Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Rich and ultra creamy, this authentic Hungarian Mushroom Soup is the real deal and will knock your socks off! Itโ€™s a comforting vegetarian soup, loaded with flavors ranging from Hungarian sweet paprika to dill and a splash of lemon.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup in bowl with roasted mushrooms as garnish

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5 STAR REVIEWS


If youโ€™ve been looking for an authentic Hungarian Mushroom Soup recipe, your search is over. Hungarian mushroom soup hails from traditional Hungarian cuisine, rooted in rustic, hearty peasant cooking where mushrooms were plentiful and affordable. Itโ€™s evolved over the years, but this recipe is the real deal made with a savory, creamy base featuring onions and mushrooms sautรฉed in butter, generous amounts of high-quality Hungarian paprika, tangy sour cream, and fresh dill.

This recipe is actually one of my favorite meatless recipes and a go-to for entertaining vegetarian friends. The rich, creamy base is irresistible, while the mushrooms make it hearty and filling and itโ€™s great when served with a slice or two of crusty bread.

Helpful Tips & Variations

  • Use quality mushrooms. For this Hungarian mushroom soup, I choose to use white button mushrooms. Cremini mushrooms (aka baby portobello mushrooms) are in the same family and can be used interchangeably with white button mushrooms, or use a combination of both. These are your best options for mushroom soup as theyโ€™re firm with good flavor and just the perfect size for slicing. Look for ones that appear firm with no mushy spots and relatively clean.
  • Hungarian Paprika is a must. If you want the full flavor of this soup, Hungarian Paprika is a must. Regular paprika does not compare when it comes to the depth of flavor in paprika imported from Hungary. If you canโ€™t find any at your local store, you can get Hungarian Paprika online. For this recipe, I used Hungarian half-sharp sweet paprika, which has a sweet and mild flavor. If you want a little more kick to your soup, you can use Hungarian Half Sharp Paprika, which is a bit spicier. Avoid Spanish paprika because while itโ€™s great in paella, itโ€™s not so great in this soup.
  • Ensure itโ€™s creamy. While you can user lower fat ingredients, for best results and creamiest texture, use full fat sour cream and milk. This soup is meant to be creamy and luscious!
  • Do not boil. You want to keep this soup at a gentle simmer throughout the cooking process but especially after adding the sour cream. Bringing it to a boil could cause it to curdle.
  • Easily make it gluten-free. If you need the soup gluten free, simply replace the soy sauce with Tamari (which is the closest in flavor and color) or coconut aminos (for a slightly sweeter, milder taste), and Bragg Liquid Aminos.
  • Need it to be vegan? Note that results will be different, but if you need this soup to be vegan, use non-dairy milk and non-dairy sour cream.
5 from 162

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Rich and creamy, this Hungarian Mushroom Soup is loaded with flavors ranging from Hungarian sweet paprika to dill weed and even a splash of lemon. It's a comforting vegetarian soup that's perfect for the cooler months.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Ingredientsย 

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cups diced onions
  • 1 pound fresh button mushrooms, sliced (reserve and sautรฉ 1 cup for garnish)
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
  • 1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika, (see note)
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ยฝ cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • ยผ cup chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Garnish: sautรฉed sliced mushrooms, fresh chopped parsley, dollop of sour cream
  • Popovers, or sliced dutch oven bread, for serving, optional

Instructionsย 

  • Melt butter over medium heat in a 5 quart dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Add onions and sautรฉ for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add in the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the dill, paprika, soy sauce, and vegetable broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and very gently simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch and milk until completely blended; stir mixture into the soup until incorporated. Place the cover back on the pot and very gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 10 or so minutes.
  • Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne.
  • Cook for another 3 minutes or so over low heat until warmed through (do not allow it to boil.)
  • Serve in bowls and garnish with sautรฉed mushrooms, a dollop of sour cream, and additional parsley. Enjoy with some crusty bread on the side.

Video

Notes

Do not boil. You want to keep this soup at a gentle simmer throughout the cooking process but especially after adding the sour cream. Bringing it to a boil could cause it to curdle.
Use Hungarian Paprika. If you want the full flavor of this soup, Hungarian Paprika is a must. Regular paprika does not compare when it comes to the depth of flavor in paprika imported from Hungary. If you canโ€™t find any at your local store, you can get Hungarian Paprika online. For this recipe, I used Hungarian sweet paprika, which has a sweet and mild flavor. If you want a little more kick to your soup, you can use Hungarian Half Sharp Paprika, which is a bit spicier.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 733mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1392IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

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How To Make Hungarian Mushroom Soup Step By Step

ingredients to make Hungarian mushroom soup

Gather your ingredients.

sauteed onions and sliced mushrooms in soup pot

Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat in a 5 quart dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Add 2 cups diced onions and sautรฉ for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add in 1 lb. sliced button mushrooms and cook 5 minutes.

chicken broth being poured into a pot of mushroom soup

Stir in 2 teaspoons dried dill, 1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, and 2 cups vegetable broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and very gently simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

cream being poured into a pot of mushroom soup

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons corn starch and 1 cup whole milk until completely blended; stir mixture into the soup until incorporated. Place the cover back on the pot and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 10 or so minutes.

sour cream, herbs, and seasonings being added to pot of mushroom soup

Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Cook for another 3 minutes or so over low heat until warmed through (do not allow it to boil.)

overhead ladle full of Hungarian Mushroom Soup in pot

Serve in bowls and garnish with sautรฉed mushrooms, a dollop of sour cream, and additional parsley. Enjoy with some crusty bread on the side.

close up Hungarian Mushroom Soup in bowl with spoon

What to Serve with Mushroom Soup

When serving Hungarian mushroom soup, I like to add a garnish of additional sautรฉed mushrooms, a dollop of sour cream, and some chopped parsley. Not only does it make the presentation of the soup look nice, it also adds some extra flavor.

Crusty dutch oven bread or popovers are the perfect accompaniment to this rich, luscious soup. Itโ€™s the best way to ensure you get every single drop. You could also serve this soup in a bread bowl instead of a regular bowl.

If you want to make it a soup and salad combo, try pairing it with a bright green caesar salad or even a cucumber salad, which has a cool and refreshing flavor to complement the richness of the soup. For an even heartier dish, put a scoopful over some cooked egg noodles.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

  • How to store leftovers. Refrigerate any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last 3 to 4 days. Since this is a soup with a decent amount of dairy, donโ€™t let it sit out for too long.
  • How to reheat leftovers. Leftovers can be gently reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.
  • Can you freeze mushroom soup? Since this vegetarian soup recipe is filled with dairy, I do not recommend freezing it. Frozen dairy tends to separate from the rest of the soup and become gritty once thawed. Part of the joy in this soup is the smooth, creamy texture and you will lose most of that by freezing it.

More Vegetarian Soup Recipes:

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe โ€“ be sure to give it a review below! Also donโ€™t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!

My Hungarian Mushroom Soup recipe was originally published 2/15/22. It was retested and republished to be better than ever 2/21/26.

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About Amy Flanigan

Well, hey there! Amy here, founder and COO at BellyFull. If youโ€™re looking for tried and true, fuss-free, budget-friendly, delicious, every day recipes, youโ€™ve come to the right place.

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196 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Dawn Lucas
March 8, 2026 3:18 pm

Sooooo easy and absolutely delicious!! Definitely a keeper!

Debbie
March 2, 2026 3:45 pm

Made this tonight and I loved it! Another great recipe. I used Sweet Hungarian paprika from Budapest! My son and daughter-in-law brought it to us from their trip!

PATIENCIA
March 2, 2026 3:34 pm

I NEVER HAD HOMEMADE MUSHROOM SOUP AND I KNEW AMY’S RECIPE WOULD BE VERY TASTY AND IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! DIDN’T CHANGE A THING. WILL HAVE TO MAKE AGAIN AND AGAIN!

Jill Gaul
February 22, 2026 10:20 am

This soup is delicious. I followed this recipe exactly how itโ€™s written. The depth of flavor is amazing.

Wendy
February 21, 2026 11:46 am

I can’t wait to make this soup! My SIL is vegan and GF, so I have learned to make delicious substitutions in other recipes. I love Hungarian sweet paprika! It’s my go-to in many dishes calling for paprika.

You got my attention with this recipe, and I can tell from reading the ingredients that it will be a winner! I’ll keep you posted. :)

Leesa
February 21, 2026 8:58 am

I needed more non meat recipes for Lent and your recipes NEVER disappoint!! Thank you Amy…p.s. I never change anything in any of your recipes and yep I got the Hungarian paprika!!

Sandy Niece
January 17, 2026 9:24 am

This Hungarian Mushroom Soup is the real thing. Eating it transported me back to Christmas Eve in my Grandma’s kitchen. So easy to bring together; I used chopped onions and pre-sliced mushrooms from the produce aisle so no chopping and no mess. It was delish – no leftovers – my husband and I ate the entire pot of soup with a side salad and warm crusty bread. I don’t cook much anymore but this was certainly worth the effort! BTW, I ordered Hugarian paprika on Amazon, a few dollars but not too bad for a great product. Thanks for the recipe and the memories!!

Patricia Stefanicha
December 30, 2025 5:42 pm

I bought two big containers of white mushrooms at Costco to make stuffed mushrooms for Christmas, but only used one. Iโ€™ve been searching for a recipe to use up the other container (which turned out to be about a pound and a half)This was the answer!! I didnโ€™t change the amounts of anything else and the soup was delicious!! Thanks for this wonderful recipe!

Shelia Kessler
March 30, 2025 1:18 pm

I have made this recipe many times. I love it.

Mr. Snite
March 23, 2025 12:31 pm

Excellent!!! I did make a couple of little changes. I added additional black pepper, 2 cloves home grown garlic, Added dry mushrooms and the water used to rehydrate them. Went with 1T sweet paprika and 1T smoked paprika. This freezes well.

Heather
February 17, 2025 11:06 pm

Best recipe ever. Getting some good quality Hungarian paprika from a spice shop makes it even better.

Gretchen Herrington
February 12, 2025 8:53 am

My guests said this was 5 star restaurant quality.
I made second time using a blend of shitake and button mushrooms. I also added rotisserie chicken on top. Love how quick and easy this recipe comes together.

AnneInHfx
February 6, 2025 1:31 pm

Love this recipe! I’ve made it a few times for guests, too, and we all love it.

Cathy Gamble
January 31, 2025 5:58 am

I would give more stars because it is above and beyond delicious. Stick with authentic Hungarian Sweet paprika!

Gretchen Herrington
January 21, 2025 3:27 pm

This recipe exceeded all expectations! Rave reviews all around. I was out of milk so substituted half and half. Will make again experimenting with different mushrooms. This one is definitely a keeper.

Shannon Hamman
January 16, 2025 12:50 pm

This soup and recipe are amazing, easy to prepare and the taste is so rich and delicious. Always in my Hall of Fame recipes!

Laurie
January 14, 2025 11:17 am

Finally after buying Hungarian paprika at least a year ago to make this, I finally actually did it and it turned out beautifully. I had more mushrooms than it called for (an extra 8 oz) and I just used them without any issues. So good and hearty, it’s soup season now but it would be great all year round. Thanks Amy!

Karen Jacobsen
January 11, 2025 3:36 pm

Omg! This was so good!!!!

Elizabeth
November 22, 2024 11:25 pm

Very authentic. Just could not get genuine Hungarian sweet paprika in Australia.

Susan
November 21, 2024 8:26 am

I have made this several times – so delicious. I would like to take a batch to a potluck. Can you reheat this in a crockpot and add sour cream at the end?