Żurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup)

About This Recipe

Żurek is one of the most distinctive and unusual soups in European cooking — a soup based on a fermented rye flour starter (zakwas) that gives it a sharp, pleasantly sour, slightly thick character unlike anything in other cuisines. The sourness is not vinegar or lemon — it is the natural lactic acid produced by fermenting rye flour with water for 3–5 days, producing a living, bubbling starter. The soup is finished with cream, marjoram, garlic, and served with thick slices of kielbasa, hard-boiled eggs and grated horseradish. Żurek is the central dish of Polish Easter — every Polish household makes it for Wielka Sobota (Holy Saturday) and Wielkanoc (Easter Sunday).

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 250 mlżurek starter (zakwas)(see below, or buy ready-made liquid żurek)
• 1 litregood pork or chicken stock
• 200 mlsour cream
• 4garlic cloves(minced)
• 1 tspdried marjoram
• 1 tspwhite pepper
• 300 gsmoked kielbasa(sliced into thick rounds)
• 4eggs(hard-boiled, halved)
• 4 tbspprepared horseradish(to serve)
• 4 slicesrye bread(to serve)
• 2 tbspfresh chives(to garnish)
• 4 tbsprye flour(for quick zakwas (starter))
• 300 mlwarm water(for quick zakwas)
• 2garlic cloves(for quick zakwas)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make quick zakwas (3–5 days ahead)

   Mix rye flour and warm water in a jar. Add 2 garlic cloves. Cover loosely with cloth and leave at room temperature 3–5 days, stirring daily, until sour and slightly bubbly. Alternatively, buy ready-made liquid żurek starter from Polish grocery stores.

2. 2

   Cook kielbasa

   Simmer kielbasa slices in a little stock for 5 min. Remove and set aside.

3. 3

   Make soup base

   Bring stock to a simmer. Add minced garlic and marjoram. Simmer 5 min.

4. 4

   Add zakwas

   Slowly whisk the żurek starter into the hot stock. Bring back to a simmer and cook 10 min — the soup will thicken slightly and the sour flavour will develop. Do not boil vigorously.

   Add the zakwas gradually, tasting as you go — the sourness varies between starters and you may not want to use all of it.

5. 5

   Add cream

   Stir in sour cream and white pepper. Simmer gently 5 min. Taste and adjust seasoning.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle into deep bowls. Add kielbasa slices and halved hard-boiled egg to each bowl. Add a spoonful of horseradish. Garnish with chives. Serve with rye bread.

Variations

• •

  White borscht (biały barszcz): very similar soup made with kvass (fermented bread water) instead of rye starter

• •

  Add diced boiled potato to the soup before serving

• •

  Serve in a hollowed round bread loaf for the traditional Easter presentation

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

The finished soup keeps 3 days refrigerated. The zakwas keeps 2 weeks refrigerated and continues to develop sourness.

Frequently Asked Questions