Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Published: Nov 10, 2022 by Kathy Carmichael · This post may contain affiliate links.

Savory and rich, Hungarian mushroom soup is thick and creamy and full of vegetables. This Hungarian mushroom soup recipe is so delicious! It's the perfect bowl of savory goodness to warm you this season and all year round.

Hungarian mushroom soup with a spoon garnished with micro greens and fresh dill on the counter

As I've said before, I LOVE soup, and I love mushrooms equally. So, today, I made my favorite Hungarian mushroom soup. When I lived in Michigan, we often ate at the Inn Season, a little vegan restaurant. Located in Royal Oak, Michigan, the Inn Season opened its doors in 1981. And, I attest to the phenomenal food that continues to create a line out the door every day. Deciding what to order off their menu is a difficult task. Yet, no matter what entree tempted me, I always ordered a cup of the Hungarian mushroom soup recipe.

Jump to:

What Makes Hungarian Mushroom Soup Unique?
Soup Ingredients
Soup Ingredient Substitutions
Smoked Paprika vs. Regular Paprika
Recipe FAQs
Tips
The Best Vegan Soup Recipes
📖 Recipe
💬 Reviews

Unfortunately, the Inn Season mushroom soup contains a lot of oil, which I learned from an inside source.

Even though I attempted to make several Hungarian mushroom soup recipes without oil, none has the same intense savory flavors as my beloved Inn Season mushroom soup recipe.

So, I decided to make my own, and I must say I did it! And it's oil-free!

What Makes Hungarian Mushroom Soup Unique?

Hungarian mushroom soup in a cup with a spoon

The combination of smoked paprika, dill, and tamari (soy sauce), is the hidden secret to this savory soup. Zesty and full of mushrooms and various vegetables, this thick and rich Hungarian mushroom soup is to die for.

Another secret is to dice all the vegetables very small to get the texture and creaminess. To cut all my vegetables into uniform sizes, I used my Fullstar vegetable chopper, my favorite time-saving kitchen gadget.

Soup Ingredients

Small diced vegetables cooking in a soup pot on the stove

Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic cloves whenever possible.
Yellow Onion: Yellow is the ideal variety for caramelizing. When you are sauteing onions, build the flavor as a base for your soup.
Summer Squash: This type of squash looks precisely like a zucchini, but it is yellow.
Zucchini: Zucchini is rich in vitamin B6. Research suggests that this vitamin can help with regulating blood glucose.
Carrots: The fiber in carrots can help keep blood sugar levels under control. And they're loaded with vitamin A and beta-carotene, which there's evidence to suggest can lower your diabetes risk. They can strengthen your bones. Carrots have calcium and vitamin K, both of which are important for bone health.
Celery: Celery is about 95 percent water and contains generous amounts of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.
Potatoes: I used baking potatoes and cut them into tiny pieces using my vegetable chopper.
White Button Mushroom: White buttons feature the classic mushroom umami flavor that is slightly milder than other varieties of mushrooms.
Smoked Paprika: Regular paprika contains crushed dried chili peppers. Smoked paprika is made from smoke-dried chili peppers that were dried over an oak fire before being ground into a powder.
Fresh Dill: Dill has a deliciously fresh, citrus-like taste, with a slightly grassy undertone. The trademark subtle sweetness means it works particularly well with garlic and mint, and it's sometimes used as a substitute for parsley.
Soy Sauce: Soy sauce provides an umami flavor.
Nutmeg: Nutmeg is known for its warm, nutty flavor, making it the perfect addition to comforting sweet and savory dishes. Once ground, nutmeg spice takes on a warm and aromatic flavor with notes of clove.
Ground Black Pepper: I prefer fresh ground pepper for the most profound flavor.
Sea Salt: Seas salt enhances all the flavors in the soup.
Organic Vegetable Broth: I buy organic vegetable broth in bulk at Costco because I use it so often.
Bay Leaf: Bay leaves are used in soups, stews, brines, meat, seafood, vegetable dishes, and sauces. The leaves also flavor many classic French and Italian dishes. The leaves are most often used whole (sometimes in a bouquet garni) and removed before serving (they can be abrasive in the digestive tract).
Whole-Grain Flour: Whole-grain flour is used in the roux of the soup as a thickener.
Raw Cashews: Raw cashews supply the creaminess of the soup. However, there are nut-free options in the recipe substitutions.
Unsweetened Unflavored Plant Milk: I like oat milk because its so creamy.
Lemon Zest: Lemon zest has an intense lemon/citrus flavor with very little bitterness. The bitterness is primarily found in the white part of the lemon

Soup Ingredient Substitutions

Use ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per garlic clove in a recipe.
White onion often substitutes yellow onion in recipes.
If summer squash or yellow zucchini isn't available double the amount of zucchini.
Choose any type of potatoes; leave the skin on our remove. However, cutting the potatoes the same size as the other vegetables is essential.
Try baby portobello mushrooms instead of button white mushrooms.
1 medium-size lemon = approximately 1 tablespoon of lemon zest = 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
For a gluten-free soup, substitute the soy sauce with liquid aminos or Tamari. And exchange the whole-grain flour for a gluten-free flour of choice.
Any unsweetened, unflavored plant milk works well for this Hungarian mushroom soup recipe.
Instead of cashews, blend ¼ cup flour (gluten-free or any type) with the plant milk.

Although most Hungarian mushroom soup recipes contain sour cream, cream, or some dairy, I replaced the dairy with plant milk and cashews. But I also provide a nut-free option in the recipe.

The roux, typically made with a combination of oil and butter, is created using gluten-free (or whole-grain flour). Most roux, for instance, is produced separately and combined later.

Instead, I used one pan and developed a thickening roux using only flour and vegetable broth.

I chose white button mushrooms, not only because of availability but also because of how they cook into the soup. Unlike my Vegan Clam Chowder Oh My! recipe, the mushrooms cook in the soup rather than separately.

Add the mushrooms to the soup pot on the stove

It is simply about combining spices and herbs and allowing the soup to simmer on the stove while you make the cashew milk to add a creamy texture to the Hungarian mushroom soup.

Fresh dill, for example, is a MUST! Not only is a ½ cup fresh dill the correct amount, but the mushroom soup recipe also isn't complete without it.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup Recipe in a bowl garnished with dill and microgreens

Smoked Paprika vs. Regular Paprika

Furthermore, smoked paprika is another MUST! The difference is simple, yet it makes all the difference in the Hungarian mushroom soup flavor.

Smoked paprika uses smoke-dried and then crushed chilis, whereas regular paprika is just crushed dried chilies without the smokiness.

The first time I tried this mushroom soup recipe, I used regular paprika.

So, I used liquid smoke, and it didn't even come close to the same flavors. With that being said, smoked paprika is strongly recommended for the mushroom soup to turn out the way it should.

Recipe FAQs

What makes Hungarian Mushroom soup Hungarian?

Paprika makes your Hungarian Mushroom Hungarian! Basic paprika, however, differs from Hungarian smoked paprika.

Why should you skip canned mushroom soup?

It's best to skip canned mushroom soup not only because it's not the healthiest option but because it usually contains chicken as its base ingredient.

Is eating mushroom soup healthy?

It's delicious and easy, ready in no time, healthy, and budget-friendly: Not only are Mushrooms good, but they are fat-free, low-sodium and low-calories. They're also packed with fiber, vitamins, essential minerals like Selenium and antioxidants

Tips

I usually meal prep on Sundays, but this week I prepped on Saturday for the week. I chop all the veggies I plan to use during the week and put them into airtight containers for the week.
I chopped the onion and garlic into one container for this Hungarian mushroom soup recipe. Then I chopped the other veggies that cooked together and measured them out in another container.
Then, I sliced the mushrooms thin and placed them in a different container.
Now, all I have to do is the cooking part, which is easy. However, since I love to cook and don't like cutting, I enjoy cooking much more if I cut everything up in advance.
If you meal prep core main meals, not only do you save money shopping, but you also can do all the chopping at once. This week, for example, I planned to make recipes that included yellow and green zucchini, onions, and garlic, so I chopped once.
And, leftovers pack well for lunches as well.
Just remember, cooking and planning can save you a ton of time and reduce your kitchen stress. For example, I served this soup for dinner with a simple dinner salad and rice crackers.

This Hungarian mushroom soup recipe is fabulous, with some warm bread for dipping or serving as a cup of soup for a side dish. No matter how you serve it, you won't be disappointed.

The Best Vegan Soup Recipes

If you love Hungarian mushroom soup, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

📖 Recipe

Kathy Carmichael

Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/