Description
A comforting and flavorful Polish Mushroom Soup featuring a mix of dried porcini and fresh mushrooms, simmered with aromatic herbs and finished with creamy sour cream. Perfect for warming up on a chilly day or as a festive holiday dish.
Ingredients
Mushrooms
- Dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in warm water (about 1 ounce)
- Fresh cremini or button mushrooms, sliced (8 ounces)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- Unsalted butter (3 tablespoons)
- Chopped onion (1 medium)
- Chopped celery (2 stalks)
- Minced garlic (2 cloves)
Soup Base and Seasonings
- All-purpose flour (2 tablespoons)
- Vegetable or mushroom broth (4 cups)
- Reservoir liquid from soaked porcini mushrooms (about 1 cup, strained)
- Bay leaf (1)
- Dried marjoram (1 teaspoon)
- Soy sauce (1 tablespoon)
- Salt (to taste, about 1 teaspoon)
- Black pepper (to taste, about 1/2 teaspoon)
Finishing Touches
- Sour cream (1/2 cup)
- Chopped fresh parsley (2 tablespoons, for garnish)
Instructions
- Soak Mushrooms: Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in warm water for about 20 minutes to rehydrate, then drain and chop them finely. Reserve the soaking liquid by straining it to remove any grit.
- Sauté Vegetables: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery and cook until softened and translucent, about 5–7 minutes.
- Cook Fresh Mushrooms and Garlic: Add the fresh sliced mushrooms and minced garlic to the pot. Cook until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown, about 7–8 minutes.
- Make Roux: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and mushrooms, stirring continuously to form a light roux. Cook for about 1 minute without letting it brown, ensuring the flour flavor cooks out.
- Add Liquids: Slowly pour in the vegetable or mushroom broth and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Season and Simmer: Add the chopped porcini mushrooms, bay leaf, dried marjoram, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and the soup to thicken slightly.
- Finish Soup: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Temper the sour cream by stirring a small amount of hot soup into it to avoid curdling. Then slowly mix the tempered sour cream back into the pot. Cook on low heat for a few more minutes without boiling.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use all dried mushrooms for a deeper, more intense flavor or all fresh mushrooms for a lighter, milder soup.
- For a creamier texture, replace part of the broth with whole milk or cream, adding it after the simmering step.
- The reserved mushroom soaking liquid adds rich umami but should be strained well to avoid grit.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, especially with soy sauce and salt.
- This soup freezes well; reheat gently to preserve texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Polish
