Polish Christmas mushroom soup is made using dried porcini mushrooms and a simple vegetable broth. This delicious soup is served with Polish ‘lazanki’ pasta and is one of 12 traditional dishes of the Christmas Eve meal.
You might also like Polish Christmas borscht.
Polish mushroom soup (zupa grzybowa) with lazanki pasta is a traditional Christmas Eve dish in certain parts of Poland (including central and northern regions).
Poles love their mushrooms and make various types of mushroom soups throughout the year. While everyday mushroom soups tend to be hearty and might include vegetables, potatoes, barley as well as regular mushrooms this particular soup is a little different.
This wild mushroom soup is strictly vegetarian (Polish Christmas Eve is meatless) and a little austere in that it contains very few ingredients.
This soup is all about mushrooms!
Polish mushroom soup ingredients
Polish mushroom soup ingredients.
The dried porcini mushrooms are cooked separately then added into a vegetable broth made using onion, carrot, celeriac and fresh parsley as well as vegetable stock for more flavour. The recipe also contains a little butter for frying the mushrooms. Because the vegetable stock contains salt you may not need to add any but you can add a generous amount of pepper (highly recommended!).
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1.To prepare the mushrooms soak them in a little water for 3 minutes then rub with your fingertips to remove any grit and rinse the mushrooms thoroughly. Place in a pot and add 250 ml/1 cup of water. Cover and bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. (In the meantime boil the pasta according to the packet instructions).
Remove from the heat and put the mixture through a fine mesh sieve making sure you reserve the liquid.
2. Chop the mushrooms finely. In a small pan heat up the butter and fry the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes stirring often. Set aside.
3. While the mushrooms are cooking make the broth. To the pot add the vegetables, parsley, allspice berries and vegetable stock.
4. Cover and bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 40 minutes. Using a slotted spoon lift the vegetables out of the pot (you won’t need them anymore).
5.Using a fine mesh sieve pour in the liquid from cooking the mushrooms and adjust the seasoning. Add the fried mushrooms, bring the soup to the boil again and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning if needed (add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce if using) and serve with the pasta and sour cream.
Optional extras
One non-traditional ingredient I love to use in this soup is a tablespoon of dark soy sauce. It adds a lovely depth of flavour and really complements the mushrooms. Stir it into the soup once fully cooked.
An ingredient commonly used in Polish soups (including this one), which I omitted as it’s not easily available outside of Poland, is parsley root (pietruszka). It looks like parsnip but tastes a little different. If you are able to buy it (it is sometimes sold in Polish delicatessens) you can add one into the broth but use less fresh parsley.
Make it vegan
The only non-vegan ingredient in this Polish mushroom soup recipe is butter which can be swapped for plant-based spread. Serve the soup without the sour cream/cream but perhaps with a drop of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.
Substitutions
- Celery root: use celery stalk (along with the leaves) if preferred.
- Pasta: if you can’t get the lazanki pasta use another small pasta variety such as small pasta shells, pipettes, mini farfalle etc.
Serving suggestions
Polish mushroom soup is traditionally served with pasta (lazanki), a dollop of sour cream or splash of cream and freshly chopped parsley. Leftovers can be used as stock to add flavour to soups (such as barley) or stews.
Top tips
- The most affordable porcini mushrooms I’ve ever come across tend to be sold in Polish shops.
- Rinse the mushrooms thoroughly to get rid of any grit before making the soup (see Instructions).
- You can boil the mushrooms in advance and once cooled refrigerate (overnight) until you are ready to make the soup.
- Boil the pasta while the mushrooms and vegetable broth are bubbling away.
- Be generous with the seasoning, especially the pepper.
- Best served immediately. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
You might also like
- Porcini Mushroom Dumplings (Uszka)
- Polish Sauerkraut Pierogi (Kapusta) Dumplings
- Polish Kutia Recipe (Wheat Berry Pudding)
- Dried Fruit Compote Recipe (Christmas)
Check out also this creamy mushroom and potato soup recipe!
Keep in touch!
If you make this Polish mushroom soup recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Polish Wild Mushroom Soup (Christmas Recipe)
Equipment
- Fine mesh sieve
- Small pan
- 3 medium pots
Ingredients
- 35 g dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 onion peeled
- 1 medium carrot peeled
- 40 g celery root piece peeled
- 6 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 allspice berries
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 l vegetable stock
- 250 ml water for cooking the porcini
- Sour cream for serving
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 70 g lazanki/quadretti pasta
Instructions
- To prepare the mushrooms soak them in a little water for 3 minutes then rub with your fingertips to remove any grit and rinse the mushrooms thoroughly. Place in a pot and add 250 ml/1 cup of water. Cover and bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. (In the meantime boil the pasta according to the packet instructions).
- Remove from the heat and put the mixture through a fine mesh sieve making sure you reserve the liquid. Chop the mushrooms finely. In a small pan heat up the butter and fry the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes stirring often.
- While the mushrooms are cooking make the broth. To the pot add the vegetables, parsley, allspice berries and vegetable stock. Cover and bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 40 minutes. Using a slotted spoon lift the vegetables out of the pot (you won’t need them anymore).
- Using a fine mesh sieve pour in the liquid from cooking the mushrooms and adjust the seasoning. Add the fried mushrooms, bring the soup to the boil again and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning if needed (add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce if using) and serve with the pasta and sour cream.
Notes
- The most affordable porcini mushrooms I’ve ever come across tend to be sold in Polish shops.
- Rinse the mushrooms thoroughly to get rid of any grit before making the soup (see Instructions).
- You can boil the mushrooms in advance and once cooled refrigerate (overnight) until you are ready to make the soup.
- Boil the pasta while the mushrooms and vegetable broth are bubbling away.
- Be generous with the seasoning, especially the pepper.
- Celery root: use celery stalk (along with the leaves) if preferred.
- Pasta: if you can’t get the lazanki pasta use another small pasta variety such as small pasta shells, pipettes, mini farfalle etc.
- I like to add a tablespoon of dark soy sauce into the soup once cooked but this is optional.
- Best served immediately. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
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