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Hungarian Mushroom Soup

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

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large pot of Hungarian mushroom soup with a ladle

Hungarian Mushroom Soup For Every Occasion.

Because it’s dreary outside, and you need a boost: Hungarian mushroom soup. Because you’re craving something soul-warming and simple: Hungarian mushroom soup. Because you need dinner to be easy tonight: Hungarian mushroom soup. Because you need the meditative, familiar magic of some easy-going chopping and stirring: Hungarian mushroom soup.

Paprika-tinged and soothing, there’s something uniquely cozy about this creamy mushroom soup. There’s a wholesomeness to a bowl of soup on a cold, rainy—or snowy—night. It warms you to cook it, it warms you to eat it, it warms the people you share it with. Bite by bite, the troubles of the day grow more distant. 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 cool-weather staple in our homes, and we hope it’ll become one in yours, too.

gold ladle scooping Hungarian mushroom soup out of a large pot

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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

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
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 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.

  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.

  3. Over low heat, slowly stir in the sour cream, and lemon juice until fully incorporated.

  4. Divide the soup into four bowls and top with fresh parsley to serve.

**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
  • Calories363
  • Protein11 g
  • Carbohydrates35 g
  • Total Fat17 g
  • Dietary Fiber3 g
  • Cholesterol43 mg
  • sodium593 mg
  • Total Sugars10 g

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Questions & Reviews

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  • Christiane Murray

    Hello, Can I sub coconut milk for the milk? and non dairy sour cream?

    That should work fine! Hope you enjoy Christiane!

  • Judy McDonald

    In the recipe it says 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce. In the video it shows adding soya sauce. What is it suppose to be or can it be either, or?

    Either works, hope you enjoy!

  • Claire

    Haven't tried it yet but a little confused about the recipe
    ? Says to use Worcestershire sauce in the ingredient list but on the video it says two tablespoons of soy sauce? Both of them sound great. Just not sure which one to go for 😅 Thank you

    You can actually use either! We've done both.

  • Steve Richards

    Would adding meat work with it well if you want something a bit more heavy?

    Mild italian sausage might be good. Hope you enjoy Steve!

  • Amy

    I’d like to add pasta. Can I cook it in the soup?

    We'd recommend cooking it separate then adding it. Hope you enjoy Amy!

  • Lynne N

    I substituted Oat Flour (which is Gluten Free) for the wheat flour and I used Almond Milk instead of dairy milk. This worked great! The soup was a hit for us. We'll make it again!

    Thanks Lynne! We are so happy you loved it and happy to hear those subs work well.

  • Hillary

    Just made - so delicious! Used heavy cream and 2% milk & Pino Grigio - Added some rotisserie chicken on top at the end - might have to eat it all myself!

    Thanks Hillary! So happy you love it!

  • Jessica Collins

    Absolutely wonderful and so full of flavor! Will make again for sure.

    Thanks Jessica! We are so happy you loved it!

  • liv s

    this was awesome, i realized belatedly that although i thought i hate worcestershire sauce, white wine, and dill, i did not. oops. i used red wine and balsamic vinegar instead, and left out the dill. it was still really good. i want to make again with all the listed ingredients. also, i found the soup too thick for my liking at the end, so doubled the broth.

    glad you enjoyed even with all the subs liv!

  • Niall J MacDonagh

    I followed the directions exactly (unusual for me) except that I sifted the flour into the soup rather than make a cream with the flour. The next time I will lessen the amount of flour or maybe even eliminate it. Just a preference. Oh, I will also use red wine. Still I was happy with it and wished I had doubled up so that I could freeze some.

    Thanks Niall, so happy you loved it!