Sorrel Soup with Egg and Potatoes Recipe
Sorrel soup is a classic of the Polish spring and summer – slightly sour, filling, and very homey. Served with boiled egg and potatoes, it can easily replace a whole dinner. In many homes it appears as soon as fresh sorrel shows up at the market, a bit like the French leek soup – simple, yet elegant in flavor.
Sorrel soup with egg and potatoes is the essence of the Polish spring – sour sorrel meets delicate cream and simple stock, creating a flavor that is both elegant and very rustic. What makes it special is the combination of a creamy, slightly whitened soup with substantial add-ins: egg quarters and chunks of potato that turn it into a complete meal. It’s one of the few dishes where the natural acidity of leafy greens takes center stage instead of being just a background note.
Chef's tips
Add the sorrel at the very end of cooking so it doesn’t lose its color and fresh aroma – 3–4 minutes of gentle simmering is enough. Before pouring in the cream, temper it with a few spoonfuls of hot soup in a separate bowl so it doesn’t curdle and form lumps. Cook the potatoes separately in salted water or directly in the soup, but make sure they don’t fall apart – check with a fork that they are tender but still hold their shape.
How to serve
Serve the soup very hot, with a half or quarter of a hard-boiled egg in each bowl and a generous spoonful of chopped dill or chives. A slice of rye sourdough bread or simple white rolls go perfectly with sorrel soup – especially for a late Saturday lunch after coming back from the market. To drink, lightly sparkling water with a slice of lemon or homemade rhubarb compote works well and enhances the spring mood.
Ingredients
- fresh sorrel (you can also use sorrel from a jar, well drained) - 150 g
- vegetable or chicken stock - 1.5 l
- potatoes (peeled) - 400 g
- carrot (medium) - 1 piece
- 18% cooking cream for soups - 150 ml
- butter - 20 g
- flour (heaping) - 1 tablespoon
- eggs (for serving, hard-boiled) - 4 piece
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- sugar (optional, to balance the acidity) - 0.5 teaspoons
Preparation
- Pour the stock into a pot and start heating it over medium heat.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Peel the carrot and slice it into thin half-moons.
- Add the potatoes and carrot to the stock. Cook over medium heat for 15–18 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Meanwhile, rinse the sorrel thoroughly and remove the tough stems. Slice the leaves into strips.
- In a small pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir vigorously for 1–2 minutes, until you get a smooth paste without lumps that foams slightly but does not brown.
- Add 2–3 ladles of hot stock from the pot to the flour paste, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth. Pour it back into the pot with the soup and mix well.
- Add the chopped sorrel to the pot. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the leaves soften and turn dark green.
- Pour the cream into a mug, add 2 tablespoons of hot soup, mix, then pour everything into the pot, stirring so it doesn’t curdle.
- Season the soup with salt, pepper, and optionally a bit of sugar if it is too sour. Heat for another 2–3 minutes without bringing it to a strong boil.
- Peel the eggs and cut them into halves or quarters. Ladle the soup into bowls and add pieces of egg to each portion.
Storage
Store the cooled soup in the fridge in a covered container for up to 2–3 days. Reheat gently without boiling vigorously, then add freshly cut hard-boiled egg to each serving.
