Soul-Warming Creamy Hungarian Mushroom Soup
A hearty and comforting Hungarian Mushroom soup that’s sure to fill you right up. A dollop of sour cream makes this soup over the top — loaded with all the warm and cozy vibes!
Texas weather is a little all over the place.
We were high in the 80s with our crisp spring salads, Birkenstock’s, and mom jeans. Then, all of a sudden, we’re back down in the 30s with boots, scarves, and comfort food. What in the what is even going on?
If you’re anything like me, comfort food is about the only thing that makes the 30-degree weather bearable. Well, that and fuzzy socks. But mostly just soup recipes. That’s where this Hungarian mushroom soup comes in. And guaranteed it’ll warm you right up. This isn’t your average mushroom soup recipe. It’s not the kind of gloopy, gloppy stuff that comes in a Campbell’s can. It’s hearty and filling because, shockingly, mushrooms are high in protein and fiber. Seared mushrooms, aromatic herbs, and spices are the beginnings of this pot of soup. Humble ingredients blend beautifully together and elevate it to something brand new. It’s exciting for the palate! A rush of umami from the mushrooms and a hint of sour cream for creaminess.
The recipe is as simple as sautéing a few ingredients and allowing it to simmer. The flavors develop as it simmers. In a total time of 40 minutes, you’ve got the creamiest, most velvety smooth soup loaded with hearty mushrooms. And it will fill and warm you right up.
Every year, I share a handful of soup recipes. I mean, not going to lie; I’m recipe-testing soups in midsummer because I’m so excited about sharing them for fall and winter. And oddly, the ones that I love the most are the ones made with veggies, like today’s Hungarian Mushroom soup, my secret ingredient tomato soup, or the roasted veggie soup with tortellini, fire-roasted minestrone, and my autumn squash and leek soup.
This recipe requires a handful of ingredients, most of which are pretty straightforward and easy to find. The one ingredient I feel like you may have trouble finding is optional. And I found that it is available online. Trust me; it does make the soup a whole lot tastier! More on that in a bit.
Hungarian Mushroom Soup Video:
Ingredients for Hungarian mushroom soup recipe:
- Butter: to saute the mushroom mixture and create flavor in the soup.
- Mushrooms: because they’re the heart and soul of this recipe. The key is to use a variation of cremini mushrooms (aka baby Bella), white button mushrooms, shiitake, or any other variety you typically enjoy.
- Onions: both the onions and garlic are aromatics. They add flavor and body to the soup.
- Seasonings: You’ll need a sprinkling of dried or fresh dill, dried thyme, dried mushroom powder, Hungarian sweet paprika, and salt and black pepper. The heaping tablespoon paprika adds a delicious flavor to the soup with the other spices and seasonings. If you’re unfamiliar with mushroom powder, sometimes it is called umami seasoning. Essentially, it’s a powder made out of dried mushrooms and other dehydrated ingredients that really adds a depth of flavor to this soup recipe.
- Garlic: What would a recipe even be if I didn’t use garlic?
- Chicken or vegetable broth: You can use either for this recipe. I prefer to use chicken broth, but for my vegetarian friends, vegetable broth works beautifully.
- Soy sauce: brings more umami flavor to the recipe along with the mushroom powder.
- All Purpose Flour: aids in thickening the soup.
- Half and half: you can also use milk if you prefer. It adds a bit of richness to creamy soups.
- Creme fraiche (or sour cream): gives the soup a signature tangy flavor and creamy texture. I love using a little bit of sour cream to give the soup more depth.
- Fresh Parsley: Is added at the end for some freshness and as a garnish.
Making the best Hungarian mushroom soup:
- Sauté the ingredients. Start by melting the butter in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and sauté the onions and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Then season with the dried thyme, dried dill weed, and Hungarian paprika, and allow the mushrooms and onions to continue cooking for an additional 7-10 minutes. Stir the mixture often, so it doesn’t brown too much or burn. Sprinkle the grated garlic and mushroom powder 30 seconds before the mushrooms are done.
- Whisk it together. Then slowly pour in the chicken stock, soy sauce, and lemon juice and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen all that stuck-on flavor. Allow the soup to gain a simmer, and then let it reduce for 5 minutes. This step will help concentrate the mushroom flavor. While the soup is reducing, place the milk and flour in a mason jar (with a tight-fitting lid) and give it a shake until combined. Alternatively, you can whisk the ingredients in a small bowl until they are smooth. Pour this mixture into the soup and continue to cook the soup for another 8-10 minutes or until the flour mixture thickens it.
- Finish and serve. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the soup while you add in the sour cream. Sprinkle with parsley to finish. Dish the soup out in your favorite soup mug or bowl, and finally serve warm with grilled bread rubbed with a clove of cut garlic!
FAQs about this recipe:
Whenever I share a recipe for mushroom powder, I often get this question. The mushroom powder is a little chef secret used to really amp up the mushroom flavor in a stew or gravy. It’s the secret ingredient in my homemade beef tips, and it adds a power-packed flavor punch – aka umami. The mushroom powder adds a subtle complexity to the soup, making it taste as if you simmered it all day long.
For this recipe, I highly suggest using mushroom powder (such as the one from Trader Joe’s, powdered porcini or shiitake mushrooms, or even a bit of the Better Than Bouillon mushroom base. I’ve tried the recipe both with and without the mushroom powder, and though it works perfectly fine without the powder, the flavors are a lot more pronounced when you use that little bit of mushroom powder/base to amp up the soup base!
Pop them into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. I do suggest consuming the soup within 4 days.
I haven’t tried swapping it out myself, but I did have a reader mention that it works as a decent substitute.
Preventing the sour cream from curdling:
Sour cream is notorious for being difficult to work with. When I first started cooking, any recipe that called for sour cream would almost always curdle on me. But as I started reading up on it, I picked up a trick that works like a charm for stroganoff or Swedish meatballs. If you allow the sour cream to come to room temperature for at least 45 minutes before adding it to the recipe, it won’t curdle. It also helps if you remove the hot soup or sauce from the stove and stir it a few times to cool it down a bit before adding the sour cream.
TIP: If you do not have the time to do this, whisk the sour cream in a bowl using a fork and add a tablespoon of the soup mixture to the sour cream as you continue to whisk. Do this 3-4 times, and then add the sour cream to the soup!
I hope you’ll make a pot full of this soul-warming Hungarian mushroom soup to serve up at your next party or for boxed lunches throughout the week. And can we all agree that homemade soup is 1000x better than mushroom soup in a can? All that’s missing is fresh crusty bread, and you’ve got a full-on comforting meal. Bonus points if you serve it with homemade focaccia.
Soul-Warming Hungarian Mushroom Soup
A hearty and comforting Hungarian Mushroom soup that’s sure to fill you right up. A dollop of sour cream is what takes this soup over the top. Loaded with all the warm and cozy vibes!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons of salted butter
- 1 ½ cups white onions, chopped
- 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced (use crimini, button, etc.)
- 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
- 1 teaspoon EACH: dried thyme AND dried mushroom powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon EACH: sweet paprika AND lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken stock (or vegetable)
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup half and half (or whole milk)
- ⅓ cup room-temperature creme fraiche (or sour cream)
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- SAUTE: In a dutch oven or soup pot, saute the onions and mushrooms in the butter over medium heat for 5 minutes. Then, season with dill, thyme, and paprika and allow the mushrooms and onions to continue cooking for an additional 7-10 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle the grated garlic and mushroom powder 30 seconds before the mushrooms are done.
- WHISK: Then, slowly pour in the chicken stock, soy sauce, and lemon juice and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen anything that might be stuck on. Allow the soup to gain a simmer and then let cook and reduce for 5 minutes. While the soup is reducing, whisk together the milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth (you can also just shake it all in a mason jar.) Then pour the mixture into the soup and continue to cook the soup for 8-10 minutes, or until the soup thickens, stirring as required.
- FINISH: Remove the soup from heat. Stir the soup while you add in the sour cream slowly and allow for it to mix. Sprinkle with parsley to finish and serve warm with grilled bread rubbed with a clove of cut garlic!
Notes
- Mushroom powder adds a ton of umami to this soup recipe. It really amps up the mushroom flavor so I prefer to use it. However, I know it can be difficult to find so it is an optional ingredient. But I urge you to try and find it if you can, it really kicks this soup into high gear. I found one at Trader Joes that works well, powder porcini or shiitake mushroom is also easily available on Amazon and if all else fails, use Better Than Bouillon mushroom base.
- See post for added instructions on how to keep the sour cream from curdling if you're worried about that.
Fantastic recipe! It has a complex flavor profile and is hearty and satisfying without being too rich. This is worth trying if you’re a skeptic, but I can tell you I make it quite frequently. It’s fairly quick and easy to put together and is even better the next day!
I meant to add that I used smoked paprika this last time and it was wonderful!
I’m salivating; I want to make this soup. Are there any alternatives to the flour? Many of us are gluten free due to Celiac. How would almond flour work in this recipe? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Absolutely delicious !! Will make this again and again. Thank you
We wanted a mushroom soup with some punch, and this fits the bill. Both of us love it! Only one quibble: the prep time is a good bit longer than as listed.
I NEVER leave a comment but this soup was amazing! I didn’t even use mushroom powder or creme fraiche and it was still delicious. I love a good mushroom soup but I don’t think I can go back to boring ones! Thank you
Excellent recipe. Definitely a keeper. We enjoyed it very much!
I made this to use some of the Hungarian Sweet Paprika that I brought home from Budapest. It was really delicious and one I know I’ll make many more times.
Very delicious. I did make some changes.
After the Onions and mushrooms cooked down, I deglazed with white wine. Simmered for a bit to reduce. Then I added the flour and allowed that to cook to get the flour taste out, then I added the stock. I didn’t have mushroom powder but I did have mushroom boullion so I used that along with chicken boullion. I didn’t use as much cream but added more Sour cream. I used a variety of Mushrooms that I could find. Shiitake, Oyster, king Oyster and creminis. Delicious.
Can this be freeze dried?
To make this veggie-friendly, I used half cup coconut cream and half cup of non-dairy milk as a substitute for the heavy cream and veg broth instead of chicken and it turned out wonderfully!
Wondering if you think this would freeze well?
This is the most flavorful soup! My favorite. Making it for the 3rd time tonight.
I’ve been seeing many version of the Hungarian Mushroom Soup online lately, happy to stumble on this one that included items that I already had on hand or are easy to find (I did buy the mushroom spice from Amazon for a previous recipe though, that one is probably the only difficult ingredient to find!) Followed the recipe with no subs and it was AMAZING. I definitely will be putting this one down on a recipe card for the meals I tend to make more often. Thank you for the recipe!
Delicious. I love it! Had everything on hand except the mushroom powder. Comes together very quickly, too.
Really delicious and flavorful soup. I didn’t have the mushroom powder but it still tasted really good. I used cremini and shiitake and it came out wonderful on a cold rainy winter evening. Perfect!
Made it tonight and it was amazing. I do love mushroom powder but don’t have any, so I added some extra mushrooms instead. Since I have some people in the house who love the flavor but not the texture I went ahead and did a hand blend on it to break up the big chunks. Will make again.
This is my go to ‘schroom soup recipe. Do you have experience making it in a slowcooker?
best mushroom soup I’ve ever had. Will never make another ! Thank you ☺️
We had Hungarian Mushroom Soup on vacation that was so good that I went looking for a recipe and made this right away. So good! I didn’t have mushroom powder, so I bought a packet of dried maitake mushrooms, simmered them in my chicken stock for 20 minutes, and also minced them up and added them to the soup. Will definitely make again.
This is one of my favorite soups of all time. I can’t find the mushroom powder, but it’s still delicious. I do have to add salt.
My entire family loves this soup! And if you had any idea how many times I have shared your link, I’d be on your Christmas list. 😉
Tip: I was out of sour cream and used French onion dip. Winner!
I forage for mushrooms and this recipe is one of my favorites. I use fresh porcini mushrooms and skip the mushroom powder. It’s really incredible
I just made this soup on a whim and it’s DELICIOUS! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe!
I made this recipe exactly as presented. My husband ate three bowls!
This is my new favorite Cream of Mushroom Soup! At first, I was a little worried the dill would be too overpowering but it wasn’t.
I added a Tbs of port but next time will do sherry. I added a bit more chicken stock but it was low salt. Next time I’d need to add a tsp or more to taste of chicken soup base.
The step of whisking together the flour and half and half was a great idea. I’ve always don’t it with soup stock but I first made a paste and then Tbs by Tbs tempered the floor misfire until I could add it withoit clumping. With the sour cream, I added a tbs at a time to the sour cream to temper that and there was no curdling despite the lemon juice and sherry.
I also used 10oz portabello mushroom and then did 6 oz white button, but added them in when the soup was reducing to give a different texture.
I did need to add some more salt and next time maybe more mushroom powder.
Thanks so much! Most importantly, my husband who just turned 76 is a picky eater and he loves the soup!!! ♥️
Greate recipe! I cooked it with wild mushrooms (Infundibulicybe geotropa) I picked in the forest. Big success!
this has wonderful flavors. My husband likes more Mushrooms and wild ones also. we have made this a few times and friends love it also. the Mushroom powder is great for that additional flavor also.
So good! The flavor profile is fantastic. I used umami seasoning in place of mushroom powder and took my immersion blender to the soup after adding the milk!
This was the 2nd time I made this soup. I substituted the half and half with cashew creme and the butter with vegan butter to make this recipe vegan. Used vegetable broth. It is delicious and everyone loves it. Will be included in my dinner rotation for sure. Thanks so much for sharing!
This recipe is by far the best Hungarian mushroom soup recipe I’ve made. Happy to have stumbled upon it.
I really liked this soup. I made it already 3 or 4 times.