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Hungarian Mushroom Soup

September 30, 2024

Earthy mushrooms are the savory stars of this creamy, pungent, satisfying Hungarian mushroom soup.

Categories

  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Soup
  • One Pot
large pot of Hungarian mushroom soup with a ladle

More mushroom recipes from The Modern Proper

Hungarian Mushroom Soup For Every Occasion.

Paprika-tinged and soothing, there’s something uniquely cozy about this creamy mushroom soup. Meaty, earthy mushrooms are lifted up by the herbaceous lightness of dill and the subtle tang of sour cream, while a generous sprinkling of paprika turns the whole fragrant pot a blushing shade of pink. Hungarian mushroom soup is a cold-weather staple in our homes, and we hope it’ll become one in yours, too. For more mushroom inspiration check out our BEST mushroom recipes post!

gold ladle scooping Hungarian mushroom soup out of a large pot

How Do You Make the Best Mushroom Soup?

Soup is pretty magical. Made well, soup can be an especially focused celebration of flavor—think chicken soup, or potato-leek—and if you’re a mushroom lover, it doesn’t get much more drool-worthy than the thought of a whole entire pot of mushroom soup. As for the best mushroom soup in the whole world, you know where we stand. This Hungarian mushroom soup pretty much blows all others out of the water. Here’s how to ensure it turns out beautifully every time:

  1. Use good mushrooms. They’re the main event here, so select mushrooms that look firm and clean. We like cremini mushrooms for their darker color and super meaty texture, but regular white button mushrooms are OK, too.
  2. Take your time sautéeing the onions and mushrooms—let the heat and butter draw out their natural juices, and then let them get a little bit of color, too. Nice, dark—not burnt, but dark—caramelization means flavor, flavor, flavor. This recipe comes together without much effort—it asks only patience.
  3. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: don’t substitute low-fat dairy for the sour cream and milk. Just a few tablespoons of each is all it takes to give this soup a decadent, comforting richness, so don’t skimp. Just enjoy!
large pot of mushrooms sautéed with butter and onions
heavy cream being poured into mushroom onion mixture in a large pot

What makes Hungarian Mushroom Soup Hungarian?

Paprika! Paprika at its most basic is simply dried, ground peppers, and it is a spice that is believed to have originated in Hungary as early as the 15th century and is today a defining flavor of Hungarian cuisine. All paprika is not created equal, though. Here’s a quick crash course in our favorite smokey, spicy, sweet, pink-ifying spice:

  • For our Hungarian mushroom soup, sweet, mild Hungarian paprika is the classic choice. You can look for it at your local grocery store labeled (usually) as “Hungarian sweet paprika”. You can order it online here, too.
  • If you prefer a little kick, you can also look for “Hungarian Half-Sharp Paprika” which is a slightly spicier take on the classic sweet Hungarian paprika.
  • Many recipes call specifically for Spanish paprika—like paella, for example—also known as pimenton, which is a type of paprika made from a slightly different type of pepper than the Hungarian version. While we love its unique smoky depth of flavor, it’s not right for this Hungarian mushroom soup.
hungarian mushroom soup in a ceramic bowl topped with sour cream, fresh parsley and crusty bread

Meatless Monday?

Lusciously creamy, this Hungarian Mushroom Soup makes for a simple weeknight supper—and since it’s vegetarian, it’s especially perfect for meatless Mondays. Round it out into a more substantial meal with some crusty bread, or our herby rolls. A gorgeous, cold cucumber salad makes for the perfect refreshing contrast to the soups’ richness.

If you make this Hungarian mushroom soup, we’d love to hear about it! Be sure to snap a photo, add it to your Instagram feed or stories and tag us @themodernproper and #themodernproper if you do. Also, feel free to leave a comment on the post and tell your friends where you discovered the recipe.

hungarian mushroom soup in a ceramic bowl topped with sour cream, fresh parsley and crusty bread
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Hungarian Mushroom Soup

  • Serves:  4
  • Yields:  5 cups
  • Prep Time:  15 min
  • Cook Time:  30 min

Video

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, from 1 lemon (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, (optional)

Method

  1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the stock, white wine, dill, thyme, paprika, Worcestershire and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by ⅓, about 10 minutes.

    large pot of mushrooms sautéed with butter and onions
  2. In a small bowl, whisk flour into the milk until smooth. Add the milk mixture to the soup and cook, stirring occasionally, until the soup begins to thicken, about 10 more minutes.

    heavy cream being poured into mushroom onion mixture in a large pot
  3. Over low heat, slowly stir in the sour cream, and lemon juice until fully incorporated.

    gold ladle scooping Hungarian mushroom soup out of a large pot
  4. Divide the soup into four bowls and top with fresh parsley to serve.

    hungarian mushroom soup in a ceramic bowl topped with sour cream, fresh parsley and crusty bread

Notes

Yields 5 cups of soup. If serving 4 people as a main dish, we recommend doubling the recipe.

To Freeze: Cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. 24 hours before serving, place the soup in the refrigerator to thaw. Transfer to a soup pot set over medium-high heat. Cook the soup, stirring constantly until warmed through. The soup will look like it had separated at first but as it heats through it will come together nicely!

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories 363
  • Protein 11 g
  • Carbohydrates 35 g
  • Total Fat 17 g
  • Dietary Fiber 3 g
  • Cholesterol 43 mg
  • sodium 593 mg
  • Total Sugars 10 g

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Questions & Reviews

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  • Ericka

    Can I use swap out skim for whole milk , light Sour Cream for reg and use different mushrooms like baby bella's instead. It looks delish. I can't wait to try
    this.

    It won't thicken the way it's supposed to with skim milk but you are welcome to try!

  • Ingrid

    The written recipe does not call for soya sauce. The video does. Was it omitted on purpose? please advise. I did the recipe from the written one and it was delish. Thanks

    It used to be soy sauce then we changed it to worcestershire sauce. You can use either!

  • Munk

    1. Can I substitute dry sherry for the white wine?
    2. How about heavy cream in place of sour cream?

    Thanks!

    Sure! Both of those sound like lovely substitutes!

  • Cheryl

    What can sub for wine? And Can red wine be used?

    We wouldn't recommend red wine but you can sub ore chicken broth instead of wine if you'd like to give that a try. Hope you enjoy Cheryl!

  • Karen

    Can I use Marsala instead of white wine? Thank you

    We haven't tried it in this recipe but should be ok. Or you can use chicken broth in place of white wine.

  • Michelle

    This has potential to be amazing, but my husband and I were both turned off by the dill and so much of it! I will try this again- but definitely no dill this time!

  • Ingrid

    This soup is so easy to make and very delicious. Have made it numerous times and it goes great on a cold day with French bread! Enjoy!!!

    Thanks Ingrid, so happy you love it!

  • Brian

    Im into foraging for wild mushrooms, and this is by FAR my favorite recipe for showcasing them!
    I had a BBQ yesterday and at one point took one of my friends out foraging at a spot literally across the street from my house where I already knew there were hen of the woods and chicken of the woods. We came back in 5 minutes with over 40 pounds of fabulous mushrooms, and I looked like Davey Crockett in front of all my friends.
    I recommend this recipe to everyone in attendance, and we split the mushrooms up evenly.

    What a great party!! So glad you love this recipe!

  • Robyn

    I made this exactly according to the recipe and it is DELICIOUS. It did take longer than expected but it was worth it.

    Thanks Robyn, we are so glad you loved it!

  • Donna


    This soup was absolutely delicious!

    Thanks Donna, we are so glad you loved it!