Slovak Machanka (Sour Mushroom Soup) Recipe

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 05/21/22
Slovak sour mushroom soup recipe

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
268 Calories
16g Fat
29g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 268
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 986mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 230mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

In the Slovak, Ukrainian, Carpatho-Rusyn Orthodox Christian tradition, sour mushroom soup (machanka or mačanka) is a meatless soup served for Christmas Eve velija supper and also any time fasting is required, like Advent and Lent.

It's a hearty soup made with woodsy dried mushrooms that must be reconstituted by soaking overnight, so plan accordingly. 

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces dried imported mushrooms, or porcini mushrooms

  • 6 cups water

  • 1 medium onion, whole

  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 3/4 cup sauerkraut juice

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 5 to 7 tablespoons canola oil, or unsalted butter if not fasting

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, mixed with 1 cup water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Slovak sour mushroom soup
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 

  2. In a medium bowl, combine the dried mushrooms and 2 cups of the warm water. Cover with plastic and let soak overnight.

    Combine dried mushrooms and water
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. The next day, remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid without disturbing the sediment at the bottom and chop them into small pieces.

    Remove mushrooms
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. In a large pot, carefully pour in the soaking liquid without disturbing the sediment at the bottom. Add the chopped mushrooms, 4 cups water, the whole onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until mushrooms are tender.

    Carefully put in soaking liquid
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  5. Remove onion and add 3/4 cup sauerkraut juice or to taste.

    Remove onion
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  6. In a small skillet, brown the flour in 4 tablespoons oil until a dark brown roux is achieved and add to soup, whisking until smooth. Temper the mixture of 1/2 cup flour and 1 cup water by adding a little hot soup into it, whisking until smooth. Pour the tempered mixture through a strainer back into the hot soup, stirring constantly.

    Brown flour
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  7. In a large skillet, add 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil and brown the sliced onion until darkand caramelized. Set aside.

    Add canola oil
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  8. When ready to serve, add browned onions to soup, mixing well. Pour into a heated soup tureen or ladle into heated soup bowls.

    Add browned onions
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Recipe Variations

  • For Christmas Eve, the soup course for Slovaks who are Catholics typically is kapustnica, a sauerkraut soup with mushrooms, garlic, caraway, paprika, nutmeg, onions and apples or plums for a hint of sweetness. When the soup is served on a non-fasting day, pork and sausage are added to the cooking pot.
  • In the eastern part of Slovakia, it is called jucha and is made only from sauerkraut juice mixed with dried peas, plums and, on nonfasting days, can include sausage. Where the cuisine has been influenced by the Orthodox Christian tradition of Ukraine, it is known as mačanka (also spelled machanka) as in the above recipe.