avg —
Dumpling and Mushroom Soup
Instructions
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1.5–2 cm cubes. Pour in 1 litre of cold water in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to the boil, then cook until half-done, about 10 minutes after boiling. Starting in cold water cooks the potatoes evenly – they will not overcook on the outside or stay raw inside.
Cut the onion into small 5 mm cubes and grate the carrot on a coarse grater. Sauté the vegetables in heated vegetable oil for 5–7 minutes until soft and lightly golden. This is the classic fried base for a Russian soup – it gives depth of flavour, colour and aroma.
Cut the oyster mushrooms or champignons into 5–7 mm strips. Add the mushrooms to the fried vegetables and cook for another 3–5 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the finished mushroom mixture into the soup together with the fried onion and carrot. Cook for 5 minutes so the flavours come together.
About 8–10 minutes before the soup is done, add the dumplings to the boiling soup straight from the freezer (without thawing). Frozen dumplings drop straight into the hot liquid and do not have time to fall apart. If you add thawed ones, the dough will disintegrate.
Add finely chopped fresh parsley, spices and salt to taste 1–2 minutes before turning off the heat. Adding the herbs right at the end keeps their bright colour and maximum aroma, while salting early slows down the cooking of the potatoes. You can add a bay leaf (1 pc) and an allspice berry for a classic Russian aroma.
The dumpling and mushroom soup is ready! Ladle it into bowls right after cooking and serve hot. If kept standing in the pan for a long time, the dumplings will keep "cooking" from the residual heat and may fall apart. I serve it with thick sour cream (25–30%), dark Borodinsky bread and mustard if desired.
Tips
- 1
Serve the soup straight after cooking – on standing, the dumplings soak up liquid and the dough starts to fall apart.
- 2
Dumplings with mixed mince (veal and pork) are the tastiest for soup – they give a rich broth.
- 3
You can add a knob of butter or a spoonful of thick sour cream when serving – it gives a gentle creamy accent. I make mushroom soup with meatballs on a similar principle.
- 4
Check the cooking time for the dumplings on the packaging – it can vary from 7 to 12 minutes depending on their size and the dough.
FAQ
Which mushrooms are best to use for the soup? +
Oyster mushrooms are the most budget-friendly and widely available option all year round, giving a background mushroom aroma. Champignons (small or medium) are the classic choice for a Russian soup, with a neutral flavour. Wild mushrooms (porcini, chanterelles, birch boletes) give the brightest aroma but need to be pre-boiled for 15 minutes. Dried porcini (5–10 g, soaked for an hour) give the most concentrated mushroom flavour. Frozen mushrooms are a quick alternative to fresh ones.
Can I make the soup with homemade dumplings? +
Yes, homemade dumplings make the soup even tastier – the dough is more tender and the filling more aromatic. Cook homemade dumplings for 8–10 minutes after they float to the surface – that is the sign they are ready. If the dumplings are larger than shop-bought ones, increase the time by 2–3 minutes. Frozen homemade dumplings are suitable too – cook them without thawing. Freshly made dumplings cook faster than frozen ones, so watch the time.
How should I store the finished dumpling soup? +
It is best not to store it – cook just enough for a single serving at a time. After even one night in the fridge, the dumplings soak up liquid, the dough falls apart and the soup turns into "mush". If you do need to keep it, separate the broth with the vegetables from the dumplings and store them apart – before serving, cook fresh dumplings in the reheated broth for 8–10 minutes. Finished dumpling soup must not be frozen – the texture will be ruined.
What to serve the soup with? +
Classically with dark or white bread, sour cream and chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill). For starters – with pickled cucumbers, homemade horseradish and mustard. For a winter serving – with garlic pampushki (the Ukrainian version), cold kvass or compote. For a spicy serving, add a drop of hot chilli pepper or a spoonful of spicy adjika straight into the bowl. Dumpling and mushroom soup is a self-sufficient dish, a complete lunch with no extra side dishes needed.
- Comment
or post as a guest
Be the first to comment.
