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Żurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup)

Renowned for its rich and complex flavors that pair sour and smoky, sweet and savory, with a delicious blend of meats, vegetables, and spices, Żurek is traditional Polish soup that has been cherished for generations.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 6
Calories: 588 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Polish , Eastern European

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces speck or bacon (about 8 slices of bacon), diced
  • 14 ounces white kielbasa sausage or smoked kielbasa sausage (if using white kielbasa, see Note below), sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
  • 1 cup chopped white part of a leek
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • 2 large carrots , diced or sliced
  • 1 cup diced celery root (celeriac)
  • 1 medium parsley root , (can substitute parsnip) diced
  • 2-3 firm yellow potatoes (e.g. Yukon Gold) , (about 12 ounces) diced
  • 7 cups chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (start with less, taste, and add more as desired)
  • 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup zakwas na zurek (fermented rye flour starter) , plus more to taste (click link for recipe - this takes 5-7 days to make, so plan ahead!)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 4 boiled eggs , shells removed and cut in halves or quarters

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, fry the speck or bacon until the fat is rendered and it is crispy. Add the sliced kielbasa and dry until just starting to brown. Transfer to a bowl, leaving the bacon grease in the pot.
  2. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the leek and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the carrots, celery root, parsley root or parsnip, and potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. Return the bacon and kielbasa to the pot and add the chicken broth, marjoram, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. Thoroughly stir the fermented rye starter before measuring it out. Add the starter to the soup and stir. Taste the soup and decide if you'd like it a little more sour, in which case add some more starter. Let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.Note: If you want the soup thicker without adding more of the sour, scoop out some of the flour from the bottom of the jar, place it in a small bowl, stir some of the hot broth from the soup into it, then stir the flour/broth mixture into the soup.
  4. Place the sour cream in a bowl and stir in a ladleful of the soup, stir to thoroughly combine, and then add the sour cream mixture to the soup. Let it heat through. Add more salt, pepper and horseradish according to taste.
  5. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, place the eggs on top of the soup, and sprinkle over some cracked pepper or chopped or dried marjoram.

Notes

  • If using white kielbasa sausage it will need to be cooked first:  gently simmer the sausages in a small pot of water for 15 minutes.  Remove the sausages, let cool until you can handle them, remove and discard the skins, and slice them.  

Nutrition Information

Calories 588kcal (29%) Carbohydrates 29g (10%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 41g (63%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 18g Cholesterol 204mg (68%) Sodium 1567mg (65%) Potassium 1066mg (30%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 3955IU (79%) Vitamin C 23mg (26%) Calcium 107mg (11%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 588

% Daily Value*

Calories 588kcal 29%
Carbohydrates 29g 10%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 41g 63%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Monounsaturated Fat 18g 90%
Cholesterol 204mg 68%
Sodium 1567mg 65%
Potassium 1066mg 23%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 3955IU 79%
Vitamin C 23mg 26%
Calcium 107mg 11%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.