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Polish Żurek (Sour Rye Soup) served and ready to eat

Polish Żurek (Sour Rye Soup)

A tangy soup of fermented rye flour with sausage, potato and a hard-boiled egg — Poland's most distinctive bowl.

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⏱️
15 minPrep
🔥
30 minCook
🍽️
4Serves
📊
MediumLevel
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Ingredients

  • 500ml żurek starter (or use 250ml buttermilk + 2 tbsp rye flour as quick version)
  • 300g Polish white sausage (biała kiełbasa), sliced
  • 3 potatoes, cubed
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp marjoram
  • 1 litre stock
  • Hard-boiled eggs to serve
  • Soured cream

Instructions

  1. Simmer the sausage with stock, onion, garlic, bay and marjoram for 15 minutes.
  2. Add the potato; cook 12 minutes.
  3. Whisk in the żurek starter; simmer 5 more minutes — do not boil hard.
  4. Top each bowl with a hard-boiled egg half and a drizzle of soured cream.
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Tara’s tips

  • The starter is what makes żurek — find at Polish shops or use buttermilk substitute.
  • Serve in a bread bowl for the full Polish Easter experience.

Serving suggestions

  • Best on Easter Sunday with horseradish.

Storage & reheating

Keeps 3 days.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is not yet available for this recipe. Values vary with portion size and exact ingredients — we will add verified figures here soon.

Frequently asked questions

What is żurek starter?

Fermented rye flour and water — gives the signature sour tang.

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