Polish Mushroom Soup with Yukon Gold Potatoes Recipe

This Polish Mushroom Soup features Yukon Gold Idaho® Potatoes and three kinds of mushrooms: White Button, Baby Bella, and dried Porcini. You can serve it chunky with a splash of cream, partially blended for a creamier texture with vegetable pieces, or fully blended for a classic cream-of-mushroom soup—choose the texture you prefer.

What is Polish Mushroom Soup

Poland has a long autumn tradition of mushroom foraging when families head to the forests to gather wild varieties. Many households dry their finds—especially Porcini—by hanging or drying them over heat so they can be used all winter. Zupa Grzybowa, or Mushroom Soup, made with dried Porcini, is common at Christmas Eve in some homes, though many families enjoy mushroom soups throughout the colder months.

Another common version is Zupa Pieczarkowa, made with White Button mushrooms, which were traditionally the most readily available market variety. For this recipe I combined fresh White Button and Baby Bella mushrooms with dried Porcini for a deeper, rounder flavor. Use whatever mushrooms you like—combining varieties adds complexity.

Polish soups are often served chunky rather than pureed, though that’s a matter of personal taste. In my household everyone prefers something different: I like it chunky, my husband prefers it partially blended, and my children want it fully smooth. This recipe adapts well to any of those textures.

Why Yukon Gold Idaho® Potatoes?

I use Yukon Gold Idaho® Potatoes for their buttery flavor and creamy yellow flesh, which hold up well in soups and add a pleasant texture. Other Idaho® Potato varieties will also work, but Yukon Golds lend a subtle richness that pairs especially well with mushrooms.

Ingredients Overview

Below are the main ingredients. Quantities and a printable recipe card follow in the recipe section.

• Fresh mushrooms (White Button and Baby Bella are used here; other varieties can be added)
• Dried Porcini mushrooms (optional; soak and rehydrate before use)
• Leeks (white part, washed and sliced)
• Carrots
• Celery stalks (you can use celeriac where available)
• Yukon Gold Idaho® Potatoes (medium, cubed)
• Parsnip (peeled; used to boost broth flavor)
• Onion (sweet Vidalia or yellow)
• Mushroom broth (or vegetable/chicken broth)
• Heavy cream (for finishing)
• Clarified butter or olive oil (for sautéing)
• Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

How to Make Polish Mushroom Soup

Preparing this soup involves a few stages: rehydrating dried mushrooms (if using), making the vegetable base, sautéing fresh mushrooms, and combining everything before finishing with cream.

Step 1: Rehydrate Dried Porcini (Optional)

• Place dried Porcini in a pot of water and let them soak for at least an hour or overnight for best results.
• Bring the water to a boil and simmer until the mushrooms are tender, about an hour. Reserve the cooking liquid if you want to enhance the soup’s mushroom flavor—strain carefully to avoid any sediment.

Step 2: Make the Broth Base

• Heat clarified butter or oil in a large soup pot.
• Add chopped leeks and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened.
• Add chopped carrots, celery, and cubed potatoes, and cook a few more minutes to release flavor.
• Add mushroom (or vegetable/chicken) broth and the parsnip, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Step 3: Sauté Fresh Mushrooms

• Slice fresh mushrooms and chop the onion.
• In a skillet, heat the remaining clarified butter or oil. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the sliced mushrooms and cook without stirring for about 10 minutes to let them brown, then stir, season with salt and pepper, and cook another 5 minutes until they are cooked through and flavorful.

Step 4: Combine and Finish

• Add the sautéed mushrooms and onions to the simmering broth.
• If using rehydrated porcini, remove them from their soaking liquid with a slotted spoon, roughly chop, and add to the soup. If you plan to use some of the porcini soaking liquid, ladle from the top and pass it through a fine strainer to avoid grit.
• Remove and discard the parsnip if desired. Cover and simmer another 10 minutes to meld flavors.
• Stir in the heavy cream and heat through—do not boil vigorously after adding cream.
• Serve chunky, partially blended, or fully blended according to taste. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and enjoy.

Recipe Card

Notes

Tip: To intensify mushroom flavor, add some of the strained liquid from the porcini, but filter it carefully to remove any grit. If available, mushroom bouillon cubes can also boost flavor.

Nutrition (per serving, approximate): 287 kcal

Author: Edyta