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Home » Lunch & Dinner » Hungarian Mushroom Soup

December 13, 2019

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

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collage of two photos of mushroom soup, top photo of mushroom soup in a large pot, bottom photo small black bowl with mushroom soup in it
Side angle of a pot of creamy mushroom soup set on a table with a blue napkin under it and herbs in a bowl next to it

This Hungarian Mushroom Soup is full of flavor, creamy and so cozy. A variety of mushrooms and a dash of soy sauce make this soup full of umami flavor it’s insane. A few updates modernize this classic soup, making it wonderful for both weeknights and occasions. 

Overhead image of a large pot of orange-colored soup with mushrooms, parsley, and dill on top. Small bowl of soup to the top and bottom of frame.

What makes this mushroom soup Hungarian? 

The key ingredient in this soup that makes it Hungarian is paprika. Paprika has been a mainstay ingredient in Hugarian cuisine for centuries. And while paprika can come from Spain, South America, and California, Hungarian paprika is considered to be of the highest quality.

You can find Hungarian paprika in most grocery and spice stores now, as well as Amazon.

One of the most common varieties of paprika hails from Spain and is labeled pimenton. Pimenton ranges from sweet to hot, and is a great addition to paella. However, be sure to use a sweet mild Hungarian paprika for this soup. There’s a place and time for hot paprika, but this soup is best with the sweet mild variety—adding flavor while not monopolizing the other players. 

I do offer an option to add a dash of smoked paprika, if you have it. It’s not necessary by any means, but it does offer a modern touch to the cozy soup. 

How to make the best Hungarian Mushroom Soup:

There are a few steps to creating the best mushroom soup. They’re all simple, but they do deserve a little time and attention. 

Use good quality mushrooms

Don’t compromise on freshness and quality in favor of variety of mushrooms. I love using a mixture of mushrooms for this soup because they add textural interest. However, if adding variety means you have to sacrifice on quality it’s just not worth it. If the best mushrooms you can find are button or cremini, use those! The soup will still be delightfully delicious. 

When looking for mushrooms choose those that have a fresh odor, are dry to the touch (not slimy), and are free of any discoloring.

  • overhead image of various types of mushrooms piled onto a wood table
  • a small white bowl filled with paprika, salt, pepper and fresh dill

Make a roux to thicken the soup

First off, what’s a “roux,” and what does it do? A roux is a mixture of fat and flour that is slowly cooked over low to medium heat and is used to thicken soups, stews and sauces. 

When making a soup, I will most often add my flour right in with the sautéed veggies, cook it a bit, then stir in my liquid and simmer. But, to ensure a super creamy soup free of any lumps, I chose to clear out the pot (don’t worry you don’t have to clean it), cook the flour and spices in some butter, then slowly whisk in the liquid before adding the veggies back in.

Doing it this way puts my mind at ease, it’s a foolproof way to ensure you get a creamy soup free of any raw lumps of flour. 

  • Fresh cut mushrooms in a pot with onions
  • sauteed mushrooms and onions in a pot
  • butter in a pot with browned bits (fond) on the bottom of the pan
  • flour and spiced in a pot with melted butter
  • a dark-colored roux in a pan
dollop of sour cream added to mushroom soup

Skip the nonfat stuff

Here at ZK we like to make things “healthy-ish” but in an elevated, enjoyable way. AKA we’re here to create healthy food that tastes delicious, because what’s the point of healthy if you don’t actually enjoy the food? 

So, here’s the thing, skim milk and low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt just doesn’t do this soup justice. It’s all about the creaminess with this one. To make you feel a bit better, I do use 2% milk which when combined with sour cream, adds the perfect amount of creamy goodness. Additionally, I swapped half of the butter for olive oil—I’ll take any chance I can get to add some heart-healthy fruity olive oil to the mix. 

image of two black bowls filled with creamy mushroom soup with a bag of sorghum flour set to the top of the image

Finish with a bit of acid and something fresh 

Unless you are making a tomato-based soup, nearly every soup will benefit from a dash of acid right at the end. For this Hungarian Mushroom Soup I like to use white (or red) wine vinegar or sherry vinegar. Classically, lemon juice is added at the end, and you surely can use that instead, but the white wine vinegar plays nicely with the dry white wine used for deglazing earlier in the recipe. 

Side angle of a pot of creamy mushroom soup set on a table with a blue napkin under it and herbs in a bowl next to it

Gluten Free Hungarian Mushroom Soup 

This soup can easily be made gluten free thanks to sorghum flour! Simply swap the ¼ cup of all-purpose flour out for an equal amount of sorghum flour. Nutty in flavor, this whole grain flour is a wonderful—and flavorful—thickener for both soups and sauces. My go-to sorghum company? NuLife Market. Their products are top-notch, and wonderful for modifying classic recipes to be gluten-free. 

Vegetarian Hungarian Mushroom Soup

You’ll see I list either vegetable broth or chicken broth in the ingredient list. I prefer chicken broth here but you can absolutely use vegetable broth to keep this recipe vegetarian. Try to use low-sodium veg broth, if you can find it (sometimes it’s a challenge!). If you can’t find low-sodium veg broth, decrease the salt by ¼ teaspoon.

small black bowl filled with creamy mushroom soup, topped with sour cream and parsley. Another bowl set off to the bottom left and the pot of soup set to the top right.

More mushrooms recipes you may like…

  • Mushroom Veggie Burgers
  • Mushroom & Goat Cheese Crostini Appetizer
  • Sweet Potato Ravioli with Seared Mushrooms
  • Moroccan Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
  • Wild Mushroom Stuffing
  • Savory Breakfast Bowl with Crispy Shiitakes
  • Vegetarian Mushroom & Eggplant Pasta Bolognese 

Make sure to tag me @ZESTFULKITCHEN ON INSTAGRAM or comment below if you make this Hungarian Mushroom Soup!

To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can click the button on any of the photos, or the red button on the side bar or below the recipe. Happy cooking!

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Overhead image of a large pot of orange-colored soup with mushrooms, parsley, dill and sour cream on top

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

★★★★★ 5 from 10 reviews
  • Author: Lauren
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 7 cups (5 servings) 1x
  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Hungarian
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Description

A creamy, cozy, full-flavored mushroom soup featuring paprika, dill and sour cream. Delicious with a chunk of crusty baguette!


Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ pounds mixed mushrooms*, trimmed and sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 2 cups diced yellow onions
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (or sorghum flour for gluten-free)
  • 4 teaspoons sweet mild paprika**
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon bBlanc
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 ½ cups 2% milk
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
  • ½ cup chopped parsley

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add mushrooms and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and mushrooms have shrunk in size by half, 15 minutes.

Transfer onions and mushrooms to a bowl.

Add butter to now empty pot and let melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour, paprika, dill, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Deglaze pan with wine, whisking, until evaporated.

Whisk broth in by increments, allowing flour mixture to adequately dissolve into broth before adding more. Stir in soy sauce and reserved mushroom mixture. Bring soup to a simmer and cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in milk and sour cream, bring soup back to a simmer then stir in vinegar. Off heat, add parsley and season with pepper to taste.


Notes

*I like to use a mixture of whatever mushrooms I can find! Here I used a mixture of cremini, shiitake, oyster and white beech. You can use all of one kind or a mixture of whatever you like best. If you aren’t sure what you like, try a mix of cremini and white button, these are the most common type of mushrooms and also the most mild in flavor.

** I like to use a mixture of regular paprika and smoked paprika. I use 3 teaspoons regular and 1 teaspoon smoked.  


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ~ 1 ½ cups
  • Calories: 347
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Sodium: 975mg
  • Fat: 24g
  • Saturated Fat: 11g
  • Carbohydrates: 20g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 11g
  • Cholesterol: 40mg

Keywords: Hungarian mushroom soup, mushroom soup, creamy mushroom soup, vegetarian mushroom soup, gluten free mushroom soup

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below and tag @zestfulkitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #zestfulkitchen!

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This post was sponsored by NuLife Market, as always the thoughts, opinions, recipe, photos, and content are all my own.

This post contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting all things ZK!

collage of two photos of mushroom soup, top photo of mushroom soup in a large pot, bottom photo small black bowl with mushroom soup in it

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Autumn, Lunch & Dinner, Recipes, Soups, Stews & Chilis, Winter Tagged With: Gluten-Free, Quick and Easy, Vegetarian

About Lauren Grant

Lauren Grant is a professional culinary food scientist, food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. Lauren is a previous magazine editor and test kitchen developer and has had work published in major national publications including Diabetic Living Magazine, Midwest Living Magazine, Cuisine at Home Magazine, EatingWell.com, AmericasTestKitchen.com, and more.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tawnie K Kroll says

    December 15, 2019 at 5:08 pm

    Cannot wait to make this for Cam!! Yummm!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Lauren Nagel says

    December 15, 2019 at 7:01 pm

    Oooh! I’ve been craving all things soup lately and know my family will love this. It looks incredible!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Kelly Banach says

    January 4, 2020 at 3:12 pm

    Simply delicious…will definitely be sharing this with friends and family…thanks Lauren!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Emily Bruno says

    January 10, 2020 at 10:31 am

    So hearty and comforting!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Kate says

    March 1, 2020 at 4:36 pm

    Hi Lo, just wondering about 2% milk? In Australia, I’m sure we have an equivalent, but what is 2% milk exactly please?
    Thank you, looking forward to making this…..

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      March 2, 2020 at 10:59 am

      Hi Kate!
      2% milk is a low-fat milk here in the states. I would recommend using a low-fat (but not non-fat) milk. You can also use half-and-half or cream, if you use either of these, I would decrease the amount down to 3/4 cup or 1 cup.
      Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Donia says

    May 2, 2020 at 1:30 pm

    Making this tonight for the second time in two weeks—my family has been raving about it! I did add in some roasted cauliflower just because I love it in soup. Great recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      May 2, 2020 at 4:37 pm

      Hi Donia! I am so glad you are enjoying the soup—love the idea of adding roasted cauliflower. I will have to do that the next time I make this! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Ana says

    July 3, 2020 at 10:46 am

    I’m so sad because I can only find paprika from either China or Spain. What do I do in this case? Have you ever used fresh paprika (bell peppers?)
    🙁

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      July 4, 2020 at 8:04 am

      Hi Ana! I would use the Spanish paprika that you mentioned! Spanish paprika will work well—it will add more flavor and even a bit more spice. If you’re concerned about spice, decrease the amount slightly to 3 tsp. or so. I haven’t tried this with bell peppers, but they would make a great addition!

      Reply
  8. Ellen says

    September 24, 2020 at 6:03 pm

    This soup was delicious!! For sure make this again! Dubbel the recipe and freeze it!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  9. Shelia says

    September 27, 2020 at 2:54 pm

    Definitely my new favorite mushroom soup!! Thank You!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  10. Logan says

    September 30, 2020 at 9:47 am

    Would almond flour work in this? I’ve never heard of the other flour.

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      October 1, 2020 at 10:13 pm

      Hi Logan—if you’re wanting to keep this gluten-free without using sorghum flour I would try a 1:1 baking flour or skipping the flour step and whisking in a cornstarch slurry (about 2 tsp. cornstarch whisked together with 2 tsp. water) into the soup right at the end. If you want it thicker, add a bit more cornstarch slurry. Unfortunately, almond flour doesn’t have thickening capabilities. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  11. Katrina says

    October 10, 2020 at 1:04 pm

    Wow. Made this today and it’s got all of the flavours my grandmother used to use in her kitchen. So nostalgic and comforting. Will be making this again!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      October 11, 2020 at 10:11 pm

      Hi Katrina! I’m SO glad to hear you enjoyed it!! When it comes to food, nothing beats nostalgia!!

      Reply
  12. Kelly says

    October 19, 2020 at 9:11 pm

    This has such a sophisticated taste for not much time in the kitchen! Used a combination of white button and gorgeous little beech mushrooms. Loved it!

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      October 20, 2020 at 5:12 pm

      Hi Kelly! I am so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂

      Reply
  13. Maria says

    December 29, 2020 at 9:49 am

    My family loves this recipe, as do I. Changed soy sauce to tamari sauce to make it completely gluten free and I also added wild rice.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      January 5, 2021 at 4:52 pm

      Hi Maria! I love the idea of adding wild rice—I will have to try that the next time I make this!

      Reply
  14. Sahara says

    January 17, 2021 at 8:46 pm

    Absolutely loved this!! Easy, nutritious and delicious.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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I'm Lo, a professionally trained Culinary Food Scientist, Journalist, and former food magazine editor. I'm all
about cooking healthy-ish—aka healthy recipes that don't sacrifice on flavor. I'm here to help you find confidence in the kitchen and LOVE what you eat.

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