Tomato soup with mushrooms

When it's cold outside and I crave something warm, a tomato soup with salted mushrooms is among the first options that come to mind. It doesn't even matter if I don't have fresh tomatoes, because I always have canned tomatoes or homemade tomato juice in the pantry. The salted mushrooms from the jar fit in very well here. It's a generous dish that lasts for several days, so I prepare it quite often.

Quick info

Total time: about 60 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: vegetable soup, winter

Ingredients

1/2 cup salted mushrooms
300 g whole peeled tomatoes (canned)
500-600 ml tomato juice (preferably homemade)
1 onion
1 carrot
1/2 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons mixed vegetables (root vegetables for soups)
1 tablespoon roasted pepper paste
2-3 tablespoons oil
salt
pepper
dried basil
3-4 tablespoons rice
fresh parsley

Preparation method

1. First, soak the salted mushrooms in cold water to desalt them. Ideally, let them sit for at least 30 minutes and change the water once.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel the carrot and cut it into thin strips or rounds, as preferred. Dice the bell pepper. Cut the peeled tomatoes into suitable pieces.
3. When the mushrooms are ready (they lose some salt), drain them and cut them if they are too large.
4. Put 4-5 liters of water in a large pot. When it starts to boil, add the mushrooms, onion, carrot, bell pepper, and mixed vegetables (you can rinse them under cold water first).
5. Let it boil over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the diced tomatoes, tomato juice, and roasted pepper paste.
6. After 10 minutes, add the diced tomatoes, tomato juice, and roasted pepper paste to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Continue boiling until the vegetables are tender. Wash the rice well, then add it to the soup along with the oil. If you prefer, you can sauté the vegetables in oil at the beginning, but it works just as well added directly.
8. Let it boil until the rice is cooked, about 10-15 minutes. Check for salt and pepper.
9. Finally, add chopped fresh parsley and a pinch of dried basil. Remove the pot from the heat and cover for a few minutes to let the flavors meld.
10. It can be served with sour cream if you like.

Why I make this recipe often

It's a hearty soup, easy to adapt with what you have at home. It keeps well in the fridge, and if I add a little liquid when reheating, it doesn't thicken too much. The mushrooms give a unique texture, and canned or juiced tomatoes are available all year round.

Tips and variations

Tips
If the mushrooms are very salty, it’s worth changing the soaking water twice.
If you don’t have roasted pepper paste, it can be omitted or replaced with a bit more fresh pepper.
The rice should be well washed before adding it to the soup to avoid clouding the liquid.

Substitutions
Mushrooms can be replaced with other salted or fresh mushrooms if you don’t have any.
Store-bought tomato juice is acceptable, but homemade has more flavor.
If you don’t use mixed vegetables, compensate with more carrot and bell pepper.

Variations
You can add more rice for a heartier soup, but it becomes almost a stew.
You can add a bit of chopped celery at the end for a more intense root vegetable flavor.
If you like it tangier, you can add a tablespoon of vinegar at the end.

Serving ideas
It goes well with plain sour cream or thick yogurt.
Toasted bread or polenta are suitable sides.
It can also be eaten cold, but it’s definitely better warm.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use frozen or fresh mushrooms?
Yes, but if you use frozen or fresh mushrooms, there’s no need for desalting. Add them directly to the soup, but check for salt at the end.

2. What is mixed vegetables in a jar?
Usually, it’s a mix of grated vegetables (carrot, parsnip, celery, bell pepper) preserved with salt. If you don’t have it, you can use chopped fresh vegetables or leave it out.

3. Can I omit the rice?
Yes, if you don’t want rice, the soup turns out well without it, just with more vegetables.

4. Can I make the soup thicker?
Increase the amount of rice or vegetables, but be careful not to make it too dense.

5. How much salt should I add if the mushrooms are not salty?
Add salt to taste, keeping in mind that the tomato juice and roasted pepper paste may add salt as well.

Nutritional values

Estimate for one serving (out of 8):
Calories: 110-140 kcal
Proteins: 3-4 g
Carbohydrates: 18-20 g
Fats: 3-4 g
Values vary depending on the amount of oil and whether sour cream is used for serving. The soup is low in fat if the oil is reduced.

Storage and reheating

The soup keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days. When reheating, if the rice has absorbed some liquid, add a little water or tomato juice. Freezing is not recommended, as the rice and mushrooms change texture. It reheats best over low heat without boiling hard.

We soak the mushrooms in cold water to desalt them. We clean the onion and chop it. We peel the carrot and then cut it into julienne. We dice the red pepper and the peeled tomatoes in the same way. After the mushrooms have desalted, we drain them and cut them into suitable pieces. In a pot, we put about 4-5 liters of water. We place it on the heat, and when it boils, we add the mushrooms, onion, carrot, pepper, and the vegetables that we previously rinsed under cold water. We let it boil for about 10 minutes, then we add the diced tomatoes, tomato juice, and the pepper paste. We season with salt and pepper to taste. After the vegetables have boiled enough, we wash the rice, add it to the soup, and also add the oil. If you don't want to add the oil while boiling, you can sauté the vegetables in it at the beginning. It's your choice. We let it boil a few more times until the rice is cooked, and at the end, we sprinkle chopped fresh parsley, a little dried basil, and cover the pot to infuse the flavors. It can be served with sour cream. Enjoy your meal!

 Ingredients: 1/2 cup of salted mushrooms 300 grams of whole peeled tomatoes (I used Sun food) 500-600 ml of homemade tomato juice 1 onion 1 carrot 1/2 red bell pepper fresh parsley 2 tablespoons of vegetables 1 tablespoon of pepper paste with kapia 2-3 tablespoons of oil salt pepper dried basil 3-4 tablespoons of rice

 Tags:  soup tomato soup vegetables