Żurek — The Best Polish Sour Rye Soup You’ve Never Tried
If you think you know soup, you haven’t met żurek. This tangy, smoky, egg-topped masterpiece will rearrange your entire soup ranking — and I say that as someone who grew up drinking rosół like it was medicine.
Żurek (pronounced “ZHOO-rek”) is a sour rye soup that’s arguably the most uniquely Polish dish that exists. It’s built on a base of fermented rye flour starter called zakwas, loaded with smoky kielbasa, chunks of root vegetables, and crowned with a halved boiled egg. The flavour is unlike anything in American cooking — tangy, deeply savoury, slightly smoky, with a richness that hits the back of your throat and makes you want another bowl immediately.
This was the soup that appeared on our family table every Easter without exception. My mama would start the rye starter days before, and the whole kitchen would smell faintly sour and yeasty — a smell that still means “holiday” to me. When my kids get sick, other moms reach for chicken noodle. I make żurek. It’s Poland’s real healing soup.
What Is Żurek?
Żurek is a traditional Polish soup built around zakwas żytni — a fermented rye flour starter that gives the broth its characteristic sour tang. The starter is mixed with a meat-based broth (usually from smoked pork or kielbasa), enriched with root vegetables, garlic, and marjoram, then finished with cream and served with hard-boiled eggs and white kielbasa (biała kiełbasa).
The name comes from the old German word “sur” meaning sour. Written records of sour rye soups in Poland date back to at least the 15th century, when it was a staple of peasant cooking — cheap, filling, and built on pantry basics like flour, water, and whatever scraps of meat were available. Over time it became a symbol of Polish Easter, though today you’ll find it on restaurant menus year-round.
Regional variations exist across Poland. In Silesia (Śląsk), żurek is poured over mashed potatoes. In the Podlasie region, it’s served with extra eggs. In Kraków, you’ll find żurek galicyjski with more root vegetables. And in many homes — including mine growing up — it’s served in a hollowed-out bread bowl, which you tear apart and eat along with the soup.
The Key Ingredient: Sour Rye Starter (Zakwas)
Without zakwas, there is no żurek. This is the non-negotiable ingredient that gives the soup its soul.
Zakwas żytni is simply rye flour fermented in water with garlic and bay leaves for 3-5 days. The natural bacteria in the flour produce lactic acid, creating that distinctive sour tang. It’s the same basic principle behind sourdough bread, sauerkraut, and kimchi — but applied to a soup base.
Making your own is easy and takes 5 minutes of active work. Mix rye flour with warm water, add a couple of crushed garlic cloves and a bay leaf, cover loosely, and leave in a dark spot for 3-5 days, stirring once daily. That’s it. On day 3 it’ll smell pleasantly sour. By day 5 it’ll be strongly tangy and ready to use.
Where to find it ready-made: If you have a Polish deli nearby, ask for “zakwas na żurek” or “zakwas żytni” — it comes in bottles and saves you the 5-day wait. In the US, try Polana.com or check the international aisle of larger supermarkets. The Krakus brand is widely available.
Shortcut if you can’t find or make zakwas: This won’t taste identical, but it works in a pinch. Whisk 1 cup of sour cream with ⅓ cup of rye flour until smooth. Temper it with a ladle of warm broth, then stir it into the soup. Add a splash of white vinegar and a teaspoon of horseradish. It’s not the real thing, but it gets you surprisingly close.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Zakwas Starter (Start 5 Days Ahead)
- • ½ cup (60g) dark rye flour
- • 2 cups (480ml) warm water (not hot — body temperature)
- • 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- • 1 bay leaf
- • 3 allspice berries
For the Soup
- • 8 cups (2 litres) meat stock — chicken, pork, or mixed (rosół works beautifully)
- • 7 oz (200g) smoked bacon or smoked pork ribs, in one piece
- • 7 oz (200g) white kielbasa (biała kiełbasa) — or regular smoked kielbasa if unavailable
- • 1 medium onion, quartered
- • 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
- • 1 parsley root or parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks
- • ½ small celeriac (celery root), peeled and cubed — or 2 stalks of celery
- • 3 garlic cloves, minced
- • 2 bay leaves
- • 4-5 allspice berries
- • 1 tablespoon dried marjoram (the soul of this soup)
- • 2-3 cups zakwas (adjust to desired sourness)
- • ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream or sour cream
- • 1-2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- • Salt and white pepper to taste
For Serving
- • 4-6 hard-boiled eggs, halved
- • Fresh marjoram or dill for garnish
- • Crusty bread — or a bread bowl if you’re going all in
How to Make Żurek Step by Step
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1Make the Zakwas (5 Days Before)
Combine the rye flour and warm water in a clean glass jar. Stir until smooth. Add the garlic cloves, bay leaf, and allspice berries. Cover loosely with cheesecloth or a kitchen towel secured with a rubber band — it needs to breathe. Place in a dark, room-temperature spot (inside a cupboard is perfect).
Stir once daily. By day 3, it should smell pleasantly sour. By day 5, it’ll be quite tangy and ready to use. Strain out the garlic and spices before adding to the soup. You can store leftover zakwas in the fridge for up to two weeks.
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2Build the Broth
Pour the stock into a large pot and add the smoked bacon or ribs, the whole white kielbasa, onion, carrot, parsley root, celeriac, bay leaves, and allspice. Bring to a simmer (not a rolling boil — gentle bubbling) and cook for 35-40 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the sausage is cooked through.
While the broth simmers, the kitchen will start smelling incredible — smoky, meaty, and deeply savoury. This is when my kids start asking “what’s for dinner?” even though they already know.
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3Add the Zakwas
Remove the sausage and bacon from the broth and set aside. Fish out the bay leaves and allspice berries. Add the minced garlic and dried marjoram to the pot.
Start by adding 2 cups of strained zakwas. Stir well and taste. Want it more sour? Add more. The sourness level is entirely personal — my husband likes it milder, I like it punchy. You’re in control here.
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4Finish the Soup
In a small bowl, temper the cream by whisking in a few tablespoons of hot soup, then pour this mixture back into the pot. This prevents the cream from curdling. Stir in the horseradish. Season with salt and white pepper.
Bring back to a very gentle simmer for 5 minutes — don’t let it boil aggressively, as that can kill the beneficial bacteria from the fermentation and dull the flavour.
Slice the kielbasa into thick rounds and chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces. Return them to the soup or arrange them in individual bowls.
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5Serve
Ladle the soup into deep bowls. Top each serving with a halved hard-boiled egg and a few slices of kielbasa. Garnish with fresh marjoram or dill. Serve with crusty bread for soaking up every last drop.
If you want the full experience, serve it in a bread bowl — hollow out a round loaf of sourdough or rye bread, ladle the soup in, and eat the bowl along with the soup. This is how you’ll find it served at Easter markets across Poland, and it’s absolutely worth the effort.
Tips for the Best Żurek
💡 Pro Tips
✓ Żurek tastes better the next day. Like bigos, the flavours deepen overnight. If you can, make it the day before you plan to serve it.
✓ Don’t skip the marjoram. It’s as essential to żurek as basil is to Italian food. Dried is traditional and works better here than fresh.
✓ Horseradish is the secret weapon. Even just a tablespoon adds a warmth and bite that rounds out the sour-smoky flavour beautifully.
✓ Start with less zakwas, add more. You can always add sourness. You can’t take it away. If it’s too sour, add more stock.
✓ White kielbasa is worth finding. The fresh, unsmoked character of biała kiełbasa is what makes żurek taste distinctly different from other Polish soups. Regular smoked kielbasa works, but it changes the profile.
✓ Keep celeriac in the recipe. It adds a depth and sweetness that celery stalks can’t fully replicate. This root vegetable is standard in Polish soups and it’s worth finding.
What to Serve With Żurek
Żurek is a hearty, filling soup — it’s a complete meal in a bowl. But if you want to build a spread around it:
• Crusty rye bread or sourdough — for dunking. Non-negotiable.
• Mizeria (Polish cucumber salad) — the cool crunch balances the rich soup perfectly.
• Extra hard-boiled eggs — in Poland, especially at Easter, there’s always a bowl of eggs on the table.
• Fresh horseradish sauce (ćwikła) — beet and horseradish condiment, traditional Easter pairing.
How to Store and Reheat
Fridge: Store in a covered container for up to 3 days. Store the eggs separately — they get rubbery in the broth overnight.
Freezer: Żurek freezes well for up to 2 months. Freeze without the eggs and cream. When reheating, thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm on the stove over low heat and stir in fresh cream before serving.
Reheating: Always reheat on the stove over low heat. Don’t microwave — gentle reheating preserves the complex flavour from the fermentation. Don’t let it boil aggressively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make żurek without the rye starter?
Technically yes, using the sour cream and flour shortcut described above, but it won’t have the same depth of flavour. The fermented zakwas is what makes żurek taste like żurek. If you can plan 5 days ahead, making the starter takes almost no effort.
Is żurek only for Easter?
Traditionally it’s the star of the Polish Easter table, but it’s eaten year-round in Poland. Every good Polish restaurant has it on the menu regardless of season. In my house, it’s a cold-weather staple from October through March.
What’s the difference between żurek and barszcz biały?
They’re very similar and sometimes confused even in Poland. Both use fermented grain starters. The main difference is that barszcz biały uses a wheat flour starter, while żurek uses rye. Żurek has a tangier, earthier flavour. Regional usage of the names varies — in some parts of Poland, the same soup is called by either name.
Can I use sourdough starter instead of making zakwas?
If your sourdough starter is made with rye flour, yes — it’ll work. Use about ½ cup of mature rye sourdough starter thinned with water. The flavour won’t be identical to traditional zakwas, but it’ll be close. If your starter is wheat-based, skip it — you’ll be making barszcz biały, not żurek.
What can I use instead of white kielbasa?
Regular smoked Polish kielbasa is the easiest substitute. The soup will be smokier and less delicate, but still delicious. Some people use bratwurst, but as someone who’s tried both — it’s not the same. If you have access to a Polish deli, get the biała kiełbasa. It makes a real difference.
My żurek is too sour. How do I fix it?
Add more stock or water to dilute the sourness. A splash of cream also helps mellow it. Next time, start with less zakwas and add gradually until you hit your preferred level. Everyone’s sour threshold is different.