Hungarian mushroom soup, known as gombaleves in Hungarian, is a beloved soup in Hungarian cuisine. It’s a creamy, hearty soup made with a variety of mushrooms, vegetables, and dairy products.
Main Ingredients
The primary ingredients in Hungarian mushroom soup are:
- Mushrooms – A mix of fresh mushrooms like button, cremini, oyster, chanterelle, porcini etc.
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Bell peppers
- Tomato paste
- Flour
- Sour cream or heavy cream
- Dill
- Paprika
- Butter or oil
- Chicken or vegetable broth
- Parsley
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
Steps to Make Hungarian Mushroom Soup
Here are the basic steps to make authentic Hungarian mushroom soup:
- Sauté onions, carrots, celery and bell peppers in butter or oil until softened.
- Add chopped mushrooms and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes until mushrooms are browned.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir to coat them.
- Add tomato paste, paprika, broth, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in sour cream or heavy cream. Do not boil once added.
- Finish with lemon juice, dill and parsley.
- Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Garnish bowls of soup with extra parsley and serve hot.
Variations
There are several tasty variations on traditional Hungarian mushroom soup:
- Meat – Add cubed beef, pork or chicken for extra protein.
- Dumplings – For more texture, add tiny bread or flour dumplings.
- Barley – Mix in pearl barley before simmering for extra nutrition.
- Sourdough – Swap the flour for tangy sourdough breadcrumbs.
- Cheese – Stir in grated cheese like parmesan or cheddar for richness.
- Herbs – Experiment with marjoram, thyme or rosemary.
- Mushrooms – Play around with more exotic mushroom varieties.
- Potatoes – For heartiness, add cubed potatoes.
Tips for Best Flavor
Here are some tips for making the most delicious Hungarian mushroom soup:
- Use a mix of mushroom varieties for depth of flavor.
- Cook the mushrooms thoroughly to draw out their umami qualities.
- Sauté the vegetables first for sweet, caramelized notes.
- Simmer the soup slowly to allow flavors to meld.
- Finish with generous amounts of fresh dill and lemon.
- Use homemade chicken or beef broth for superior taste.
- Add flour sparingly to thicken without dulling flavors.
- Stir in dairy at the end, just until heated through.
- Season well with salt, pepper and paprika.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and sour cream.
Nutrition
Hungarian mushroom soup is a relatively healthy soup option. Here is the nutrition breakdown for a 245g serving:
| Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| 135 | 8g | 10g | 6g |
It provides nutrients like:
- Vitamin D and selenium from mushrooms
- B vitamins and fiber from vegetables
- Protein from mushrooms and optional meat
- Calcium, fat and protein from dairy
The soup delivers a satisfying meal with relatively low calories, moderate fat, and high nutrients. The abundance of vegetables and mushrooms make it extra healthy.
Conclusion
Hungarian mushroom soup is the ultimate creamy and savory mushroom soup. It’s made by sautéing a mix of mushrooms, onions, carrots, celery and bell peppers, then sim sim simmering in broth with paprika and tomatoes. Sour cream is swirled in at the end for richness. The soup can be varied endlessly and is easy to make. With its enticing aromas and deep, earthy flavors, this soup is a beloved staple of Hungarian cuisine.