Hungarian Mushroom Soup

It’s chilly out. It’s dinner time. You’re hungry. Maybe you’ve got other hungry folks around you. You could heat leftovers, call for take-out, or…make Hungarian mushroom soup ~ it’s ready in under an hour!

Hungarian mushroom soup is a traditional Hungarian soup famous for its rich and velvety texture and distinctive flavor profile. I love this kind of recipe because it makes use of common ingredients (mushrooms, onions, butter, olive oil, paprika, broth, and sour cream,) but blends them together to produce a new and exciting meal. Sweet Hungarian paprika is a key characteristic of this soup; it’s warm and fruity, but not at all spicy or hot. The mushrooms add earthiness, and the sour cream provides creaminess with a tangy note.

Hungarian mushroom soup ingredients

This easy Hungarian mushroom soup recipe is straightforward and quick cooking, making it a great workday meal for the fall and winter.

• fresh mushrooms
  • I use cremini, the little brown mushrooms. Buy the whole ones and slice them yourself if you can. The sliced mushrooms can be used in a pinch, but aren’t as fresh.
• onion
• salted butter
• Hungarian sweet paprika
  • This is the most widely used variety of Hungarian paprika. It is made from sweet red peppers and has a bright red color. Sweet paprika has a mild, sweet, and earthy flavor without significant spiciness.
• chicken stock
  • I like the flavor of chicken or beef stock, but of course use veggie or even mushroom broth for vegetarians.
• soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
  • this contributes another layer of umami to complement the mushrooms.
• dry sherry or white wine
  • you can leave this out if you don’t do alcohol, but it adds a really nice depth of flavor to the soup. Make sure it’s a dry drinking sherry ~ don’t use cooking sherry (or any cooking spirit, ever!)
• lemon juice
  • so many soups and stews benefit from a final pop of lemon juice for acidity.
• cornstarch
  • gives the soup some body and a nice sheen.
• half & half or whole milk
• sour cream
  • the crowning glory of Hungarian mushroom soup, you’ll stir it in at the end for a creamy tangy finish.
• salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• fresh dill
  • dill is added as a garnish just before serving the soup. You can sprinkle chopped fresh dill on top of each bowl of soup to enhance its flavor and appearance. You can use dried dill, but fresh is much better.

what kind of mushroom to use?

In Hungary csiperke or white button mushrooms, and barna csiperke or cremini mushrooms, are commonly used in soups. My personal choice is cremini because I love the earthy color and flavor.

1. White Button Mushrooms: These are the most common and widely available mushrooms. They have a mild, slightly earthy flavor and a tender texture. White button mushrooms work well in Hungarian mushroom soup, providing a subtle mushroom taste.
2. Cremini Mushrooms (Baby Bella): Cremini mushrooms are similar to white button mushrooms but have a slightly deeper flavor and a firmer texture. They add a bit more richness to the soup compared to white button mushrooms.

more exotic mushrooms to try

If you use larger mushrooms you’ll want to chop rather than slice them for the soup.

1. Shiitake Mushrooms: Shiitake mushrooms have a distinct savory and slightly smoky flavor. They are firmer than white button mushrooms and can provide a more robust mushroom taste to the soup.
2. Porcini Mushrooms (Boletus edulis): Porcini mushrooms have a strong, nutty, and earthy flavor and can be used in Hungarian mushroom soup to add depth and richness.
3. Chanterelle Mushrooms: Chanterelles have a fruity, slightly peppery flavor and are a popular choice for adding a unique and sophisticated element to the soup.
4. Oyster Mushrooms: Oyster mushrooms have a delicate, sweet flavor and a tender texture, making them a suitable option for Hungarian mushroom soup.

why I dry sauté mushrooms for this soup

My dry sauté method for cooking mushrooms simply means I slice and cook them off in a dry pan without any oil or butter. The natural moisture in the mushrooms releases and prevents sticking. This concentrates the flavor and caramelizes the mushrooms for superior results. This gives you intensely flavored fond (the browned caramelized bits that accumulate at the bottom of the pan,) which is otherwise difficult to get in a veggie soup.

what you want to know about Hungarian Mushroom Soup

• How to make Hungarian mushroom soup vegan
  • Use olive oil or vegan butter instead of butter, soy sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies,) your preferred vegan cream substitute like coconut milk or cashew cream in place of half and half, and a plant based sour cream. My friend Lindsay at Cotter Crunch has a recipe for you.
• How does this recipe compare to the Moosewood Hungarian mushroom soup?
  • The ingredients for most Hungarian mushroom soups are pretty standard, with minor variations. The Moosewood Cookbook’s Hungarian mushroom soup recipe is similar to mine, but is lighter on the mushrooms, does not use fresh dill (thanks 1970s!) and uses flour instead of cornstarch.
• What can I use instead of dill?
  • Go ahead and use fresh parsley in place of dill.
• Can I blend this soup instead of using any thickener?
  • Yes, you can. I might use an immersion blender to just partially puree the soup, leaving some mushroom slices for texture.
• Can I make Hungarian mushroom soup in the Instant Pot?
  • I don’t recommend it, the pressure cooker is not needed for this quick cooking soup.
• Can I make this soup in a slow cooker?
  • Again, I don’t recommend, because there is no need. The soup cooks quickly and would become over-cooked in the crock pot. What you can do is keep the soup warm for serving in the crock pot, if you’d like to serve it to a crowd or on a buffet.
• Can I freeze Hungarian mushroom soup?
  • Dairy based soups can be tricky to freeze, but this one should do ok because it calls for full fat dairy stabilized with cornstarch. Cool it down completely before freezing, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stove.

serving ideas

Here are some ways to round out your Hungarian mushroom soup meal ~

CARB pairings

• Sour Cream and Onion Biscuits
• Buckwheat Honey and Caraway Rolls
• Easy Dutch Oven Bread Recipe
• 3 ingredient biscuits
• Everything Bagel Knots
• Buckwheat Biscuits
• Buttery Garlic Knots

SALAD pairings

• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Beet and Wild Rice Salad with Spiced Pecans
• French Carrot Salad
• Avocado and Herb Salad
• Apple Salad with Celery and Walnuts
• Loaded Farro Salad
• Vibrant Winter Slaw with Citrus Vinaigrette