Zurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup)
A hearty Polish sour soup built on a tangy fermented rye flour starter, loaded with sliced kielbasa, hard-boiled eggs, and potatoes. Plan ahead: the rye starter needs 3 to 5 days to ferment, or use store-bought sour rye starter (zurek concentrate) as a shortcut.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sour rye starter (zurek concentrate, store-bought, or homemade)
- 12 oz kielbasa sausage, sliced into rounds
- 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cubed
- 4 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, halved
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp prepared horseradish
Instructions
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1
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook 1 lb peeled, cubed Yukon Gold potatoes until just tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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2
In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp neutral oil over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute more.
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3
Add 12 oz sliced into rounds kielbasa sausage and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
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4
Pour in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and add 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp dried marjoram, and 1/4 tsp ground allspice. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.
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5
Stir in 2 cups sour rye starter (zurek concentrate, store-bought, or homemade) and 2 tbsp prepared horseradish. Return to a gentle simmer (do not boil vigorously or the starter will lose its tang). Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper.
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6
Add cooked potatoes and warm through, about 3 minutes.
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7
Remove bay leaves. Whisk 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream with a ladleful of hot soup to temper it, then stir back into the pot.
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8
Ladle into bowls and top each with 4 hard-boiled, peeled, halved large eggs. Serve immediately.