Light Soup With Mushrooms

Published June 5, 2025

Light Soup With Mushrooms
Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Rating
4(169)
Comments
Read comments

Impossibly rich but never heavy or thick, light soup is a Ghanaian favorite, made by gently simmering dried fish or meat in a pot, then briefly adding onion, tomato, ginger and chiles to the broth. This version replaces the protein with mushrooms and is endlessly adaptable. You can add any summer vegetable of your choice, such as baby potatoes, spinach, squash or zucchini. If you prefer to add fish, toss in some chunks of a simple white fish at the end of the cooking process. The choice is really yours. —Yewande Komolafe

Featured in: I Was Sidelined by Illness. This Soup Got Me Back in the Kitchen.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement


Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1ounce/1 heaped cup dried mushrooms, such as shiitake, porcini or portobello
  • 3large plum tomatoes, halved
  • 1medium red or yellow onion, peeled and quartered 
  • 1Scotch bonnet chile, stem off
  • 1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and halved
  • 1tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1teaspoon bouillon, such as Better Than Bouillion paste, or use light miso (optional)
  • 2cups mushrooms (oyster or shitake), or use 4 (4-ounce) fish fillets, such as tilapia, catfish or cod, skin on or off, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 2teaspoons kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

137 calories; 2 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 510 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium pot, add the dried mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, Scotch bonnet chile, ginger and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to medium. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tomato skins start to crack and slip off easily when pulled.

  2. Step 2

    Remove the tomatoes, onions, ginger and Scotch bonnet (leave the dried mushrooms in the pot), and place in a blender or food processor. Coarsely pulse with 2 cups water, about 1 minute.

  3. Step 3

    Strain this mixture back into the pot using a sieve. Press down on the mixture until it’s somewhat dry. Discard what’s left in the sieve. Stir the tomato paste and bouillon, if using, into the pot.

  4. Step 4

    Bring to a boil, add the salt and simmer the soup on medium-low heat until thickened but still brothy, 25 to 30 minutes. Skim any foam off the surface. Add the sliced mushrooms (or fish) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until tender and just cooked through. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
169 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Scotch bonnets do have a specific flavor, so a good option would be to add the chile at the beginning and then remove and discard it *instead* of pureeing it with the tomatoes and other aromatics. You could, of course, sub in whatever less potent chile is available to you, to no-doubt delicious but different effect.

If you use miso instead of bouillon, don’t add it until after the soup has boiled. Boiling destroys valuable nutrients in miso.

Many milder chilies. Ask your veg person at the store. But Scotch Bonnets have fruity undertones, so go in that direction.

Make a different recipe. This one was not good, even after adjusting based on previous comments. Total waste of ingredients. That said, I am holding onto the leftovers just to see if it gets better after it sits overnight. I am not hopeful that it will.

I wanted to like this but it was way too spicy to enjoy. My friend who loves spiciness said it was the spiciest soup he’d ever have, and at first it was too much for him but he enjoyed it.

Made with a red onion, two beefsteak tomatoes, dried shitakes, fresh oyster mushrooms, grated ginger, a Serrano pepper & Better than Boullion chicken. The serrano added the right amount of heat at the back of the throat. I think the red onion made it a little sweet, and with the tomato paste & tomatoes gave it a red tinge. I agree with comments about the dried mushrooms, they are chewy and it appears they aren't in the finished soup in the picture. I'll use dried porcini next time.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Credits

Adapted from Afia Amoako

or to save this recipe.