1-Gathering and Prepping Ingredients: First, make sure all your ingredients are ready to go, from slicing the mushrooms to chopping the onion. This setup helps everything move along without any hitches, keeping your kitchen organized.

2-Cooking the Base: Melt the 4 tablespoons of salted butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add the 1 large yellow onion and 1 pound of sliced cremini mushrooms. Cook them until the onion turns translucent and the mushrooms release their liquid, which takes about 8 minutes, to enhance the earthy taste.

3-Cooking the Base: Next, pour in the 2 cups of vegetable or chicken stock, ½ cup of dry white wine, 2 teaspoons of dried dill, 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, 2 teaspoons of sweet paprika, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring this mixture to a boil over high heat, then lower it to a simmer and let it reduce by about one third, around 10 minutes, for deeper flavors.

4-Thickening and Finishing: Whisk together the 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of whole milk until smooth, then slowly stir it into the soup. Keep stirring occasionally as it cooks for another 10 minutes until it thickens nicely. Finally, remove from heat and mix in the ¼ cup of sour cream and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice until everything blends smoothly. For related recipe ideas, check out our easy apple crisp that pairs well as a dessert after this hearty soup.

5-Serving: Serve it up hot, topped with extra sour cream, the 2 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley, and some freshly cracked black pepper for a finishing touch.