This wild mushroom soup recipe is packed with delicious wild mushrooms, tender potatoes, and colorful veggies. It’s light, yet savory, and comforting down to the bones!
If you’re native to Washington state, you know mushroom picking in the fall is a popular pastime. We lived there before moving to Tennessee, but my parents are still there. They continue the yearly family tradition of going mushroom picking every fall. It is kind of like going to the pumpkin patch — it’s a must in order to really usher in and welcome the fall/autumn season. Plus, Slavics just really like their mushrooms… it’s a thing!
This wild mushroom soup reminds me of those crisp, cool fall days. My family made this soup after each mushroom-picking adventure and I still have the warmest, coziest feelings associated with it. The soup combines the taste of fall and the traditional Russian/Ukrainian/Slavic flavors — I always looked forward to it every fall!
Serving tip: I serve this light soup as an appetizer or a side dish to any meal. Since the soup is traditionally meatless, I often serve it alongside a protein like baked steak with vegetables or grilled ribeye.
Wild Mushroom Soup Video
Making Wild Mushroom Soup
Wild mushroom soup is crazy easy to make! Eight ingredients and 20 quick minutes of prep time are all you need to get it done.
- Boil the mushrooms: Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the sliced mushrooms for 15 minutes. Then, strain the hot water, rinse the mushrooms, and set them aside.
- Cook the veggies: In a Dutch oven or soup pot, sauté the diced medium onion in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil until it is soft and translucent. Next, stir in the mushrooms and shredded carrot and sauté them until the carrot soften.
- Build the soup: Pour in the water and add the potatoes and bay leaves to the pot. Season with the beef broth concentrate (this is my go to for fast and easy flavor), salt, and black pepper. Cook until the potatoes are al dente. Enjoy!
Hot tip: Check out specialty stores for wild mushrooms. They are occasionally found in regular grocery stores, but I find they’re most easily found in Asian markets or most natural food stores. In the fall season, you can even find them in bulk at your local Costco! Shiitakes, oysters, porcini, chanterelles, and cremini mushrooms all work amazing.
Tips to Make the Best Wild Mushroom Soup
This recipe has followed me across multiple state boundaries and decades… just like these tips!
- Use any mushrooms: Honestly, you can use any mushrooms you can find. For an inexpensive option, white button mushrooms or fresh brown mushrooms will work. Or, use dried wild mushrooms (let them soak in water and plump up first before proceeding with the recipe!). Feel free to use a mix of mushrooms, too. Oh, and there’s no need to discard the stems — they’re perfectly edible!
- Slice the veggies into evenly sized pieces: For even cooking, slice the veggies into similar sized pieces.
- Opt for Yukon Gold potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are the best potatoes for this soup. They are slightly sweet and hold up nicely in the broth without getting mushy like starchier russet potatoes.
- Simmer the soup over medium heat: Cook the soup over medium heat to allow the ingredients to come together steadily. Or, if you have more time, cook it on low for an hour to really let the flavors develop.
- Garnish the soup with fresh herbs: To add a pop of flavor and brightness, add in fresh thyme, dill, or green onions right before serving.
- Make it creamy (optional): If you like a creamy wild mushroom soup, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream to the broth while it’s simmering. You can even add a little Parmesan cheese as well for some nuttiness!
Wild rice substitution: Feel free to swap the potatoes out for one cup of dry wild rice (Trader Joe’s has a great option).
Storing & Reheating Leftover Soup
I love mushroom soup leftovers. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just like many soups, the flavors develop over the course of a few days, making it uber delicious! To reheat, simply heat the soup in a small saucepan until it’s warmed through.
Hot tip: Avoid freezing this soup as the potatoes tend to thaw to a mushy texture.
More Tasty Soup Recipes
- Creamy Vegetarian Borscht Recipe – Beets and cabbage in a sour cream infused vegetable broth
- Easy Salmon Chowder Recipe – Smoked salmon, potato, and celery chowder
- Quick & Easy Wonton Soup Recipe – Asian dumplings in a light broth
- Minestrone Soup (Olive Garden Copycat) – Tomato-based broth with beans, veggies, and noodles
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb wild mushrooms
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 large carrot shredded
- 3 qts water
- 3 potatoes cleaned and diced
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
- 1 tsp salt adjust to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper adjust to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Next, clean and cut the mushrooms into small pieces and boil them for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse, and set them aside in a bowl.
- In the same large soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onions in two tablespoons of oil until they're soft and translucent (about 7-10 minutes). Add in the mushrooms and carrots and sauté until the carrots soften.
- Add 3 quarts of water into the pot, bring it to a boil. Add potatoes and bay leaves.
- Season the soup with the Better Than Bouillon Beef Base, salt, and pepper. Boil until the potatoes are soft. Serve hot and enjoy!
Hi Nataliya, would I have to do anything different if I used dried wild mushrooms?
Hi Ana, depending on the brand of mushrooms. Sometimes you need to let them sit in hot boiling water for a bit. They would be in soup for flavor vs eaten with the soup. Flavors is definitely amazing but just slightly different soup. Hope this helps.