The History of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup

Campbell’s was founded by Joseph A. Campbell and Abraham Anderson in Camden, New Jersey in 1869.  However, the famous soup company wasn’t the first to invent cream of mushroom soup. The dish itself is likely a variation on French béchamel, a velvety sauce made by stirring milk into a roux. However, Campbell’s was the first company to can, condense, and commercialize cream of mushroom soup. In 1897, John T. Dorrance, a trained chemist and the nephew of a Campbell’s executive, invented a method of condensing soup by extracting its water content. This led to Campbell’s introducing a line of condensed soups. Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup hit store shelves for the first time in 1934. Notably, it was the first Campbell’s product to be marketed as both a soup and a sauce. To drum up interest in the product, Campbell’s tasked its home economics department to create a recipe featuring cream of mushroom soup. The recipe would then be featured in the Associated Press in 1955. Dorcas Reilly, one of the first full-time members of the department, created a recipe called Green Bean Bake. It was initially presented as an everyday recipe, but after the name was changed to Green Bean Casserole, it became a holiday staple, particularly for Thanksgiving. In fact, Campbell’s now makes 50% of their annual sales of cream of mushroom soup between November and January. The dish remains a Thanksgiving staple in many American households today and Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup is often referred to as “America’s béchamel” for its versatility and widespread use in American cuisine.