10 Store-Bought Cream Of Mushroom Soups, Ranked Worst To Best

Cream of mushroom soup can either strike fear in the heart of mushroom-wary eaters or joyful anticipation for those who love comfort foods like green bean casserole and warm, cozy soups that are front and center at potlucks. I'm somewhere in the middle: A lover of all things casserole, yet someone who has only recently become acclimated to mushrooms.

In its purest definition, cream of mushroom soup is flour and cream, known as a roux, and mushrooms. Simple, straightforward, and full of savory, earthy flavor, thanks to the fungi stars of the show. Cream of mushroom soup most often appears in condensed form, which is either used as a thick standalone base for dishes or mixed with water or milk to create a thinner, soup-like texture that you can eat on its own or mixed with other veggies, meat, rice, or pasta.

As someone still acquainting herself with which mushroom-based dishes are tasty — and which still activate a subtle but unavoidable grimace — I set off on a cream of mushroom taste-testing adventure to find the best versions of this pantry staple available in my area. Specific methodology for how I selected, prepared, and ranked the cream of mushroom soups I found is at the end of this article. Let's find out how these store-bought cream of mushroom soups stack up. 

If there's one thing my cream of mushroom soup taste-testing extravaganza taught me, it's that I do not prefer the taste of the "heart healthy" versions of a soup that traditionally uses cream, flour, and salt to taste good. Campbell's Heart Healthy Cream of Mushroom soup tasted the way it looked: gray, bland, and unappealing.

While I can appreciate the necessity of soups that contain less sodium and fat — this particular brand boasts using 50% less of both — I would argue that at that point, it might be best to go with a different dish altogether. Using half as much fat in the recipe means that Campbell's used other ingredients, like corn starch, to maintain the product's consistency. Scientifically speaking, this is a fascinating example of gelatinization, which thickens the consistency of various dishes, like takeout-quality egg drop soup or thin buffalo sauce in need of rescue.

In this case, though, I found it to result in a thick, silky mouthfeel that made the plain mushroom soup difficult to eat. Unsurprisingly, half the sodium levels also meant that the flavor itself was rather banal. If I were worried about forgoing salt and fat that badly, I might try to brainstorm alternative recipes that don't use cream of mushroom soup, as opposed to settling for this version of it.

Whereas original cream of mushroom soups will use a standard roux made of cream and flour, low-sodium varieties like Kroger Less Sodium Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup forgoes the fat (cream) for a mixture of water and cornstarch. The combination of these two ingredients creates a slurry that is perfectly acceptable in some cases. I would argue that this is not one of those times.

Swallowing a spoonful of this cream of mushroom soup variety felt incredibly similar to heating up a saucepan full of soy milk and gulping that down instead. This soup tasted like there was almost too much cornstarch, creating a consistency that felt too thick for standalone consumption. Credit where credit is due, though: Kroger Less Sodium Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup's notable thickness would probably make it a worthy addition in a green bean casserole or other dish that requires a hefty, substantial base.

Another point to this cream of mushroom brand that saved it from the dead-last spot was the size of the mushroom bits in the broth. Some bits almost looked like a whole button mushroom, which is great if you love mushrooms. Depending on how you feel about fungi, this might be another demerit against Kroger's low-sodium variety.

The Great Value brand of Heart Healthy Cream of Mushroom Soup wasn't the worst heart-healthy variety I tried in my taste-testing experiment. Still, if the bar is practically floor-level, is it that impressive to beat it? This is the question I pondered while I tried a bite of the warm, intensely mushroomy flavor. Emphasis on the "mushroomy."

Indeed, what Great Value Heart Healthy Cream of Mushroom Soup lacked with its 50% lower sodium and 98% fat-free distinction, it seemed to make up for in pure mushroom flavor. On the one hand, this would be great for someone who adores the taste of mushrooms. For someone like me, who prefers my mushrooms to take on the flavor of the food that's surrounding it, the flavor was a bit overwhelming for my taste.

Low sodium levels means that, on its own, this variety of cream of mushroom soup might be bland for those who are used to a saltier bite. However, this also opens the door for potential seasonings added by whoever is making this soup. At less than 78 cents per can, you can get a lot of bang for your buck if you're willing to throw the spice rack at it to upgrade your cream of mushroom soup.

Kroger Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup has the benefit of being full-fat and full-sodium, which gives it a better flavor than its heart-healthy counterparts. Other than that, there wasn't much to write home about regarding this straightforward cream of mushroom soup. Well, other than the shape, that is — out of all the cream of mushroom soups I tried during this experiment, this was the only one that came out so can-shaped that you could still see the rivets of the aluminum can.

Another notable characteristic of this soup was how long it took to get a smooth consistency, and even then, it wasn't all that smooth. To be fair (and I speak more on this in my methodology section), I only used water to thin out this soup, so it might react differently to, say, milk or cream. If you plan on using the condensed soup in its condensed form, then this might be a non-issue. With water, I felt like I had to get the soup to a rolling boil so lingering lumps of flour would dissolve into the broth, and even that wasn't quite enough to do the trick. 

As far as the broth goes, the flavor was perfectly adequate. This "blank canvas" flavor would be good for pairing with casseroles and soups with bolder ingredients, especially since the mushroom flavor itself isn't too overwhelming.

Coming in at the halfway spot is plain ol' Great Value Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup. No fancy flavor additives, no special distinctions related to its fat or sodium content, just old-fashioned condensed cream of mushroom soup from one of the most popular big box stores in the United States. I would argue that the regular Great Value cream of mushroom variety is the perfect middle option. Good, not great. Expected, not experimental. Decent, not necessarily delicious.

Flavor-wise, I found the Great Value Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup to have a pleasant breadiness that added to the cozy factor of the broth. The salt levels cut through the yeasty flavor nicely, and the overall mouthfeel was creamy without feeling thick or too silky.

The tiny bits of mushroom had a substantial bite, so you could feel the texture of a cooked mushroom when you bit down. Personally, I enjoyed that these mushrooms tasted more like the broth itself than actual mushrooms, keeping the balanced roux front and center.

The first thing I noticed about the Simple Truth Organic Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup was how much it resembled jiggly jelly going into the saucepan. Normally, I might worry that this means there are unpronounceable and unrecognizable ingredients making my food less, well, food-like. However, these worries were mitigated by Simple Truth's commitment to having no artificial flavors, preservatives, or certified synthetic colors. 

The main reason why Simple Truth's organic cream of mushroom variety is so low on my ranking is that the broth tasted more milk-forward than flour-forward. The organic cream gave this soup a slight acidity. The flavor wasn't quite sweet, but it was certainly getting close. I wouldn't go so far as to say the cream tasted sour. However, the prominent dairy flavor reduced the warm, cozy, umami flavors I typically expect in cream of mushroom soup.

Simple Truth's mushroom bits were soft and small, which helped mitigate any too-strong mushroom flavors. For this reason, I would argue that this is a worthwhile option for folks who don't mind — perhaps even prefer — the flavor of cream and aren't crazy about hefty bites of shroomies.

I was surprised to find that the Kroger Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom landed so high on my overall ranking, coming from someone who typically loves all the gluten, all the time. This gluten-free variety uses rice flour, which is a common substitute for other flours that use wheat. While this might seem like a major change for a soup that uses flour and cream as its roux base, I didn't notice any drop in flavor quality.

In fact, it felt more like the opposite — even without the wheat flour, the gluten-free cream of mushroom broth was smooth and savory. The broth even had a slightly bready flavor, which was an unexpected but welcome note on the palate. After tasting how similar the gluten-free version is to the gluten version, I immediately knew that I would use Kroger Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup in a gluten-free dish to satisfy both gluten-eaters and non-gluten eaters.

The chopped mushrooms in this gluten-free version are a decent size, ranging from tiny morsels to roughly chopped mushrooms. This was definitely a dark horse in my cream of mushroom experiment.

While this isn't technically a "cream of mushroom" soup, this is "creamy mushroom," so I think the flavors are related enough to be grouped together. Though I should note that this is not a condensed soup, so there is more liquid straight out of the can than condensed varieties. Depending on the dish you're making, this might mean using less Progresso Creamy Mushroom to not make your food too liquidy. Fortunately, the flavor is great, so you won't mind having to save some of the Progresso Creamy Mushroom for later. Of course, if you want to eat this mushroom soup on its own, that works, too. 

When Progresso says "creamy" mushroom soup, this brand really meant it. The mouthfeel and texture of this broth is smooth and silky without feeling thick, stodgy, or overly milk-forward.

The mushroom pieces in Progresso Creamy Mushroom Soup are large enough to please mushroom lovers, but because the mushrooms have soaked up the flavor of the broth, they're subtle enough to please non-mushroom lovers, too.

The first thing I noticed about the Pacific Foods Organic Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup was how oily it looked in the saucepan. Wary but not totally deterred, I took my first sip and was pleasantly surprised that it had no greasy flavor or texture. The broth was creamy and smooth, and the taste was great, too.

Surprisingly, this soup is also gluten-free, despite its warm, cozy flavor reminiscent of other wheat-based broths. Sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder add extra flavor, and there's just enough creaminess without tasting too acidic or milky.

Depending on your budget, Pacific Foods Organic Cream of Mushroom might be a bit expensive for what it is. At more than $3 per can, this is one of the pricier cream of mushroom options that I tried. Nevertheless, I feel like I got what I paid for, and I would be willing to splurge a little for the sake of great flavor (that even my gluten-free friends can enjoy).

I'm of the mind that garlic makes almost any savory dish better, so I had a feeling that Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup with Roasted Garlic would be a top pick for me. Lo and behold, I was right. Mushrooms and garlic make for an excellent pairing, boosting the umami flavor with the bold kick of garlic. The garlic also helps the mushroom soup stand alone as its own dish, although I think it would work perfectly in casseroles and meat dishes, too.

I also love the consistency of Campbell's condensed soups, generally speaking, and this one was no different. Even before I added water and heat, the condensed soup easily poured out in a smooth, consistent texture, almost like melted cheese. The soup thinned nicely with water, leaving no unsightly or weird-tasting lumps and bumps.

The mushroom flavor of this condensed soup variety isn't overwhelming, but it's definitely there. Bite-sized mushrooms soak up the creamy, garlicky broth to create a cohesive flavor that would be satisfying to people who adore mushrooms and people like me, who are slowly but surely learning to love them.

I sourced as many kinds of mushroom soups from grocery stores in my hometown of Murray, Kentucky. I kept my search to cream of mushroom soups, specifically, with the exception of Progresso's Creamy Mushroom soup, which I felt was close enough to include in the tasting.

I prepared each mushroom soup the same way: in a small saucepan with one can of water (except for the Progresso soup, which didn't need it). I chose water because I wanted to keep the flavor profile as neutral as possible, as opposed to letting my choice of dairy or cream affect how the soup tastes. Each soup was warmed to just before boiling, with the exception of the regular Kroger condensed soup, which took a long time to dissolve entirely.

To rank the cream of mushroom soups, I paid attention to both the broth and the mushrooms. The tasting was based on flavor, consistency, and cookability of the broth, as well as the flavor, size, and mouthfeel of the individual mushroom pieces.