Condensed cream of mushroom soup, recreated in france

One of the challenges of moving to a new country is finding equivalent brands—or suitable replacements—for the food items we’ve grown accustomed to using. Thankfully, for most things, we’ve discovered French substitutes that are just as good (and sometimes even better).

A few items remain elusive, however—at least without ordering online and paying exorbitant import prices. One of those is condensed cream soups, especially cream of mushroom. Back home, these were familiar pantry essentials, used in many classic dishes like green bean casserole (a holiday must), tater tot casserole, stroganoff, scalloped potatoes and ham, and a variety of mushroom-based sauces and baked dishes.

Cream of Mushroom soup in France

Ready-to-eat cream of mushroom soups do exist in France, but they’re quite different from the condensed versions commonly used in American cooking. They aren’t condensed and don’t have the same flavor or texture. Often seasoned with additional herbs or spices—or flavored with wine, garlic, or shallots—they have a very different taste profile.

These soups are also typically blended smooth, much thinner in consistency, and noticeably darker once cooked into a dish. They’re usually packaged in paper cartons or glass jars rather than cans, and while they’re perfectly good as soups, they don’t work well as substitutes in recipes calling for the condensed version that I was used to.

Homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

I finally decided to try making a homemade version of this familiar classic—and it was an immediate hit. My family voted it a huge success in the casseroles that followed, even declaring it better than the mass-produced version from the iconic red-and-white can.

It’s very simple to make, uses easy-to-find French ingredients, and freezes beautifully. I like to make extra so I can keep some on hand for convenience.

condensed SOUP Variations and other tips

This recipe can also be adapted to make condensed cream of chicken soup by omitting the mushrooms, or by replacing them with finely minced chicken.

You can also thin it with milk to turn it into a simple mushroom soup for eating on its own. Because it’s meant to be a mild, mushroom-forward replacement closely mimicking  the canned version, you might prefer to add some minced onions, herbs, or other seasonings when making the base if you want a fancier flavor for a standalone soup.

If you grew up in the Midwest and are hoping to recreate tater tot casserole in France using this recipe, you might be wondering whether those frozen favorites exist here. I’m happy to report that France has an impressive variety of frozen potato products—often more than many U.S. grocery stores. While tater tots aren’t common under that name, you can find similar products. Look for packaging that mentions galettes de pommes de terre, röstis, or pommes de terre râpées. They are not always the same familiar cylindrical shape, but they work just as well. I usually buy a product called Potato Pops from the U grocery stores, and they’re virtually identical to classic tater tots.

Reuniting with  Familiar Favorites

When the holidays roll around—or when you’re simply craving a familiar favorite—it’s comforting to know there’s an easy alternative that brings those classic dishes back to the table.

I’ll be sharing more posts soon on recreating familiar foods with French ingredients, including homemade cottage cheese and refrigerator dill pickles. If you have questions about finding French equivalents for other products, feel free to reach out through my contact page—I’ll do my best to answer or include them in a future post.