Name: Georgian Mushroom Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 700 g white button mushrooms (champignons), cleaned and sliced; 300 g potatoes, peeled and diced; 150 g yellow onion, finely chopped; 28 g unsalted butter; 1.2 L water, for boiling the potatoes; 500 ml light cream, about 10–11% fat; 500 ml whole milk; 5 g fine salt, or to taste; 0.5 g ground black pepper, or to taste; 60 g leek, white and pale-green parts, thinly sliced; 5 g fresh dill and 5 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Wide view of pale mushroom and potato soup topped with browned mushroom slices, leek rings and herbs.

Yield6 soup servings

Serving basisOne-sixth of the finished pot, about 330–360 ml

DifficultyModerate; browning mushrooms in batches and gently heating dairy are key

DietVegetarian; contains milk

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The dish

About Georgian Mushroom Soup

### Creamy champignon and potato soup with leek and herbs

A Georgian home-style bowl of browned mushrooms and potatoes, blended with milk and light cream, then finished with leek, dill and parsley.

Georgian food writing describes several mushroom soups rather than one fixed national formula. This version follows a Georgian-language home recipe that cooks champignons with onion and butter, blends them with boiled potatoes, and loosens the purée with cream and milk. This is presented as one measured home rendition rather than a single canonical formula.

Brown the mushrooms in batches so their moisture can evaporate and their edges take on color. Potatoes give the soup body; blending most, but not all, of the mushrooms leaves a few tender pieces in each bowl. A modest amount of leek and fresh dill and parsley completes this creamy version.

Keep the dairy at a gentle heat and stir often, especially across the base of the pot. A hard boil can scorch the milk or make the cream look grainy. Keep this version focused on creamy champignons and potatoes, finished with leek and fresh herbs; it does not use walnuts, meat or kharcho spices.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Georgian Mushroom Soup

Soup

700 gwhite button mushrooms (champignons), cleaned and sliced
300 gpotatoes, peeled and diced
150 gyellow onion, finely chopped
28 gunsalted butter
1.2 Lwater, for boiling the potatoes
500 mllight cream, about 10–11% fat
500 mlwhole milk
5 gfine salt, or to taste
0.5 gground black pepper, or to taste

Finish

60 gleek, white and pale-green parts, thinly sliced
5 gfresh dill and 5 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method

Prepare the vegetables. Clean and slice the mushrooms. Peel and dice the potatoes, finely chop the onion, and thinly slice the leek. Chop the dill and parsley; keep the leek and herbs for the finish.
Cook the potatoes. Put the potatoes in a saucepan with the measured water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 12–15 minutes until a knife passes through easily. Drain well and set aside.
Soften the onion and brown the mushrooms. Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms in batches, letting each batch release its liquid and brown at the edges before adding the next. Reserve a small spoonful of browned mushrooms for garnish.
Blend and add the dairy. Blend the cooked potatoes and most of the mushrooms with a little of the milk until smooth. Return the purée to the pot. Gradually stir in the remaining milk and all the cream.
Warm, season and finish. Heat over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until steaming and just beginning to bubble; do not hard-boil. Add the leek, salt and pepper and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, until the leek softens. Stir in dill and parsley, taste, then serve hot with the reserved mushrooms on top.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

Dry the mushrooms after cleaning and avoid crowding the pan; crowded mushrooms release liquid and steam instead of browning.
Blend most of the mushrooms and potatoes with a little milk first, then stir in the remaining dairy. This helps create a smooth soup without overfilling a blender.
Keep the finished soup just below a rolling boil and stir the bottom regularly to prevent scorching.

Practical notes

If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a little hot milk or water; if it is thinner, simmer gently for a few extra minutes while stirring.
For a smoother finish, blend all the mushrooms. For more texture, reserve a larger handful and fold it into the pot just before serving.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow covered containers within 2 hours at 4 °C or colder. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat while stirring to at least 74 °C / 165 °F throughout, or bring the soup to a rolling boil.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

Serving size: One-sixth of the pot, about 330–360 ml
Energy: About 265 kcal
Carbohydrates: About 19 g
Protein: About 9 g
Fat: About 16 g
Fibre: About 1 g
Sodium: About 350 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk. Check cream, milk, butter and seasoning labels for other allergens or cross-contact. Refrigerate the soup in shallow containers within 2 hours, keep it at 4 °C or colder and use within 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers to at least 74 °C / 165 °F throughout or bring the soup to a rolling boil. During cooking, stir frequently and use gentle heat so the dairy does not scorch.

The result

Expect a pale, silky soup with rounded mushroom flavor, soft potato body and a few browned mushroom pieces.
Serve as a warm first course or a light meal, with the fresh herbs and leek added at the last moment.