Hungarian Mushroom Soup

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Hungarian Mushroom Soup is a lightly creamy, rich soup, full of earthy mushroom flavor that is brightened by a squeeze of lemon juice added at the end of cooking.

This is one of my favorite soups – and I just don’t make it often enough! This is a bowl of soup simply ideal for a chilly day.

Close-up on soup in white mug

Oh. My. Word. How did I forget just how amazing this soup is?? I’ll admit that with over 1800 recipes on this website, it can be a little tricky at times to remember exactly what I’ve made and when, but wow. Just wow. I remembered enjoying the soup, but this has blown my mind all over again.

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I remade it a while back to shoot some new photographs and I could not stop eating it. I had a big bowl for lunch and then had another bowl for dinner when I shared it with my family.

I already have it on our meal plan again. This one is going to be in the regular rotation for a while. If you’re a mushroom lover, this soup needs to be on your must-make-as-soon-as-possible list.

Ladling creamy mushroom soup from cooking pot

Our friend Joe was a Hungarian American and he was a gift in my family’s life for over 15 years. He passed away 5 years ago, a few months before we moved to Ohio. We were lucky enough to live across the street from him in Phoenix for a few years and I always tried to invite him over for dinner when I was trying a new Hungarian recipe.

Joe’s parents fled from Hungary when he and his brother were just a few years old. The biggest compliment I’ve ever received on my recipes was when he would grin and pass his plate for seconds after telling me that the dish tasted exactly the way his mother used to make it.

Creamy mushroom soup

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

I can’t believe I waited so long to make this soup! It is fantastic. Other mushroom soups I’ve tried have been watery and lacking in flavor, even though I love mushrooms!

Not the case with this one. It’s lightly creamy, rich and full of savory flavor brightened by a squeeze of lemon juice added at the end of cooking. The fresh dill brings out the very best of the mushroom taste and I couldn’t get enough of that broth.

I made a big pot of this soup for lunch and between my three boys and myself, there wasn’t a single bite left for my husband to taste later.

They all asked for seconds. I was bummed not to have any leftovers the next day. Lesson learned: ever since then, I double the recipe when I make this soup.

Adding soy sauce and paprika to pot

Since I first posted this recipe, I’ve made it several more times; we continue to love every batch of it just as much as the first. Bonus–the leftovers taste even better the next day! 

I’ve made this soup countless times over the years and I’ve also learned to double the mushrooms. (The recipe below is already doubled. If you prefer more broth and fewer mushrooms, the original recipe calls for only 16 ounces of mushrooms.)

Other than that, I haven’t tweaked this recipe all that much from the original. My entire family loves it – even the kid who isn’t a huge fan of mushrooms.

Adding chicken stock to pot

Hungarian Mushroom Soup Recipe

Start by heating olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the mushrooms, soy sauce, dill, paprika, and about half a cup of stock.

Stir to combine and then cover with lid. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the mushroom mixture and liquid from the pot to a bowl and set aside.

Mushroom mixture in glass bowl with black spatula

Place the pot back on the stove over medium heat and melt butter in it. Add the cornstarch and whisk until creamy. This should only take about a minute. Slowly add the milk while whisking constantly.

Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.

Adding milk to mixture in pot

Add the mushroom mixture back into the pot along with the rest of the stock. Cover with the lid and simmer for another 10 minutes or so.

Just before serving, add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Remove a small amount of broth from the pot and whisk the sour cream into it. Add this mixture back into the pot and stir to combine.

Adding mushrooms to mixture in pot

This recipe makes enough soup for 4 hungry people as a full meal or for 8 people served with a side of crusty bread and a light salad.

Looking for more mushroom recipes? These Rosemary Mushrooms might be just your style, too.

Juicing a lemon wedge over bowl of creamy mushroom soup

Leftovers of this soup will keep beautifully in the fridge for three or four days. In fact, this soup makes a fabulous make-ahead meal because it tastes even better after the flavors have a chance to mingle.

You can also freeze this soup in freezer-safe bags or airtight containers. Let thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before reheating on the stove or in the microwave. If you enjoy mushrooms, you’re going to love this meal!

Scooping ladleful of soup from pot

Hungarian Recipes

Thanks to our friend Joe and my sister’s mother-in-law Jenny, Hungarian and Polish recipes have become some of our family’s favorites over the years. If you’re in the mood for a full Eastern European feast, serve this soup as an appetizer for a meal of Layered Cabbage Rolls.

Never one to be deterred from my favorite foods by lack of time to cook, I also love this quick and easy take on cabbage rolls, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls.

Overhead shot of creamy soup in white mug with black spoon

Three simple ingredients combine to create Polish Kapusta. If you are a fan of crock-pot cooking, this is an excellent meal to start in the morning and then forget about all day. And while it may be a little more Polish than Hungarian, you might also like this {20 Minute} Kielbasa Cabbage Potato Skillet.

Do you know how to make Pierogi? Buttery, crisp Pierogies stuffed with potatoes, cheese, and sauerkraut are a holiday favorite from the very first bite for everyone who tries them.

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Close-up on soup in white mug

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

5 from 2 votes
This is a lightly creamy, rich soup, full of earthy mushroom flavor that is brightened by a squeeze of lemon juice added at the end of cooking.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large sweet yellow onion diced into ½-inch pieces
  • 32 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced thin
  • 1 teaspoon dill weed
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock divided
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper adjust to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften.
  • Add the dill, paprika, soy sauce, and ½ cup of stock. Stir to combine and then cover with lid. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture and the liquid from the pot to a bowl and set aside.
  • Return the pot to the stove over medium heat and melt the butter in it. Add the cornstarch and whisk smooth. Slowly add the milk while whisking constantly. When the milk mixture is smooth, add the remaining chicken stock while whisking constantly.
  • Add the mushroom mixture back into the pot along with the rest of the stock. Bring to a simmer. Use a ladle or a small measuring cup to remove a small amount of broth (about ½ cup) from the pot and then whisk the sour cream into it.
  • Add the sour cream mixture back to the pot and stir to combine. Add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutrition

Calories: 154kcal · Carbohydrates: 14g · Protein: 6g · Fat: 9g · Saturated Fat: 4g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3g · Trans Fat: 0.1g · Cholesterol: 21mg · Sodium: 403mg · Potassium: 673mg · Fiber: 1g · Sugar: 6g · Vitamin A: 476IU · Vitamin C: 2mg · Calcium: 80mg · Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 2/13/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/6/24}

recipe gently adapted from and with thanks to The Moosewood Cookbook via For The Love Of Cooking

Creamy mushroom soup in mug with black spoon

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. Becki's Whole Life says

    There are so many wonderful flavors in this soup – yum! Ella likes mushrooms, I wonder if she would like this soup? This kind of reminds me of the beef stroganoff my mom used to make (minus the beef of course:-))…but the gravy was amazing and it had the sour cream and mushrooms. I guess that is a hungarian recipe, too. So yummy!

  2. Monet says

    Wow…this would be perfect with a loaf of sourdough. I'm going to wait for a cool day and make a batch. I hope you had a great start to your week. I spent mine baking and writing…a much needed day of rest. Thank you for sharing yet another delicious post!

  3. Anonymous says

    This is a delicious and unusual mushroom soup. It was just as good–maybe even better–leftover! Thanks for a great recipe! Norma

  4. Terri says

    Hi, Mary! This sounds delicious and am looking forward to making it. I have a dill hating person and am wondering if the soup works without the dill. It looks like it would. Have you tried it sans dill?

  5. Maggie says

    Maybe this was fine in 2012 but not anymore. Do you know how much this would cost to make today in 2024 ? Forget it.

    • Mary Younkin says

      Well, I buy a big package of mushrooms at Costco for about $6, Maggie. So, the soup isn’t all that expensive to make most of the time. If I were buying them at a traditional grocery store, it would likely run 2-3x that much. As I pointed out in the post though, I’ve doubled the amount of mushrooms to our tastes. If you want to use half the amount, it is still delicious and is a more traditional version of the recipe.

  6. Janeen Humphreys says

    I come from a Hungarian family.And I cook a lot of Hungarian food. My kids were brought up on Hungarian food. Now it’s only me. So cooking for me my is hard.But I am going to make this soup. Thank for sharing Janeen Humphreys5 stars

  7. Lisa says

    What a wonderful, delicious meal! It’s like a warm hug. This will make it into my rotation. I’d give it
    10 ⭐️ if I could!!!5 stars