This is one of my favorite recipes. I love everything about this soup from the easy five minute home prep to the uniquely satisfying earthy aroma of mushrooms simmering in a rich broth at the end of a perfect day in the woods.

Ingredients are easy to find in any supermarket. Dried mushrooms are sold in one ounce packages, typically in the produce section or readily available online. Beef broth powder (or beef soup mix), found in the bulk food section, combines with whole milk powder (Nido milk powder) and butter to create a rich broth. Orzo pasta is slightly larger than rice grains and is a backpacker’s best kept secret, giving this soup a hearty feel and rehydrating in a fraction of the time of more traditional pasta shapes.

Home prep is simple; taking the time to chop the dried mushrooms and jerky at home guarantees this soup will be ready in just minutes in camp. Everything fits in one sandwich size bag and weighs only a few ounces. The quick one minute boil in camp conserves fuel for the rest of your trip. The hardest part is waiting the full 15 minutes for the beef and mushrooms to rehydrate without sneaking a taste.

Ingredients (Makes Two Hearty Servings)

1 ounce dried mushrooms
2 ounces (2 servings) jerky
¼ cup orzo pasta
¼ cup Nido whole milk powder
2 TBSP flour
1 TBSP powdered beef soup base
1 TBSP dried onion flakes
1 TBSP butter
1 tsp ancho chili powder (optional)

Home Kitchen

Roughly chop dried mushrooms and jerky into ¼ inch pieces to speed up rehydrating in camp. Wrap the butter in plastic wrap to separate it from the dry ingredients. The ancho chili powder is optional but adds some punch to this soup. Put all ingredients in a zip top sandwich size bag.

Camp Kitchen

Pour soup mix into a cooking pot and add water to 3-4 four inches over the top (about 4 cups total). Bring to a rolling boil and boil for one minute. Take soup off the heat, cover and let rest for 15 min. Use a heavy rock to keep the lid on tight.

Expert tip! To keep the soup from getting cold on a chilly day, create a cozy by wrapping the pot with your coat during the 15 min rest, just make sure not to spill on or melt your jacket. Pair this satisfying soup with crusty bread to mop up every last bite. Good choices are firmer textured breads that will hold their shape such as a baguette or Kaiser buns.

This is my go-to soup on the menu for nearly every backpacking trip. One of my fondest memories is sipping this soup along the Loowit Trail in Washington State one chilly evening cloaked in mist while listening to a bugling elk herd in the distance. Satisfying and delicious, creamy beef and mushroom soup is the backpackers’ soup du jour and the ultimate in backcountry comfort food.

Editor's Note: This recipe originally appeared in Issue 37 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.