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
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Hungarian Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (vegans: use a vegetable spread like Earth Balance)
- 1 large yellow onion , finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 12 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms , sliced or diced according to preference
- 2 tablespoons genuine imported Hungarian paprika
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (fresh is highly recommended; or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (vegan: use a vegetable spread like Earth Balance)
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk (vegan: use soy or hemp milk)
- 2 cups quality beef broth (vegan: use vegetable broth)
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce (note: You cannot taste the tamari/soy sauce in this but it's just enough to contribute a wonderful "umami effect" that you'll love!)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (vegan: use vegan sour cream)
- chopped dill or parsley , for garnish
- extra sour cream , for serving
Instructions
- 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.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet January 8, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This recipe sounds great, I was just wondering… if I wanted to use dry forest mushroom instead, what amount would you suggest… considering they profuce much stronger flavor?
Hi Agnes, it depends on what kind of mushrooms you’re referring to. We forage for mushrooms in our forest, including oyster mushrooms, hen of the woods, lion’s mane and cauliflower mushrooms. Any of these I would still use the same amount called for in the recipe. I haven’t used dried mushrooms in this soup but doing an online search it looks like the rule of thumb is to use 3 ounces of dried mushrooms for every pound of fresh mushrooms and to reconstitute the mushrooms first by soaking them in water for about an hour and then draining them. Then use the as the recipe instructs.
A terrific recipe!
Thank you so much, Abby!
This was AMAZING! One of the best soups I’ve had!
I’m so glad, thank you very much Rita!
this soup is sooo good. i only added 1 TS of paprika as we can not have too spicey. Thank you for the recipe.
That’s wonderful, Virginia, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
My new favorite soup!! WOW this was incredible! I am so excited that I found your website, I’ve been binging on it all week! :)
That’s wonderful, Candace, and I’m so glad you found my site too, thank you! <3
This soup is incredible and has become one of my favorites. It is so creamy and rich and comforting. I highly recommend it!
I’m so glad this has become a favorite, thank you so much Tanya!
This has become one of my most favorite soups. It is so deeply comforting and flavorful, my husband and I love it.
Thank you so much, Judy, I’m so glad! <3
This soup is incredible!! This is unlike any mushroom soup I’ve ever had and I can’t rave enough about the flavor. I made it as written and it is SUPERB!
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Renate, thank you!
Made this soup tonight and it absolutely delicious. Easy to follow recipe. Will be using this recipe from now on with other dishes that I make.
Wonderful, I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Joanne, thank you!
Chef Kimberly,
This is my go-to soup for Meatless Mondays. So simple to make…as-is…delicious, and inexpensive. I cook for two, so my wife has leftovers for a few days. Her colleagues at work want me to make a big batch for them 😂.
My wife is a legit Hobbit…and demands tasty mushroom dishes for dinner. I do not disappoint when I make this for us.
Thank you for introducing me to this recipe. We love it and make it at least monthly. Now that the weather is going to cool down…more soups and stews will be in my repertoire…with this one at the top.
Much respect!
Jeff in Houston
I really appreciate the feedback, Jeff, and am so thrilled that everyone enjoyed this, thank you! I love it too and will sometimes also thicken it up a little more to use as a sauce over Spätzle or egg noodles – it’s so yummy either way. Thanks again! Kind regards, Kimberly
So, if I want it to be authentic, I just ordered the Hungarian paprika from Amazon. Looking forward to making it.
Wonderful, Jim D, happy cooking and please let us know how it goes!
it is excellent…except this is not a Hungarian mushroom soup.
This is a Hungarian mushroom stew.
Good recipe, though :)
The only thing to add for completion is a slice (1 cm x max 10 cm) of fresh paprika (the simple salad kind, not the californian sweet thingy, and really just a little is enough). And parsley is not needed.
Traditionally this stew is served on galouschka or penne, and a spot of sour cream on top. Galouschka is the same as the simple german spatzel, it’s a simple and quick, fresh pasta made of flour, salt, an egg to put it together + a little water to losen it up to a smearable paste that makes drips into the salted, boiling water to cook. Paste is healthier than galouschka if the pasta is penne and durum (penne is great, other types are so-so or even worse with stews).
But no, this dish has nothing to do with the Hungarian mushroom soup…
…and one more important thing, in general: NEVER waste the good parsley by adding it during cooking…heat kills the oils that contain the taste and all the nutrients…parsley is heat sensitive. Always add the parsley when the food is done…when you have just removed it from the heat. And always double the amount because somehow the original measurement is never enough :)
I never knew this about parsley. Thanks for the tip.
I made this with pin mushrooms ( saffron caps) and it was delicious. A rich, earthy and deeply satisfying winter soup that would befit a restaurant table equally well as a meal by the fire at home!
Thank you so much, Wendy, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it!
Can you provide the nutritional value so I can calculate my Weight Watchers points??
Thanks!!
Hi Wendy, absolutely, I’ve just added that info. Happy cooking!
I came to Boulder, Colorado to visit family who are having friends over for an evening of music and pot luck. I made the Hungarian Mushroom soup as my contribution. All the friends are world travelers and also, gluten free. I took a chance and used gluten free flour. The brand was “Cup4Cup”. It worked perfectly and everyone went over the moon about the soup. Smash hit, thanks!
Fantastic, Mick, I’m thrilled it was a hit, thank you!