CreaMY MUSHROOM AND SMOKED PAPRIKA SOUP oup.png

Creamy mushroom and smoked paprika soup

  • Serves 4
  • Prep time: 15 mins | Cooking time: 45 mins

It’s soup season and this warm and comforting creamy mushroom soup has a delicious smokey kick with the addition of smoked paprika. Serve it alongside bread and garnished with fresh herbs for a hearty winter warmer.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 200g brown mushrooms, quartered (we used Swiss brown)
  • 200g white button mushrooms, quartered
  • 2L vegetable stock
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
  • ½ cup cream or sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp parsley, roughly chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Bread to serve

Method

  1. Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large pot or saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring often, until translucent.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Add smoked paprika and cook for 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 7 - 10 minutes to soften.
  4. Add the stock, soy sauce and potatoes, and bring to the boil.
  5. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 - 20 minutes to reduce the stock and allow the potato to soften.
  6. Stir through the cream and simmer on low for a further 5 minutes. Use a stick blender purée until smooth.
  7. Continue to simmer on low until the soup has reached your desired consistency, then serve immediately.
  8. Garnish with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil, season to taste and serve with your choice of bread.

Top tips:

  1. This recipe uses a mixture of brown and white mushrooms for different flavours and textures—however, you can use just one type of mushroom for a more budget-friendly option.
  2. The recipe calls for smoked paprika—adding a hint of smokiness and sweetness to the dish, but you can substitute with regular paprika or a touch of chilli flakes.
  3. Soy sauce adds depth and a savouriness to the soup, but you can use tamari for gluten-free or alternatively, a teaspoon of marmite or vegemite will also add a deeper flavour.
  4. Cream adds body and richness to the dish—if that fat separates to the top when added, blitz again for it to come together. For a lighter alternative, try evaporated canned cream. Dairy-free alternative would be to use soy cream or add extra potato and a splash of olive oil for creaminess.
  5. Vegetable stock tends to have salt added, so check the seasoning before adding salt and pepper to taste. If using powdered stock rather than liquid stock, adjust the water to taste.
  6. Fresh dill or parsley gives the soup a vibrant freshness, and is best added just before serving. You can use dried parsley or dill, but the flavours won’t be as vibrant—add 1 teaspoon rather than a tablespoon if using dried, and at the start of cooking.
  7. Soups containing cream are best eaten within 1-2 days, and stored in an airtight container.
  8. Transfer any leftover soups into smaller airtight containers rather than in a single large container, so they cool faster in the fridge.
  9. This soup can be frozen without the cream to be eaten in batches—just stir through your cream of choice during reheating.
  10. Serve with toasted bread—reserve any leftover garlic and herbs to make garlic bread.