Carpathian mushroom soup made with porcini mushrooms is a traditional first course that features locally sourced, organic ingredients. The people of the Carpathians prepare this dish using forest treasures combined with garden vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions, thickening the broth with a fragrant roux made from flour, sour cream or cream, and spices. This hearty and filling soup, made from fresh or dried mushrooms, is typically based on a broth enriched with mushrooms and vegetables, along with flour, sour cream, cream, and sometimes melted cheese for added flavor and texture.
Ingredients: 2 liters of water; 100 g dried porcini mushrooms or 1 kg fresh mushrooms; 1 onion; 1 carrot; 1-2 potatoes (optional); 1 parsley or celery root (optional); 3 tablespoons oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 4 black peppercorns; 1 bay leaf; salt to taste; 100 g homemade noodles or vermicelli (for serving).
Soak the dried mushrooms in water for 2 hours, then rinse thoroughly and chop*.
Prepare the broth using 1.5 liters of water (you’ll need an additional half liter for the sauce). Place a pot of water on the stove with the chopped mushrooms, potatoes, and parsley or celery root. Bring to a boil, then add salt, pepper, and the bay leaf. Simmer the broth on low heat for half an hour to develop a rich flavor.
Dice the onion and grate the carrot. Sauté the vegetables in oil until golden brown, then add them to the broth during the last three minutes of cooking**.
In a separate pan, sauté the flour in butter, then add the sour cream, stirring to combine. Gradually pour in the liquid to create a sauce. Add this sour cream sauce to the broth with the mushrooms and vegetables, stir, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Cook the noodles in salted water separately and drain them in a colander***.
To serve, place the cooked noodles in a bowl, ladle the hot mushroom soup over them, and sprinkle with fresh herbs.
Life Hacks
* Fresh mushrooms for the soup should be cleaned of dirt and washed, but not soaked, to prevent them from absorbing excess moisture and losing flavor.
** There’s no need to rinse cooked noodles if you’re preparing a hot dish with sauce, as rinsing washes away the starch necessary for the sauce to adhere. Rinsing is only important when using noodles in salads, Asian dishes, or casseroles to prevent them from sticking together.
*** When making mushroom soup with melted cheese, add the cheese only after the potatoes and other vegetables are cooked—about 10 minutes after boiling. Stir until the cheese melts and dissolves into the broth.
P.S. For more soup recipes and mushroom dishes, check out our previous posts:
And for insights on the benefits and dangers of mushrooms, gathering rules, cooking tips, and preservation advice, check out these articles:
