This creamy mushroom paprikash is a vegetarian twist on a Hungarian classic. It's a hearty, comforting dish bursting with the rich flavors of sweet paprika, tender mushrooms, and a creamy sauce. Serve it over egg noodles or homemade dumplings for the perfect meal!

If you love the comforting flavors of chicken paprikash but are looking for a hearty vegetarian twist, you’ll love this mushroom paprikash! This Hungarian classic swaps out chicken for meaty cremini mushrooms. The mushrooms provide a rich, satisfying texture while soaking up all the bold flavors of sweet Hungarian paprika, garlic, and a creamy sauce.
This simple recipe delivers all the warm, comforting flavors of traditional paprikash in a plant-based version that’s just as satisfying. Serve it over egg noodles or homemade spaetzle for a meal that’s both cozy and nutritious!
Why You'll Love This Dish
- Rich & Creamy: The sauce is velvety smooth, thanks to the combination of sour cream and tomatoes.
- Packed with Flavor: Sweet Hungarian paprika, garlic, and wine create an irresistible depth of flavor.
- Vegetarian-Friendly: A perfect meatless alternative to traditional chicken paprikash.
- Customizable: Use your favorite mushrooms like cremini, portobellos, oyster mushrooms, or even trumpet mushrooms.
- Comforting & Satisfying: A Hungarian classic that’s warm, filling, and perfect for cozy evenings.
Doctor's Tips
- Mushrooms are not only delicious but also packed with nutrients that support overall health.
- Mushrooms are low in calories and provide a good amount of fiber and protein. They're also packed with several hard-to-get nutrients like selenium, copper and potassium.
- Mushrooms are one of the few plant-based sources of vitamin D, as they can produce vitamin D2 when exposed to sunlight. Some manufacturers expose mushrooms to ultraviolet (UV) light to increase their content of vitamin D, either by natural sunlight or a UV lamp.
- Mushrooms are also rich in disease-fighting phytochemicals (plant-based compounds) that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects.
Ingredients

Ingredient notes and substitutions. See recipe card at the end of the post for full recipe details.
- Mushrooms- I use cremini mushrooms but you can use any type of mushroom (like portobello or oyster mushrooms) or a mixture of mushrooms for a variety of flavors and textures.
- Spices- Sweet Hungarian paprika is the key ingredient. I also add a little cayenne pepper for heat but if you have hot Hungarian paprika, you can use that instead.
- Tomatoes- I like the combinaton of fresh tomatoes and tomato paste. You can substitute canned tomatoes for fresh.
- Sour cream- This is what makes the classic sauce nice and creamy. I use full-fat sour cream rather than reduced fat so that the sauce doesn't separate. You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for a healthier option.
- Wine- I like to add a little dry white wine for depth of flavor. You can also use red wine, which will give an even richer flavor. You can substitute with vegetable stock if preferred or just leave it out altogether.
- Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the sauce; use a gluten-free blend if needed.
- Noodles: Serve with egg noodles or homemade nokedli or spaetzle (see below).
How To Make Mushroom Paprikash Step-By-Step

See recipe card at the end of the post for full recipe details.
- Step 1- Cook onion and garlic in olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until softened.
- Step 2- Turn heat up to medium high and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.
- Step 3- Stir in sweet paprika, cayenne, flour, and tomato paste. Cook for 30 seconds to toast. Deglaze the pan with wine, scraping up any browned bits.
- Step 4- Add the chopped tomatoes.

- Step 5- Add water or vegetable broth and simmer until the mushrooms are cooked and sauce is thickened.
- Step 6- Turn the heat off and stir in the sour cream and parsley. Serve the mushroom paprikash on a bed of egg noodles or homemade dumplings.
How To Make Homemade Dumplings (Nokedli or Spaetzle)
Sometimes I like to serve my vegetarian mushroom paprikash with homemade dumplings, called nokedli in Hungary or spaetzle in Germany.
These adorable dumplings are made by passing a homemade batter through a special spaetzle maker into simmering water. If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, you can use a colander or anything with large holes in it. I use the pasta insert from one of my large pots.
The dumplings are boiled for just a few minutes and then they’re done. If you like, you can sauté them in butter for extra flavor and a crispy texture. See recipe card at the end of the post for full recipe details.




Chef's Tips
- For a wonderful texture, you can use a mix of mushrooms like cremini, portobello and oyster mushrooms. You can also try my creamy chicken paprikash recipe.
- For extra flavor, sauté a diced bell pepper with the onions.
- Paprika is the star of the dish. Use an authentic sweet Hungarian paprika if you can.
- I recommend using full-fat sour cream rather than reduced fat so that the sauce doesn't separate. Turn the heat off before stirring it into the sauce.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe FAQs
Paprikash is a Hungarian dish traditionally made with meat, onions, paprika, and a creamy sauce, but vegetarian versions use mushrooms instead.
Paprikash is typically served with egg noodles, nokedli, spaetzle, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the creamy sauce.
Paprikash can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes, it can be frozen but I would recommend freezing it without adding the sour cream as it tends to separate when frozen and thawed. You can add the sour cream to the sauce after it's been reheated.
More Vegetarian Recipes
Did you try this recipe? If so, please leave a review below. I love hearing from you! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recipe
Mushroom Paprikash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced or quartered
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
- โ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2-3 plum tomatoes, chopped (about 1 ยผ cups)
- ¼ cup dry white or red wine
- ½ cup water or vegetable broth
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- 8 ounces egg noodles, cooked
Spaetzle:
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- To make the paprikash, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Sauté until tender, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute until fragrant. Turn the heat up to medium high and add the mushroom slices. Season them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes until they start to soften, stirring frequently.
- Add the paprika, cayenne, flour, and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook 30 seconds to toast the tomato paste. Then, add the wine and cook until it is reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and water and simmer 6-8 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked and sauce is thickened. Season the sauce with ยฝ teaspoon salt and ยผ teaspoon pepper.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the sour cream and parsley. Serve the paprikash on a bed of egg noodles or homemade spaetzle. Garnish with parsley.
- To make the spaetzle, mix the eggs and milk together in a large bowl. Add the salt, nutmeg and flour and stir together to form a thick, smooth batter. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Hold a large-holed colander or slotted spoon over the water and pour some of the spaetzle batter into the colander. Push the batter through the holes with a spatula.
- Let the spaetzle cook 3-4 minutes then remove them from the water with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining batter. Toss the cooked spaetzle with parsley, if desired.
Tracy says
I've been making this recipe for years and wanted to tell you how much I love it! I double the mushrooms and use vegan sour cream towards the end, then serve over homemade vegan spaetzle or noodles. Simply delicious!
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
That's great- so happy to hear you've been enjoying this recipe for years! I am actually going to be updating this post soon- I retested it recently and increased the amount of mushrooms and took new photos. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! ๐
Storme says
Amazing. We love this recipe! So much flavor with nothing overpowering.
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the dish! Thanks so much for leaving a review! I hope you get to try out other recipes on my site ๐
raju says
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Lyra says
This sauce was delicious! I found the mushrooms to be overwhelming in size, so next time I will chop them finely. Also, I found the fresh tomato to be too raw tasting so I will try canned. I only had regular paprika and next time I plan to find the sweet Hungarian as I'm sure it makes the difference. Thank you for this terrific vegetarian dish that my 15 year old loves!
Megan says
I made this this week for my family - really yummy! I had never made spaetzle a try before, but it was the perfect accompaniment to this dish! I had a hard time getting it through the holes in the colander, ,so it didn't look as pretty, but that's okay. ๐ Thanks for sharing!
Hindy Garfinkel says
This looks amazing! I must try this soon!
ur says
I am glad to see a tasty, vegetarian dish.
Making the spaetzle is going to be a new adventure but loks so yummy and worth the effort.
CharlesR says
I haven't heard the term paprikash in years. It made me smile.
As does this dish and the spaetzle.
Will be making this as soon as the weather gets a bit colder!
You can substitute with egg noodles but the spaetzle is so much better.
Have a Joyful Day :~D
Charlie
sonaliruder says
Thanks for your comment, Charlie! I've also had this dish with egg noodles but I agree that the homemade spaetzle is so much better. I hope you enjoy the dish!
Julia says
So this is basically like a pasta dish? Never had this before.
sonaliruder says
Yes, it's similar to a pasta, more like a dumpling. It's common in countries like Germany and Hungary. Enjoy!
R. Connie Wawruck-Hemmett says
sounds yummy.... have never made spaetzle, even though I'm a pastaholic. Just had a thought... how about using a potato ricer for "pressing" the batter?
sonaliruder says
Great idea! I love my ricer for making mashed potatoes- I never thought to use it for spaetzle. I will definitely try it next time!
Aggie says
I absolutely love this vegetarian twist!!
sonaliruder says
Thanks, Aggie!
sonaliruder says
I just linked up this recipe at http://www.katherinemartinelli.com/blog/2012/portobello-mushroom-stacks
sonaliruder says
Thanks Ann! You should definitely give the spaetzle a try, it's actually a lot of fun to make ๐
sonaliruder says
I just posted this recipe on Amee's Savory Dish for her "Fit and Fabulous Fridays" (http://www.ameessavorydish.com). There are so many great dishes there to check out!
Katherine Martinelli says
I just love this! I've wanted to make spaetzle forever. Portobello mushroom is a great idea for a vegetarian paprikash. Bookmarked!
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much Katherine! I hope you make spaetzle soon, I would love to hear how it goes!
Angela says
That looks fabulous! I have never tried to make spaetzle, surprisingly. Will have to give it a go.
sonaliruder says
Thanks Angela! I've used egg noodles with this dish but the homemade spaetzle is definitely worth the extra effort!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
This sounds so good! Sounds similar to a strognaoff, which my mom loves, but she usually picks around a lot of the beef. So making it with mushrooms would be perfect for her.
sonaliruder says
Yes, it is definitely similar to stroganoff with the sour cream-based sauce. I hope your mom likes it!
Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
I have never made spaetzle before but now I am totally inspired! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful dish!
sonaliruder says
Thanks- it's actually easy and fun to make!