Hungarian Mushroom Soup

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An incredibly rich and satisfying soup with a depth of flavor that will make your taste buds sing!  Serve this Hungarian Mushroom Soup with some crusty bread and a leafy green salad for a complete, meatless meal that even the most determined carnivores will love!

Whether you’re fan of Hungarian food, mushrooms, or simply love good soups, this Hungarian-influenced mushroom soup is for you! This was one of the very first recipes I published on my blog back in January 2013.  I remember the first time I made it.  We had my family over for dinner and I was eager to see what they thought.  The expressions on their faces and the praise that followed was enough to convince me that this Hungarian Mushroom Soup was a slam-dunk winner.   And it’s been winning praise ever since.

Ingredients

First we take onions and cremini mushrooms and caramelize them in butter.  Then a separate rich roux is prepared with butter and flour which adds a world of depth and flavor to the soup.  A generous amount of paprika is added along with the delicate flavor of dill and a “surprise” dose of umami in the form of tamari.  The end result is a velvety-smooth, luxuriously flavorful, show-stopping soup that will make you and your dinner guests swoon with delight!

Very important to this dish is the quality of the paprika.  Use real Hungarian paprika – paprika that’s actually imported from Hungary.  There’s no comparison in flavor.

We recommend this genuine Hungarian paprika from the Kalocsa region of Hungary (I’ve never found it in any local speciality stores but you can find it online).  It has an extraordinarily rich flavor and an exceptionally vibrant red color.  Many of our readers have tried it, written back and agree that quality Hungarian-imported paprika makes all the difference.

This recipe calls for either cremini or white button mushrooms but feel free to use any other mushrooms you have on hand, including a medley of your favorites.

Hungarian Mushroom Sauce

As delicious as this is as a soup, this is equally delicious as a sauce!  Simply add an additional tablespoon of flour when you make the roux and serve this Hungarian mushroom sauce over egg noodles.  It’s incredible!  Either way you serve it, it’s a winner.

Vegan Hungarian Mushroom Soup

This soup can be easily made vegan by swapping out the butter, milk, broth, and sour cream with vegan-friendly options. See the recipe below for recommendations.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup Recipe

Let’s get started!

In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onions and cook until translucent and just barely beginning to brown.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms release their juices. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the same pan and stir in the flour, constantly whisking for 6-7 minutes or until the mixture is a rich, caramelized brown.

Add the milk, broth, and soy sauce, still whisking continually until the mixture is smooth.

Add the paprika, dill, salt and pepper.

Stir in the mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the sour cream and heat through.

Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped dill. Served with crusty bread.

Enjoy!

For more delicious Hungarian recipes try my:

• Hungarian Goulash
• Chicken Paprikash
• Hungarian Bean Goulash
• Pörkölt
• Szegedin Goulash
• Hungarian Meatballs
• Chicken Goulash

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet January 8, 2013