Cream of Mushroom Soup Substitute (No Can Required)

Cream of mushroom soup was the very first pantry staple I ever made from scratch. I kept standing in the grocery aisle staring at the ingredient list on that little can, and I knew there had to be a better way. One container of this dry mix replaces about 10 small cans, which is as much a space-saving trick as it is a recipe.

Cream of mushroom soup substitute in a nutshell: Whisk 1/3 cup of cream of soup dry mix with 1¼ cups of water in a saucepan, bring to a slow boil, add 1/2 cup of mushrooms, and whisk until it reaches a thick, gravy-like consistency. This makes the equivalent of one small can of condensed soup, and it’s naturally gluten-free.

The Recipe

If the mushrooms keep getting caught in your whisk, leave them out until the very end and add them last, just keep the added liquid to a minimum so it doesn’t thin out the base.

Why This Beats the Can

Canned cream of mushroom soup is convenient, but the ingredient list is longer than it needs to be for something this simple. This version is naturally gluten-free, and because you’re building it from a base mix you control, it’s easy to make dairy-free too, if you made your Cream of Soup Dry Mix with coconut or almond milk powder instead of regular powdered milk, this recipe follows right along with that swap, no separate instructions needed.

It’s also just better for a pantry with limited space. One container of dry mix does the job of an entire shelf of cans, and you make exactly as much as you need, when you need it, instead of storing a stockpile of something you might use twice a year.

The Recipe Everyone Actually Makes This For: Green Bean Casserole

If you’re here in November, there’s a good chance green bean casserole is the reason. This substitute works exactly like the canned version in that recipe, swap it in 1-to-1 for the can your recipe calls for, and nobody will know the difference except you, since you’ll know exactly what’s in it.

It works the same way in any recipe built around a can of cream of mushroom soup: casseroles, creamy pasta bakes, pot pie filling, or as a quick gravy base for a weeknight dinner.

How to Use It

Use it exactly like you’d use a can of store-bought cream of mushroom soup. Stir it into casseroles, pasta dishes, soups, or use it as a creamy sauce base on its own.

Each batch of this recipe is roughly equivalent to one small can. If a recipe calls for 3 cans, triple the recipe. Simple math, no conversion chart needed.

Storage

The dry mix: store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. For longer-term storage, seal it in a mason jar or mylar bag with an oxygen absorber and vacuum seal it. Here are the tools I use for long-term pantry storage.

The finished, cooked soup: once made, store any extra in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. It will thicken further as it cools, if you want to loosen it back up, whisk in a splash of milk or broth when reheating.

The mushrooms themselves, your options depend on your setup:

• Fresh, if you’re using it soon
• Dehydrated, lightweight and shelf-stable
• Freeze-dried, my personal favorite, since they can go straight into the dry mix and rehydrate in minutes with no separate prep step

Not sure which preservation method fits your setup best? Here’s the full breakdown of dehydrating versus freeze drying.

If you want to keep building a from-scratch pantry without the overwhelm, I put together a free guide for exactly that. It’s called the From-Scratch Pantry Starter Guide, grab it below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this gluten-free? Yes, the base dry mix doesn’t use wheat flour as a thickener, so it’s naturally gluten-free as written.

Can I make this dairy-free? Yes, as long as your Cream of Soup Dry Mix batch was made with coconut or almond milk powder instead of regular powdered milk. The cooking method here doesn’t change either way.

How long does the finished soup last? Up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container. It’ll thicken as it sits, just whisk in a splash of milk or broth to loosen it back up when you reheat it.

Can I use canned mushrooms instead of fresh, dehydrated, or freeze-dried? Yes, drain them well first. The flavor will be a little milder than fresh or rehydrated mushrooms, but it works in a pinch.

Does this taste like the canned version? Better, honestly, since you’re using real mushrooms and controlling the seasoning yourself. It’s thick enough to work as a 1-to-1 swap in any recipe built around the canned version.

More Pantry Staples Worth Making From Scratch

If this one earns a spot in your kitchen, these are natural next steps:

• Cream of Anything Soup Base (the mix this recipe is built on, also makes cream of chicken and cream of broccoli)
• Country Gravy Mix
• Dehydrating Mushrooms

Conclusion

This is the recipe that started my whole shift away from canned convenience foods, and it’s still one I make constantly, holidays or not. One jar, real mushrooms, and a shelf that used to hold ten cans now holding almost nothing at all.

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