Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Hungarian Mushroom Soup is rich, creamy, and full of luscious flavor. Made with earthy mushrooms, fragrant dill, and sweet Hungarian paprika, this soup takes simple ingredients and turns them into something extra special. It’s the soup that feels at home both on a weeknight table and at a celebratory or holiday dinner.

This Soup is the Bomb

I don’t have a large recipe inventory of fancy-schmancy soups because here at Casa SoupAddict, we’re not fancy-schmancy people. But this soup is celebration soup.

It’s the recipe you break out when you have people you want to wrap in a warm blanket of love and appreciation through food. (Or, when you just want to show off your mad soup skillz!) It’s rich and creamy and savory, and the kind of soup where you’re scraping the air at the bottom of the bowl because you emptied it and can’t believe it’s gone.

Do note that this isn’t health soup. I’ve tried over the years to lighten it up in various ways, and it’s just not the same. If you’re craving a healthy mushroom soup, go with my Wild Mushroom Miso Soup — one of my favorite January-reset soups.

But really, I support giving yourself and your loved ones a treat. And we can all use one just about now, right?

Hungarian Mushroom Soup is —

• Impressive but approachable. Tastes like restaurant-quality soup but uses simple techniques.
• Rich and satisfying in texture: Creamy and luxurious without being heavy.
• Elegant enough for entertaining, simple enough for a weeknight.
• Celebration-worthy: makes a stunning first course for dinner parties
• Unique in flavor its profile. The combination of dill, paprika, and sherry creates something truly special

If mushroom soups are your jam, you might also enjoy my Mushroom Barley Soup and my Creamy Mushroom Tortellini Soup. Hearty soups full of mushroom flavor!

Key Ingredients

Mushrooms — I keep things simple and use commonly available cremini mushrooms, sliced very thinly. You can also use button mushrooms or, in a pinch, a portbello mushroom cap (but scrape out the dark brown gills first; they’ll make the soup a dingy color).

Seasonings — Paprika and dill are the classic Hungarian flavorings, and are key to the soup. If you can find it, use authentic Hungarian paprika, as it has a little extra something that is noticeable to paprika lovers. Stick with regular paprika (also sometimes packaged as “sweet” paprika). Hot paprika and smoked paprika would take this soup in a different direction.

Dairy — Hungarian Mushroom Soup is known for its rich and creamy, full-bodied texture, and that comes from two things: dairy and cornstarch (below). Half-and-half (you can substitute heavy cream) adds smoothness while a really good sour cream adds body and tang. Just lovely.

Cornstarch — Flour is often used to thicken soup but here I prefer the cornstarch slurry. As the soup’s liquids cook, they take on an almost gravy consistency that, when mixed with the dairy, becomes something absolutely luscious on the spoon.

Karen’s Note

This soup was actually one of the earliest soups I ever published on the blog. I did a major recipe update in 2016, which, while delicious, pulled the soup too far away from its Hungarian roots (i.e., my Hungarian grandparents).

I was looking for something in my kitchen recently and absent-mindedly pulled my old recipe binder off the shelf. There were loose papers within that I hadn’t tucked into their plastic sheaths, which all spilled to the floor. And fluttering down at the end, by itself, swinging melodramatically back and forth as if caught on a breeze and landing on the top of the messy pile … was the first version of my recipe for Hungarian Mushroom Soup.

I took it as a sign: Time to return the recipe to its original state from 20 years ago. So much nostalgia in remaking and re-photographing this recipe. I had learned all about the thickening power of cornstarch from this recipe, and also how to prevent sour cream from breaking apart in a hot soup from my mom.

How to Make Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to see the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through of making the soup.

Prep notes

Here’s a quick guide for prepping the ingredients, if you need it (not including anything that simply needs to be measured out of a container, such as dried herbs and liquids).

• Clean the mushrooms‘ caps and slice off the rough ends of the stems. Slice thinly.
• Peel and slice the onion in half. Dice and discard the stem/root end.
• Pluck off parsley leaves from their stems, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry. Chop into a fine mince.
• The remaining ingredients can simply be measured out of their containers.

Step 1: Saute the onions and mushrooms

Cook the onions and mushrooms together in melted butter until the mushrooms have softened a bit and have started giving off their liquids. This step can move along a little faster if you cover the pot with a lid to trap the heat.

Step 2: Add the seasonings

A nice splash of sherry wine adds a little sweetness to the soup. It also helps lift any mushroom fond that might have formed in the previous step. Stir in the paprika, dill, salt, and umami-filled Worcestershire sauce.

Step 3: Cook the soup

Make the cornstarch slurry by letting the broth heat up a bit, then stir a ladle full into the cornstarch, whisking well. Then pour it into the soup, and let the soup simmer until thickened to a light gravy texture. Temper and whisk in the half-and-half and sour cream to create the rich and creamy base. The mushrooms will be fully cooked at this point.

Step 4: Finish the soup

Sprinkle the parsley generously over the soup. You could also add a pinch of dried dill if you’re feeling dilly. Serve the soup with extra sour cream to spoon on top.

Storing

This soup stores beautifully in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Reheat gently without boiling to avoid breaking the dairy in the soup.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup is one of my most requested recipes, and I hope it’ll become a favorite in your kitchen, too. The combination of earthy mushrooms, aromatic paprika, creamy dairy, and that touch of sweet sherry creates something really special that your family and guests will remember long after the last spoonful.

Watch my YouTube video below, and if you make this recipe, snap a pic and tag me on Instagram (@soupaddict). I’d love to see your version!

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

by Karen Gibson

4.88 from 8 votes

This Hungarian Mushroom Soup is creamy, savory, and full of earthy flavor. Mushrooms, dill, and paprika create a deliciously rich and comforting bowl that’s perfect for dinner or entertaining guests.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

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• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onions (about 1/2 of a medium onion)
• 1 pound cremini or button mushrooms , sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup sherry wine
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup sour cream , plus extra for serving
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf Italian parsley

Instructions

 

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• Heat the butter in a 4 or 5 quarter soup pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onions when the butter has melted and saute until soft.
• Add the mushrooms. Stir well to mix with the butter and onions. Cover with a lid to concentrate the heat and help the mushrooms give off their liquids faster.
• When the mushrooms have softened and browned, stir in the sherry, and let cook for several minutes to cook off the alcohol.
• Mix in the dill, salt, and paprika.
• Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce.
• When the liquids come up to a light simmer, add the cornstarch to a medium mixing bowl and add several ladles of hot soup. Whisk until smooth, then pour into the pot.
• Adjust the heat so that the soup remains at a gentle simmer and does not reach a boil. Cook for 15 minutes to give the cornstarch time to thicken the soup. Stir frequently, making sure the mushrooms don’t stick to the bottom.
• You’ll notice a change in the consistency of the soup as it begins to take on a thin gravy quality.
• Reduce heat to low, and wait for the bubbling to completely stop.
• Whisk together the half and half and the sour cream. Add two ladles of hot soup and whisk until smooth. Stir into the soup, mixing thoroughly. The soup broth should be smooth with a little body.
• Stir in about half of the lemon juice, along with a big pinch of salt. Taste the soup. Add the remaining lemon juice and more salt if desired.
• Sprinkle the parsley over the soup, and serve immediately with extra sour cream as a topping.

Video

Keyword hungarian mushroom bisque, hungarian mushroom soup

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