Zurek

Name: Zurek
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 cup rye sourdough starter (zakwas) or 1/2 cup rye flour whisked with 1/2 cup water; 6 cups chicken broth; 1/2 lb smoked kielbasa, sliced; 1/2 lb white sausage (or extra kielbasa); 1 onion, halved; 3 cloves garlic, smashed; 2 bay leaves; 4 allspice berries; 1 tsp dried marjoram; 1/2 cup sour cream; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved; Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Poland’s tangy sour rye soup, served with sausage, hard-boiled egg, and a dollop of cream.

⏱ 20 minPrep time

🔥 45 minCook time

🍽 6Servings

🏷 Eastern European KitchenCategory

☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet

Żurek is Poland’s sour rye soup — a tangy, creamy broth made from fermented rye flour, enriched with white sausage, smoked kielbasa, and hard-boiled egg. Its distinctive sourness is the whole point: bracing, comforting, and utterly unlike any other soup.

It’s the traditional centerpiece of Polish Easter breakfast, though it’s loved year-round as hangover food and winter fuel. Served with a spoonful of sour cream and crusty rye bread, żurek is the taste of Polish soul food at its most honest.

Eastern European recipes →

Step by stepInstructions

Combine the broth, onion, garlic, bay leaves, allspice, and rye starter (or rye flour-water mixture) in a pot. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Prick the white sausage and add it with the kielbasa. Simmer gently for 30-40 minutes — do not boil hard, or the starter can curdle.
Remove the sausages, slice them, and return to the pot. Discard the onion and bay leaves.
Whisk the sour cream with the flour and temper with a cup of hot soup, then stir the mixture back into the pot.
Season with marjoram, salt, and pepper, and simmer 5 minutes more without boiling.
Serve with halved hard-boiled eggs in each bowl, with rye bread alongside.

💡 Chef tips & storage

A proper rye starter (rye flour, water, and a little garlic fermenting for 3-5 days) makes the best żurek — plan ahead. Keep the soup below a boil once the starter goes in.

Recipe details

Prep20 min

Cook45 min

Servings6

CategoryEastern European Kitchen

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Zurek

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Log In

Get free recipes every week

Zurek

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Join the conversation

Keep browsingYou might also like

Pączki

Kotlet Schabowy

Placki Ziemniaczane

Log In