French Mushroom Soup with Caramelized Shallots and Puff Pastry
By Vallery LomasPublished on February 24, 2026
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed1 large egg, beaten6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1½ cups), divided3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons leavesPinch plus 1 teaspoon table salt, divided2 pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick½ cup water 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided1 teaspoon pepper, divided6 shallots, sliced thin3 garlic cloves, minced2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ¾ cup dry sherry 5 cups beef broth
Before You Begin
If you’d like, use white button mushrooms in place of the cremini.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll 1 sheet thawed puff pastry into 10 by 10-inch square on lightly floured counter. Using 4-inch round cutter, cut 4 rounds from pastry. Cut four 1-inch slits in each piece and arrange on parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Brush pieces with 1 beaten egg, then sprinkle with ½ cup shredded Gruyère cheese, 2 teaspoons thyme leaves, and pinch table salt, and bake until puffed and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let pastry cool on sheet.
- Combine 2 pounds cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick; ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until mushrooms release liquid and collapse, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until all liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are well browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and ½ teaspoon pepper. Transfer mushrooms to plate and set aside.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining 1 tablespoon butter in large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add 6 thinly sliced shallots and cook until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 3 sprigs thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in ¾ cup dry sherry, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pot, and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute.
- Stir in 5 cups beef broth, remaining ½ teaspoon pepper, and reserved mushrooms and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes
- Ladle soup into 4 individual bowls with 4 to 5-inch diameter rim, leaving 1 inch of space at top of each bowl. Add ¼ cup shredded Gruyère to each bowl and top with pastry. Serve.
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, beaten
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1½ cups), divided
3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons leaves
Pinch plus 1 teaspoon table salt, divided
2 pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
6 shallots, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup dry sherry
5 cups beef broth
Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, beaten
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1½ cups), divided
3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons leaves
Pinch plus 1 teaspoon table salt, divided
2 pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
6 shallots, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup dry sherry
5 cups beef broth
Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, beaten
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1½ cups), divided
3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons leaves
Pinch plus 1 teaspoon table salt, divided
2 pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
6 shallots, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup dry sherry
5 cups beef broth
Why This Recipe Works
In this savory twist on French onion soup, we replace the caramelized onions with mushrooms for loads of meaty, earthy flavor. As a more efficient way to sauté the mushrooms, we first steam them in a small amount of water, which allows them to release their moisture more quickly and brown more readily. We keep the French onion soup flavor profile with caramelized shallots, garlic, thyme, and beef broth, and add a splash of dry sherry to deglaze the pan. For a more luxe topping than the traditional slice of French bread, we top each bowl with a cheesy round of puff pastry.
Before You Begin
If you’d like, use white button mushrooms in place of the cremini.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll 1 sheet thawed puff pastry into 10 by 10-inch square on lightly floured counter. Using 4-inch round cutter, cut 4 rounds from pastry. Cut four 1-inch slits in each piece and arrange on parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Brush pieces with 1 beaten egg, then sprinkle with ½ cup shredded Gruyère cheese, 2 teaspoons thyme leaves, and pinch table salt, and bake until puffed and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let pastry cool on sheet.
- Combine 2 pounds cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick; ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until mushrooms release liquid and collapse, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until all liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are well browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and ½ teaspoon pepper. Transfer mushrooms to plate and set aside.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining 1 tablespoon butter in large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add 6 thinly sliced shallots and cook until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 3 sprigs thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in ¾ cup dry sherry, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pot, and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute.
- Stir in 5 cups beef broth, remaining ½ teaspoon pepper, and reserved mushrooms and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes
- Ladle soup into 4 individual bowls with 4 to 5-inch diameter rim, leaving 1 inch of space at top of each bowl. Add ¼ cup shredded Gruyère to each bowl and top with pastry. Serve.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments