Żurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup Recipe)

Żurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup Recipe)

Sourdough rye starter is the key ingredient in Polish Żurek soup! It adds a pleasant tangy flavor and helps thicken it into a stew-like consistency. This creamy, satisfying soup is beautifully balanced with sour rye, smoky bacon, rich sausage, sweet earthy root vegetables, and the perfect blend of spices.

Course Soup

Cuisine Polish

Keyword Polish Sour Rye Soup, Sour Rye Soup, Żurek, Żurek Prezepis, Żurek Soup

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 497kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Ingredients

8 ounces beef bacon chopped
1 pound ground turkey or bulk turkey sausage
2 cups chopped yellow onion
6 large cloves garlic crushed (divided into 2/3 + 1/3)
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups peeled and diced celeriac 1/2-inch cubes (see Notes)
1/2 pound yellow potatoes peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch cubes (about 2 cups chopped)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup sourdough rye starter or up to 1 1/2 cups (see Notes)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish optional
1 tablespoon dried marjoram rubbed between the palms of your hands

Optional Garnishes and Serving Suggestions:

6 hard or soft-boiled eggs
Fresh marjoram if available, otherwise a sprinkle of dried marjoram
Sourdough rye bread

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Crisp the bacon and brown the turkey. Add the bacon to a 5-quart Dutch oven or similar pot over medium to medium-low heat. Cook until the bacon’s fat has rendered and it is starting to crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat up to medium and add the ground turkey and onion; cook until the turkey is browned and the onion is softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. While cooking, use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into crumbles. Add 2/3 of the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Cook. Add the stock, carrot, celeriac, potato, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and allspice. Turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil, then turn down the heat to keep it at a gentle boil but prevent it from boiling over. Cook (covered) until the vegetables are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the rye starter. With the heat on medium to medium-low, whisk in 1/2 cup of the sourdough rye starter and the remaining 1/3 of the garlic. While continuing to whisk, add more sourdough rye starter until it reaches your desired consistency (it will thicken). Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Finishing touches. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream, prepared horseradish, and dried marjoram.
Serve. If desired, serve topped with a hard or soft-boiled egg and a sprinkling of marjoram, along with a slice of rye bread.

Video

Notes

Celeriac: Celeriac is celery root; you can substitute with regular celery or parsley root here.
Sourdough Rye Starter (Zakwas): I give instructions in the post above if you want to make your own zakwas (it's very easy to do, and you don't need any experience with sourdough). Or if you have a mature sourdough starter on hand, you can give it a few rye flour feedings and use it. You can also look for zakwas in Eastern European grocery stores in general, or Polish grocery stores specifically if you have one in your area.
Storage and Reheating: Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop while stirring occasionally, or in 45-second increments in the microwave, stirring between each. Add fresh garnishes before serving.
Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the optional garnishes and serving suggestions.

Nutrition