Warming Hungarian Mushroom Soup Recipe

When you think of Hungarian food, goulash — a hearty and flavorful stew that is often considered the national dish of Hungary — might be the first thing that pops into your head. While this is a well-known and cherished dish, Hungarian cuisine offers a wide range of other delicious foods, including various stews, soups, and pastries. One of their best-known soups is Hungarian mushroom soup, which has a velvety and creamy consistency and an abundance of umami flavor. It also contains a hearty amount of paprika, the favorite spice of Hungary.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I recently traveled to Hungary and had the opportunity to taste many delicious Hungarian dishes. This mushroom soup was one of my favorites, so of course I wanted to recreate it in my own kitchen. I couldn't help but come home with a huge supply of paprika, as it was showcased everywhere, and it gives this soup a slightly sweet and earthy flavor." With this recipe, you'll learn how to make one of Hungary's savory and umami dishes.

To make this recipe, start in the produce department and pick up an onion, white mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, lemon, fresh dill, and flat leaf parsley. From the dairy aisle, grab some butter, milk, and sour cream. Then, round out your visit with vegetable or chicken broth, soy sauce, flour, paprika, salt, and pepper. "We are using regular paprika for this soup, but you can substitute that with smoked paprika if you like a smoky flavor. That variety tends to be very strong, so you will only need about 1 teaspoon," Hahn says.

Add the butter to a large soup pot and bring the heat to medium.

Add the onion and mushrooms and sauté for 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the broth, soy sauce, and paprika. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and milk with a whisk.

Add this mixture to the pot, cover, and stir well.

Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, and parsley. Stir and cook for 10 more minutes on low heat. Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary.

Top with more fresh dill, and serve the Hungarian soup.

There are many ways to customize this Hungarian mushroom soup while still keeping it close to its traditional taste. First off, you have some flexibility with the mushroom type. We have used a combination of white and cremini mushrooms, but you can use a variety of mushrooms — such as oyster, shiitake, or portobello — to add depth of flavor. "If you want to add even more mushroom flavor, you can use dried porcini mushrooms by combining about ¼ cup of them with hot water and letting them sit for about 15 minutes to soften. Then, chop them up and add them and their soaking water to the soup," Hahn says. "Or, add a teaspoon of porcini mushroom powder to infuse the flavor quickly."

If you want to make this soup dairy-free and vegan, you can make some easy swaps without compromising the flavor. For the butter, substitute with dairy-free butter. For the milk, soy or unsweetened almond milk will work just fine; for the sour cream, just use the dairy-free version. You can also substitute the fresh herbs in the soup or add additional ones. Try curly parsley, chives, or cilantro for extra fresh flavor.

Hungarian mushroom soup is a flavorful and hearty dish, and there are various accompaniments that complement it nicely. Serve the soup with slices of crusty bread, such as baguette, sourdough, or rye. The bread can be used for dipping into the soup or as a side. Any type of sandwich, like a classic grilled cheese sandwich (whether made with dairy or non-dairy cheese), can be a comforting and tasty pairing with the soup. Protein sources like grilled chicken, baked salmon, or smoked meats can be served with the soup as a creamy starter. Nice vegan pairings are baked falafel, seared tofu steaks, or a lentil loaf.

On the lighter end, a fresh salad can provide a refreshing contrast to the rich and creamy soup. A simple green salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, scallions, and a light vinaigrette dressing works well. Other salads like tomato and cucumber, Caesar, 3-bean salad, or pasta salad are nice pairings.