Żurek — Sour rye soup with sausage, potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs
4
Units:
Prep: 15 min Cook: 35 min
Ingredients
- 2 cup żur starter (fermented rye flour base)
- 6 cup broth or water
- ½ lb smoked Polish kielbasa, sliced
- 4 oz smoked bacon, diced
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp marjoram
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 allspice berries
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp sour cream (optional)
- Hard-boiled eggs, halved, for serving
- Fresh horseradish (optional)
A unique traditional Polish soup characterized by its distinctive tangy flavor from fermented rye flour (żur). Often associated with Easter but enjoyed year-round, this hearty soup combines smoky kielbasa, tender potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs in a satisfyingly sour, creamy broth.
Instructions
- Cook diced bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, leave fat. Sauté onion in bacon fat 5 minutes. Add sausage, brown lightly. Add garlic, cook 1 minute.
- Add potatoes, broth, bay leaves, and allspice. Bring to a boil, simmer 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Shake żur starter well. Pour slowly into simmering soup, whisking constantly.
- Stir in marjoram. Simmer 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves and allspice.
- Temper sour cream with a little hot soup, then stir back in (optional). Heat gently without boiling.
- Ladle into bowls. Garnish with halved eggs and reserved bacon. Serve with rye bread.
Tips
- Żur starter is available at Polish delis, or make your own by fermenting rye flour in water for 3-5 days
- The soup should be distinctly sour — add more żur if the tang is too subtle
- Traditionally served in a hollowed-out bread bowl for special occasions
Created: 4/23/2025, 10:42:51 PM diytraditionallow cost
Large pot, knife, cutting board, whisk, ladle