Polish Porcini Mushroom Soup (Zupa Borowikowa)
Zupa borowikowa Say it: ZOO-pah boh-roh-vee-KOH-vah
Zupa borowikowa is Poland's beloved wild mushroom soup, built on dried porcini (borowiki) whose deep, woodsy perfume fills the kitchen as it simmers. It is an autumn and winter staple, ladled out at home and in country inns, and it appears in a meatless form on Christmas Eve tables. The broth is silky with cream, lightly thickened, sweet with root vegetables and studded with potatoes and mushrooms. Each spoonful tastes of forest floor, butter and dill — simple, deeply savoury and unmistakably Polish.
Polish Porcini Mushroom Soup (Zupa Borowikowa)
Zupa borowikowa
Pronounced ZOO-pah boh-roh-vee-KOH-vah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the soup
To finish
Method
Put the dried porcini in a bowl with the 2 cups (480 ml) warm water and soak for 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge, until fully soft. Lift the mushrooms out, squeeze them gently, chop them roughly, and strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve lined with paper towel to catch any grit.
Melt 2 tbsp (28 g) of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent but not browned.
Add the sliced fresh mushrooms and cook for 8–10 minutes, until they first release their liquid, it evaporates, and the mushrooms turn golden and squeaky at the edges.
Stir in the carrot, parsnip, celeriac, chopped soaked porcini, bay leaf, allspice and peppercorns. Pour in the stock and the strained mushroom liquid, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Add the potatoes and the salt, and simmer uncovered for 15–18 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and the broth tastes deeply of mushrooms.
For the thickening, melt the remaining 3 tbsp (42 g) butter in a small pan, whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, until pale golden and nutty. Ladle in about 1 cup (240 ml) of the hot soup and whisk until completely smooth.
Scrape this paste back into the pot and simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, until the soup thickens slightly and no raw flour taste remains. Taste and adjust the salt.
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cream, dill, parsley and black pepper. Serve hot, with extra dill scattered over each bowl.
Regional variant: Christmas Eve mushroom soup (Zupa grzybowa wigilijna)
For the traditional meatless Christmas Eve version, use only dried mushrooms (about 1 1/2 oz / 45 g, no fresh ones), skip the cream and the flour thickening, and simmer the strained broth with the root vegetables until concentrated and clear-ish. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon, and serve it with tiny mushroom-filled uszka dumplings or fine noodles instead of potatoes.
Cook's notes
- Never throw away the mushroom soaking liquid — it carries most of the flavour; just strain it well through paper towel to remove sand.
- Add the cream off the heat, or temper it with a little hot soup first, so it stays smooth and does not curdle.
- The soup thickens as it stands; loosen leftovers with a splash of stock or water when reheating.
Serve with
Crusty rye bread or rolls for dipping, and extra chopped dill on top.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps 3 days in the fridge or 2 months frozen; reheat gently without boiling and thin with stock.
