive Oil Mushroom Soup (No Cream Required)

This is the version that converts skeptics — people who assume mushroom soup without cream must taste thin and disappointing. It doesn’t. When mushrooms are cooked long enough in good olive oil, then partially blended, the natural starches and fibers in the mushrooms themselves create a body that’s genuinely rich and smooth. No dairy needed.

The Mediterranean Dish’s approach draws on Spanish home cooking, where this style of mushroom soup is built entirely on olive oil, aromatics, and a long simmer — nothing more. Use the best extra-virgin olive oil you have. A buttery Italian Nocellara or a grassy Arbequina works beautifully here; the oil’s flavor is not a background note in this soup, it’s a foreground one.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 pounds mixed mushrooms — cremini, portobello, and shiitake — stemmed and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped, to garnish

Yield: Serves 6 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner — no cream, no butter, no roux; straightforward and hard to mess up.

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms together and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes until all the moisture the mushrooms release has evaporated and the onion is fully soft. Don’t rush this stage — the liquid needs to cook off completely before browning begins.
2. Stir in the garlic and dried thyme. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Pour in the stock and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Pour into the soup while stirring constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes until the soup thickens slightly.
6. Remove the bay leaves. Transfer half the soup to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Return to the pot and stir to combine.
7. Taste and adjust salt. Serve in bowls with a generous drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs.

7. Smoky Paprika Mushroom Soup With Crème Fraîche

Smoked paprika is one of those spices that does more for mushroom soup than seems reasonable for a single ingredient. It adds a subtle wood-smoke flavor that makes the soup taste like it spent time near an open fire, while its warm brick-red color gives the finished bowl a depth of appearance that matches its depth of flavor. Pair it with a swirl of crème fraîche at serving — more tangy and less sweet than sour cream — and the contrast is striking both visually and on the palate.

This recipe incorporates Greek yogurt or crème fraîche into the soup itself, not just as garnish. The slight acidity keeps the richness from becoming heavy, which is the fine line that separates a memorable mushroom soup from one that starts to feel monotonous halfway through the bowl.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ⅓ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2½ cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• ¾ cup whole milk or heavy cream
• ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt or crème fraîche, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Crème fraîche, smoked paprika, and fresh herbs, to serve

Yield: Serves 6 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Difficulty: Intermediate — the tempering step for the yogurt requires a little care to prevent curdling.

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until soft and lightly golden at the edges.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their liquid has evaporated and they’re nicely browned.
3. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, and sweet paprika. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for 2 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Slowly add the broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add the tamari, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup — aim for about half blended, half chunky.
8. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the milk or cream. Do not let it boil.
9. In a small bowl, mix the Greek yogurt or crème fraîche with 2 tablespoons of hot soup to temper it. Stir this mixture back into the pot along with the lemon juice.
10. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a swirl of crème fraîche and a dusting of smoked paprika.

8. Quick 30-Minute Blended Mushroom Soup (No Cream, No Flour)

This is the recipe for Tuesday nights. No roux, no cream, no long caramelization — just a handful of good ingredients and about half an hour of hands-on time. The secret to achieving a creamy texture without any dairy or thickener is partial blending: when you purée half the soup, the mushrooms themselves break down into a smooth, naturally rich base that coats the remaining chunky pieces in a way that feels indulgent despite being completely unadorned.

The technique outlined across sources like Hungry Happens and The Mediterranean Dish both confirm what home cooks keep discovering on their own: mushrooms have enough natural body to carry a soup without any added thickeners, as long as you give the blender enough to work with. The ratio is key — blend about two-thirds for a genuinely smooth result, or half if you prefer more texture.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1½ pounds cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil, to serve

Yield: Serves 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner — genuinely fast, uses minimal equipment, and is very forgiving.

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
2. Add the mushrooms in two batches, cooking the first for 4 to 5 minutes before adding the second. This prevents steaming and encourages browning. Total mushroom cooking time: 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
5. Pour in the broth and add tamari and thyme. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 12 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Transfer two-thirds of the soup to a blender. Hold the lid firmly with a folded kitchen towel and blend until completely smooth.
8. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
9. Serve immediately, topped with fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. A squeeze of lemon over the top just before serving adds brightness that ties everything together.

Tips for This Recipe

Mushrooms that are slightly past their prime — a little soft, lightly discolored — are actually fine here. Once blended, any textural imperfections disappear completely. This is the soup that J. Kenji López-Alt at Serious Eats made specifically to use up over-the-hill mushrooms, and the point stands: a creamy mushroom soup is one of the most forgiving things you can make, and it rewards second-chance ingredients generously.

What to Serve With Any of These Soups

Every recipe above pairs naturally with crusty bread — a thick slice of sourdough, a torn piece of baguette, or a round of focaccia. The bread isn’t just a side; it’s a functional tool for capturing every last drop from the bowl.

A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette works particularly well as a contrast to the richness of cream-based versions. The acidity cuts through the fat in the same way the lemon juice or wine in the soup itself does. For something more substantial, any of these soups make a satisfying first course before a pasta or a roasted chicken.

Garnishes matter more in mushroom soup than in most other soups, because the color palette is so restrained. A drizzle of good olive oil, a scatter of fresh herbs, a few reserved sautéed mushroom slices, or a swirl of cream or crème fraîche all add visual contrast and a final layer of flavor that elevates the presentation without requiring any extra effort.

Final Thoughts

Eight recipes, one incredible ingredient. What all of these soups share — despite their different techniques, different dairy choices, and different flavoring profiles — is respect for the mushroom itself. The ones that turn out best are always the ones where the mushrooms were given enough heat to brown properly, enough time to release their flavor into the broth, and enough credit to anchor the bowl without being drowned out by competing ingredients.

If you’ve never made mushroom soup from scratch, Recipe 8 is your starting point: thirty minutes, no special technique, and a result that will immediately reframe what you thought this dish could be. Once you’re comfortable there, Recipe 2’s long caramelization method will show you what real depth tastes like. And if you’re cooking for someone who can’t have dairy, Recipe 3 and Recipe 6 will prove, definitively, that cream was never the point. The mushroom always was.