Hungarian Mushroom Soup
4.0
(1)
A few years ago I visited the Alaska State Fair and ate my way through a variety of comfort foods, including Hungarian mushroom soup, or gomba leves. It’s a mushroom-heavy soup spiced with Hungarian paprika, dill, and thyme. This soup just hits the spot on a cold night. There are a number of variations that include pasta, turnips, soup dumplings, and more. This recipe, however, is a simple version that includes milk for a creamy, rich texture. Feel free to substitute the paprika with garam masala and a pinch of turmeric and chili powder for a spicier Indian-style soup. You can also use plant-based butter and vegan sour cream to make this soup vegan. —Hetal Vasavada
What you’ll need
Vegetable Peeler
$14 $10 At Amazon
Dutch Oven
$90 At Amazon
8-Inch Chef's Knife
$67 $48 At Amazon
Cutting Board
$10 At IKEA
Measuring Cups
$18 At Bon Appétit Market
Measuring Spoons
$10 At Bon Appétit Market
Wooden Spoon
$9 At Amazon
Spatula
$13 At Amazon
Whisk
$14 At Amazon
Ladle
$10 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
6–8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare your ingredients. Chop 4 medium yellow or white onions (about 1½ lb.) into ¼" pieces. (You should have about 4 cups.) Gently clean 2 lb. mushrooms (crimini and/or shiitake) with a kitchen towel or paper towels. Remove and discard stems; slice caps ¼" thick. Peel 2 medium carrots (about 12 oz.). Cut in half lengthwise, then cut those halves in half lengthwise (you’ll have 4 long spears per carrot). Cut crosswise into ¼"-thick pieces.
Step 2
Smash, peel, and finely chop 6 garlic cloves. Finely chop 2 handfuls of parsley leaves with tender stems until you have ¼ cup; set parsley aside.
Step 3
Melt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of kosher salt (this will help the onion release water and cook more quickly) and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until onion is softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and carrots to pot and cook, stirring often, until mushrooms start to brown, 12–16 minutes. Add garlic, 4 tsp. Hungarian sweet paprika, 4 tsp. dried dill or ¼ cup fresh dill, and 2 tsp. dried thyme or 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Add 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Step 5
Whisk 2 cups whole milk and ¼ cup all-purpose flour in a small bowl or measuring glass to combine. Pour into soup and stir well. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until soup is thick enough to thinly coat spoon, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 6
Mix ¾ cup sour cream and 2–3 Tbsp. broth from soup until loose, then add to soup and stir well to incorporate. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Step 7
Ladle soup into bowls and top each with a dollop of sour cream, some reserved parsley, and a pinch of paprika.
Do ahead: Soup (without sour cream and toppings) can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat before adding sour cream as directed.
