Hearty Hungarian Mushroom Soup

This rich and creamy Hungarian Mushroom Soup has a deep savoury flavour from earthy mushrooms and sweet Hungarian paprika. A splash of fresh lemon juice and fresh herbs like dill, thyme, and parsley contrast the earthy richness, creating the perfect bowl of comfort. This is no ordinary cream of mushroom soup!

A bowl of soup this delicious deserves a freshly baked Rye Dinner Roll slathered with salty butter. Add a little charcuterie, your favourite cheese(s) and a few homemade Garlic Dill Pickles to round out your lunch or dinner.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

When there’s a chill in the January air and you’re craving a bowl of comfort, look no further than homemade Hungarian Mushroom Soup. It’s one of those simple soup recipes that requires very little time and effort but tastes like you’ve been cooking all day.

Unlike the standard cream of mushroom, this version is a flavour powerhouse. It’s smoky, earthy, and incredibly velvety, thanks to a beautiful trio of ingredients: sweet Hungarian paprika, fresh dill, and a generous swirl of sour cream.

What sets this mushroom soup recipe apart is the depth of flavor developed in a single pot. It all starts with the umami base. Sautéing the mushrooms until they are deeply browned provides a meaty texture and exceptional flavour.

Next, the Hungarian sweet paprika adds a subtle fruitiness and a gorgeous sunset-orange hue. Every Hungarian keeps this bold spice nearby at all mealtimes. In fact, I highly recommend serving this soup with an extra pinch of paprika on the top.

The final finishing splashes of Worcestershire sauce and fresh lemon juice add extra depth of flavour and freshness to this rich bowl of soup. Together it’s a unique combination of ingredients that results in an extraordinary bowl of soup.

Paprika Primer

Paprika is so much more than just a red garnish for deviled eggs. While many people think of it as a one-dimensional spice, it is a diverse category of seasonings made from grinding dried fruits of the Capsicum annuum plant (the same family as bell peppers and chilies).

The flavour of paprika depends entirely on the variety of pepper, how it was dried, and whether seeds were included. The most used variety is sweet paprika. It is easy to find in most grocery stores and has a mild, fruity, slightly sweet flavour. It is primarily used for its brilliant red colour and a subtle, earthy base flavour.

In Hungary, paprika is the national spice. It ranges from extra-sweet (Különleges) to fiery hot (Erős). The most famous export is Édesnemes, which is bright red with a pungent, sweet-spicy depth. Use Édesnemes or Hungarian Sweet Paprika in this recipe.

Finally, Spanish smoked paprika is dried over oak wood fires. This gives the spice a deep, “campfire” aroma. It comes in Dulce (sweet), Agridulce (bittersweet), and Picante (hot).

Ingredients for Hungarian Mushroom Soup

• Butter
• Onion
• Mushrooms
• Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Hungarian Sweet Paprika
• Dill
• Thyme
• Milk
• All-purpose Flour
• Sour Cream
• Lemon Juice
• Salt
• Black Pepper

Regular button mushrooms (cremini) or baby bella mushrooms work well in this recipe but you can always mix it up with Portabella, Shiitake or oyster mushrooms. Or, go wild with Black Trumpet, Maitake, Chanterelles, or Morel Mushrooms. Buy them fresh and clean them without water for best results.

Feel free to use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe. However, keep a close eye on the salt level as you make the soup. Both chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce contain a fair amount of salt so always taste test before adding more salt later.

Use good quality stock, not dried stock granules which are high in sodium. If you do not have Worcestershire sauce, feel free to add 1 tablespoon soy sauce instead, being mindful of the sodium level.

You can use either fresh dill and thyme or dried herbs. As a rule, always substitute dried herbs in a 3:1 ratio. Example: 3 teaspoons fresh dill to 1 teaspoon dried dill weed.

How to Make Hungarian Mushroom Soup

To start the soup, melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes or until the onion and mushrooms have softened and are slightly golden. Add the paprika then cook and stir for 1-2 minutes.

Next add the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, chopped fresh dill or dried dill weed and fresh or dried thyme leaves to the Dutch oven then stir to combine. Bring soup to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

To thicken the soup, whisk the milk and flour in a small mixing bowl or a measuring jug until they are smooth and combined. Gradually pour the slurry into the soup, while stirring continuously. Simmer the soup until it thickens slightly.

Add 1/2 cup sour cream to the bowl/jug previously used for the flour slurry. Stir in a ladle of hot soup and then stir in a second amount. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir through the sour cream mixture. Add lemon juice then season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls, and garnish with the fresh dill/parsley, extra sour cream (if using), and a pinch of sweet paprika.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Don’t Crowd the Pan: When browning your mushrooms, give them space! If the pot is too full, they will steam instead of sear. You want those golden-brown edges for maximum flavour.

Bloom the Paprika: Paprika is oil soluble. Add the paprika to the butter and onions for about 30 seconds before adding the liquid. This “wakes up” the spices.

Temper the Sour Cream: To prevent curdling, whisk a ladle of hot soup into your sour cream in a separate bowl before adding the mixture back into the pot.

Storing the Leftovers

Store Hungarian Mushroom Soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. This soup does not freeze well.

This soup tastes even better the next day as all the flavours have a chance to meld together. Reheat soup gently over low heat to avoid boiling it once the sour cream is in, or it may lose its creamy consistency.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

If you make this Hearty Hungarian Mushroom Soup recipe, I’d love to hear about it in the comments section or in a recipe rating. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please share your photos and tag me on Instagram. I hope you like this recipe!