A chilled, sweet-tart sour cherry soup enriched with sour cream and a hint of cinnamon, served as a summer starter.
Hungarian Meggyleves is a real, traditional Hungarian dish, known as Cold Sour Cherry Soup. A chilled, sweet-tart sour cherry soup enriched with sour cream and a hint of cinnamon, served as a summer starter.\n\nMeggyleves reflects Hungary's tradition of fruit soups, particularly popular in summer when sour cherries are in season, often served as a light, refreshing first course before a heavier main meal.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Hungarian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 4
Combine cherries, water, sugar and cinnamon stick in a pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the cherries soften and release their juice.
Discard the cinnamon stick.
Whisk sour cream and flour together, then stir a ladle of the hot cherry liquid into it to temper before whisking it back into the pot.
Simmer gently for 3 minutes until slightly thickened; do not boil hard, which can curdle the cream.
Stir in lemon juice and taste, adjusting sugar if needed.
Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours, and serve cold as a starter or light dessert.
Temper the sour cream with warm liquid before adding it to the pot to prevent curdling.
Balance sugar and lemon juice carefully — the soup should taste distinctly sweet-tart, not one-dimensionally sweet.
Chill thoroughly before serving; this soup is meant to be eaten cold, not lukewarm.
A version with a splash of red wine added to the cherries makes a more adult, dinner-party-appropriate variation.
Some households add a few whole cloves along with the cinnamon for extra warmth.
Serve with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream for a dessert-style presentation.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Meggyleves reflects Hungary's tradition of fruit soups, particularly popular in summer when sour cherries are in season, often served as a light, refreshing first course before a heavier main meal.
Yes, frozen pitted sour cherries work very well and are often easier to find than fresh outside of peak summer season.
The sour cream wasn't tempered properly before adding, or the soup boiled too hard afterward — keep the heat gentle once the cream mixture goes in.
Traditionally cold, as a refreshing summer starter, though some households enjoy a warm version in cooler months.
Per serving (280g / 9.9 oz) · 4 servings total
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