Creamy Porcini Mushroom Soup
Slovenian porcini mushroom soup with potates and carrots
EQUIPMENT
- 1 cooking pot
INGREDIENTS
- 500 g porcini mushrooms (or 1.8 oz/50 g dried porcini mushrooms)
- 450 g potatoes
- 150 g carrots
- 2 onions (smaller)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 120 ml white wine
- 180 g sour cream
- 30 g butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1,2 l vegetable broth
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp marjoram
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 bay leaf
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INSTRUCTIONS
- If you’re using dried porcini, soak them first in hot water or broth for about 15 minutes until soft. Once rehydrated, drain them and continue with the recipe as written.
- Clean the fresh porcini gently with a brush or damp cloth and slice them into larger pieces — they’ll shrink as they cook. Prepare the rest of the vegetables: peel and dice the potatoes into small cubes, slice the carrots thin, finely chop the onion, and crush the garlic.
- Warm a mix of olive oil and butter in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic and let them cook slowly until soft, fragrant, and golden. This forms the flavor base of your soup.
- Stir in the carrots and cook for a minute or two so they release their sweetness, then add the porcini. Keep stirring while they fry gently (you want them to caramelize just a little).
- Add the potatoes and pour in enough vegetable broth (or water) to fully cover the ingredients.
- Once the soup comes to a boil, lower the heat, cover with a lid, and let it simmer slowly for about 30 minutes.
- When the potatoes and carrots are tender, pour in the white wine and let everything simmer for another five minutes.
- Take out a few spoonfuls of potatoes, mash them with a fork, and stir them back in. This will thicken the soup naturally without needing flour or starch.
- Stir in the sour cream (or cooking cream, if you prefer a milder taste). At this stage, you can blend the soup with a hand blender for a smooth texture or leave it rustic with visible chunks.
- Finish with a handful of fresh parsley and give it another minute to mingle with the flavors. Serve the soup hot with garlic croutons or homemade bread.
NOTES
Skip washing the porcini. Just brush away using your hands, a soft brush, or a dry kitchen towel. Porcini soak up moisture quickly, so it’s best to keep them dry. If they were picked on a rainy day, cook or blanch them right away to keep them at their best.
Add the wine only near the end. Pouring it in too early can make the vegetables stay a little hard and prevent the soup from becoming silky and starchy.
Use a dash of vinegar for a twist. A spoonful added before finishing gives the soup a light tang and lifts the earthy porcini flavor.
Cut the carrots thinly. They take longer to soften than potatoes.
For a smoother soup, blend it. A hand blender will turn it into a creamy, velvety texture right in the pot. Keep a few porcini aside for garnish. Sauté them lightly and add them just before serving.
Add dumplings or žganci. These little additions soak up the broth perfectly, making the soup super hearty.
STORAGE:
Porcini soup is best eaten fresh, while it’s still warm and full of umami flavor. If you have leftovers, cool them quickly and refrigerate them. It’s fine to reheat once, but avoid doing it more than that.
Cook smaller batches and store extra porcini separately by drying or by blanching and freezing. You can add frozen ones straight into the pot when making a new soup.
In any case, avoid leaving the soup at room temperature for extended periods.
NUTRITION
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 2457mg | Potassium: 968mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 7404IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 2mg