Sorrel soup
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
From ingredients
8 products
Vegetables & Greens
For Serving
SIMPLE PROCESS
Step by step recipe
The key to a perfect sorrel soup is not overcooking the greens – they should stay bright green and retain their pleasant acidity. Add the sorrel at the very end and cook for no more than 10 minutes. Sauté onion and carrot in a little oil to give the broth depth. Boil the eggs until hard and slice or chop them for easy serving.
Prep the Ingredients
Peel and finely dice the onion and carrot. Sort the sorrel, remove tough stems, and roughly chop the leaves. Boil the eggs hard (10 minutes), cool, and peel.
Make the Sautéed Base
In a thick-bottomed pot, heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil. Sauté the onion until translucent (2–3 minutes), add carrot and tomato paste, and cook 3–4 minutes more, stirring.
Cook the Broth
Pour in the chicken broth (or water with bouillon cube), bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35–40 minutes to develop flavor.
Add the Sorrel
Drop the prepared sorrel into the boiling broth, season with salt to taste. Cook everything together over medium heat for exactly 10 minutes – the sorrel should become tender but stay bright.
Finish and Rest
Remove the pot from heat and let the soup rest for 5 minutes. Slice or chop the boiled eggs.
Serve
Ladle the soup into bowls, top each portion with egg and 1 tsp of sour cream. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot.
CHEF'S TIP
Keep Sorrel Bright Green
Add sorrel to boiling broth and cook exactly 10 minutes over medium heat – any longer will darken it and destroy vitamins. You can also blanch it briefly in boiling water before adding.
Swap the Broth
Vegetable or beef broth work beautifully. For a vegan version, use water with bay leaf and allspice – it's still rich in flavor.
Make It Heartier
Add 2–3 diced potatoes along with the sautéed vegetables – they'll cook through and add substance. Increase the cooking time to 20 minutes before adding sorrel.
Crunchy Toppings
Besides sour cream and egg, sprinkle fresh dill or parsley on top and serve with rye bread or croutons for extra texture.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Add your taste
- Vegetarian Version Replace chicken broth with vegetable stock and skip the bouillon cube. Add a splash of soy sauce for umami depth.
- With Potatoes Dice 2–3 potatoes and simmer with the sautéed vegetables until tender (about 15 minutes), then add sorrel and cook 10 more minutes.
- With Rice or Barley Add 2 tbsp of rinsed rice or pearl barley to the broth 20 minutes before adding the vegetables – it makes the soup more filling.
- Spicy Kick Sauté a minced garlic clove and a pinch of red pepper flakes with the onion – it balances the sorrel's tanginess beautifully.
HOW TO STORE
How to Store Sorrel Soup
Cool the soup at room temperature, then transfer to a covered container and refrigerate. Without eggs and sour cream, it keeps for up to 3 days. When reheating, add fresh egg and sour cream. You can freeze it in portions (without eggs and sour cream) for up to 3 months – thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stove.
GOOD TO KNOW