We know things this year will be different this holiday season. Especially for those who made vacation plans elsewhere, we’re with you in that 2020 was not what we had in mind when we think of celebrations. But if there’s anything else the year has taught us, it’s that good food has a powerful way of making things feel like everything’s going to be okay. And that’s what we’re here for, to give you the kind of food and service that’ll still warm up your homes.
This Hungarian Mushroom soup recipe is very easy and will look look sophisticated in the eyes of your family, friends or coworkers. It originally appeared in Mollie Katzen’s hand-lettered-and-illustrated vegetarian gem, The Moosewood Cookbook (1974). This book is amazing, and amazingly hipster to revisit now, especially now when your recipe library is most likely online. It features hand-drawn pictures of little vegetables and is a joy to flip through.
My family always enjoyed this as part of our Christmas Eve meal, which was lighter than the following days’ over-the-top decadence and featured primarily traditional Polish fare (I’m half-Polish so just think all the cabbage — stuffed cabbage, Haluski which is a cabbage and egg noodle dish, and of course Pierogies). Now as an adult, I cheat and make Hungarian Mushroom soup or some variation on the regular, especially in the winter or when I’ve decided (again) that I’m totally a vegetarian. It’s quick, earthy-delicious, and hearty in a way that doesn’t make you feel like you have to hit the gym the next morning.
HUNGARIAN MUSHROOM SOUP
Servings: 2-4 people
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
- 12 oz sliced mushrooms. Any kind will do, jazz it up with some baby bella’s, or shimeji’s for texture
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour (gluten free works just as well)
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tsp dill weed, fresh or dried
- 1 tbsp Hungarian paprika. There are a ton of varieties of paprika with different flavor profiles- there’s no wrong kind. I like to use a spicier variety, but whatever you have in your pantry will work just fine.
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
- Ground black pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Over med-high heat, sauté onions in a large saucepan with a few spoonfuls of stock. Salt lightly.
- After a few minutes, add sliced mushrooms, dill, half your remaining stock, soy sauce, and paprika. Cover and simmer for 15 min.
- In the meantime, create a simple roux by melting butter in a small saucepan. Add flour and whisk, making sure not to burn it.
- Add milk and continue to whisk over low heat until thick, about 10 minutes.
- Add roux to mushroom mixture with remaining stock, stir, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Keep tasting as you go along to make sure it suits your flavor preferences. Add more salt if you’re like me.
- Before serving, add sour cream, ground black pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy with some nice warm bread or better yet, in a bread bowl.
- Add some red pepper for a kick and don’t skimp on the lemon juice. It makes all the difference — simple and approachable, with surprisingly subtle flavors. Enjoy!
**What’s a roux, anyway? Roux is French for “red,” and is a mixture of equal volumes of a starch and a liquid fat that are cooked together. It’s used as a thickener for liquids in stews, sauces, and soups as in this Hungarian Mushroom soup recipe.
Speaking of Roux/Red, if you haven’t checked it out yet, I’ve also shared my Aromatic Mulled Wine recipe here, if you want to sip on something fancy while making this soup or simply serve your guests something more than your regular bottle of red wine.
Written by Chef Olivia Gover
