11 Weirdest Polish Soups

Poles love soups, and they fell in love with them for a long time. Some Polish soups are mentioned in old French cookbooks, for example, in the editions of Escoffier or Ali Baba (Anri Babinsky).

At home and in restaurants, soups are made according to traditional village recipes. The basis of soups is, as a rule, meat (or less often vegetable) broth, to which meat, sausages, vegetables, boiled eggs, pasta, or cereals are added, so that Polish soups are very different from the puree soups more typical for southern Europe. Some renowned chefs, such as Wojciech Modest Amaro, whose restaurant was the first in Poland to receive a Michelin star, are turning traditional soups into cutting edge dishes.

Rye sourdough soup (Żur, Żurek)

Fermented flour soup? Yes, this is possible in Poland. This is one of the most amazing, delicious, and popular Polish soups. There are countless regional recipes for zurek. All Poles eat it regardless of occupation and social status. The main ingredient of the zurek is rye flour sourdough. Rye sourdough is obtained from the natural fermentation of a mixture of water, spices, and rye flour. You can buy sourdough, but you can easily make it at home. Place the rye flour in a large jar, add water, spices, and cover with a clean cloth or cheesecloth, leaving room for air. During the cooking process, the soup thickens thanks to the flour. Depending on the region and personal taste preferences, Poles add to the soup: smoked bacon, meat, diced potatoes or mashed potatoes, boiled eggs, dried or pickled mushrooms, as well as a special aromatic pork sausage called “white sausage” (pol. Biała kiełbasa). Traditionally, this soup is prepared for Easter, and a vegetarian version of the zurek is always present on the Christmas table: dried forest mushrooms, sometimes horseradish, potatoes, and eggs are added to it. Another famous type of sourdough soup is white borscht. It looks like a zurek, but it uses fermented white flour (pol. Zalewajka). White borscht is a certified regional product from central Poland.

Beetroot soup – red borscht (Barszcz czerwony)

Beets in Poland are eaten all year round because they are delicious and healthy. Beetroot soup, or “red borscht”, is the most popular beetroot dish in the country. You can’t count borscht recipes. Usually, potatoes, boiled beans, or a hard-boiled egg are added to the borsch. During parties, weddings, and receptions, delicious small pies (pol. Kulebiaki, kapuśniaczki) are served with borscht. The liquid base for traditional Polish borscht is prepared in advance (or bought in the store). To prepare it, take raw beets, pour it with brine with garlic and other spices and leave to ferment, due to which the beets acquire a sour taste. Beet kvass (pol. Zakwas) used not only for borscht, it is a healthy drink in itself. No Polish Christmas table is complete without traditional vegetarian borscht. This is not just a soup, but one of the culinary symbols of the Polish Christmas Eve. Christmas borscht is served with tiny dumplings stuffed with porcini mushrooms and fried onions. The first mentions of borscht date back to the beginning of the 16th century.

In summer, Poles eat botvinya (pol. Botwinka) – a soup made from young beets. For its preparation, everything is used: fruits, stems, and leaves (tops).

Cucumber soup (Ogórkowa)

Pickled cucumber soup is a typical Polish everyday soup. Pickled cucumbers, so beloved in Poland, are prepared in the same way as sauerkraut, beets, and rye sourdough: they are poured with brine with the addition of spices, dill, and garlic. In summer, natural lactobacilli are present on the peel of cucumbers, thanks to which the fermentation process takes place. Usually, potatoes or rice, finely chopped dill is added to cucumber soup. By the way, cucumber pickle is rich in vitamins and minerals and is a great hangover cure.

Lithuanian “cold” (Chłodnik litewski)

This old hot pink cold soup is usually eaten in summer. To prepare it, you will need young beets with tops, sour milk (buttermilk or kefir), beet kvass (zak was), finely chopped dill and green onions, chopped cucumber, and a boiled egg. A hundred years ago, chili was served with crayfish and veal, but today it is already a luxury. Cold beet soup is called “Lithuanian” because it was invented on Lithuanian territory (Poland and Lithuania were a union state for several centuries). According to traditional recipes, you need to add a lot of fresh sour cream to the refrigerator, but today many refrain from this due to the high-fat content of sour cream and its calorie content. Some chefs add radishes or gherkins to the cooler, and boiled egg and potatoes are best combined with the taste of the soup.

Cabbage soup, cabbage (Kapuśniak)

This village soup is made from sauerkraut with the addition of smoked bacon, brisket, sausages, potatoes, and spices (bay leaf, black pepper, paprika). Someone also adds tomato paste. There are many cabbage recipes: it can be prepared from a mixture of sauerkraut and ordinary white cabbage, and in summer just from fresh cabbage. For centuries, cabbage has been the queen of the Polish table. In autumn and winter, cabbage is often cooked in a broth made from smoked bacon or bacon. Kapustnyak is served in any establishment with traditional Polish cuisine. In the south of Poland, a local variety of cabbage is prepared – alum (pol. Kwaśnica), which also has its own history. Alum was traditionally served after a pig had been slaughtered.

Fruit soup

It may seem strange to foreigners, but in traditional Polish families and in schools in the summer, they eat fruit soup for the first time. Vermicelli or croutons are added to fruit soups. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries cost a penny during the season, and Poles consume these berries in huge quantities. However, in recent years, fruit soups have lost their popularity due to the emergence of a variety of new dishes.

Meat broth (Rosół)

Real Poles eat broth on Sundays. A simple broth is made from one type of meat, but for the traditional version, you will need at least three: chicken, veal, beef, which are cooked together for several hours with vegetables, spices, and herbs. The broth is served with various pasta or dumplings (pol. Lane ciasto, lane kluski).

Barley Soup (Krupnik)

During the long and harsh winter, rich soups with barley or other cereals provide good protection against colds. Krupnik is traditionally made from barley groats, and its name comes from the Polish word krupy “groats”. However, many people use other cereals and various types of meat when cooking krupnik. Krupnik is an excellent winter vegetarian dish. Unlike zurek, borscht, or cucumber soup, krupnik is not sour at all. It is often prepared for children. In Polish, the word “krupnik” also has a second meaning: it is a sweet, strong herbal liqueur that can be bought at any store with alcohol.

Duck Blood Soup (Czernina, Czarnina)

Not so long ago, Poland was a multicultural country. Some local dishes have survived despite significant historical changes. Charnina (charnina) is a soup made from duck blood and clear chicken broth with spices, dried fruits, noodles, or small dumplings. In the 19th century, an important tradition was associated with this soup: it was served to young people who were refused matchmaking by their beloved’s parents. Charnina is still cooked in Kashubia and Greater Poland (north and west of the country).

Stale Bread Soup (Wodzionka)

This Silesian (South Pole) soup was made from stale bread, water, and fat. The bread is dipped in boiling water, garlic, pepper, bay leaf, and other spices are added, as well as lard, fat, or oil. Served with potatoes.

And finally … flakes! (Flaki)

Another amazing dish: tripe soup. To an unsuspecting guest, a plate of flags may seem like thick noodles, but in reality, they are strips of beef tripe in a broth with marjoram. According to rumors, it was the favorite dish of King Vladislav Jagiello.

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