The Top 10 Polish Soups You Need To Try

About Polish Soups

Poles are often getting joked on for preferring to eat their dishes in the form of a soup. But! 

There is a very good reason why classic Polish dishes are based around soup. 

For one, winter in Poland is a very, very cold time, and soup is the perfect thing to warm yourself up (apart from Polish wodka and herbata). 

For two, in times of hardship, one way you could feed a big family is to boil available ingredients in a pot of water. 

And three, Polish soup is delicious and filling, which is why it tends to be the most favorite Polish food, and the one that lunch and dinner centers around. 

So next time you have the opportunity, sit down and enjoy this great Polish comfort food.

Top Six Polish Soups 

Soup in Polish is called zupa, while chicken soup is sometimes thought of in a different category and just called rosól - probably because rosól is sometimes just a base for other types of zupa’s. 

Explore the following list, enriched with Polish food names, just to spice it up!

1. Rosól

This is a classic Polish chicken soup, which tends to be on the menu at least once a week, and which little kids are obliged to eat as it is believed to be very healthy. Polish chicken soup is usually served with fine egg noodles, carrots and pieces of chicken meat, decorated with parsley. View our rosol recipe.

2. Barszcz or Borsch

Polish borscht soup is probably the most famous Polish dish (known to be native to some other countries, too). This is one of the traditional Polish soups, often served for special occasions and known to be a Polish Christmas soup. Being also a Polish beetroot soup, it is not a favorite for all, especially kids, due to its strong taste, but hey, tradition is tradition.

3. Polish Vegetable Soup

Polish vegetable soups are very, very popular, and while some are based on the chicken soup, you can make others completely vegan. In this category, you will find Polish cauliflower soup, Polish horseradish soup, Polish cabbage and mushroom soup, Polish bean soup, Polish cucumber soup… Although these tastes can seem strange, these soups are not only healthy but also very yummy, and wonderful with a traditional Polish bread on the side.

4. Żurek

Now, when talking about tastes that need getting used to, this Polish soup with egg and sausage is a specialty that cooks pride themselves on. Served sometimes inside a bread, don’t be surprised to come across different variations of this dish. View our Zurek soup recipe.

5. Krupnik

Krupnik is a yummy Polish barley soup, and another traditional Polish soup that many Poles grew up on. Made with barley, chicken, potatoes it is a great meal to end the day with and relax.

6. Flaki

Now flaki soup, known also as flaczki or a Polish tripe soup is definitively more hardcore if you are not a meat eater. This is, too, a traditional Polish recipe, and a soup loved by many. 

7. Szczawiowa or Polish Sorrel Soup

First of all - try and practice the Polish pronunciation of this soup! Polish sorrel soup is rich in nutrients and vitamins, plus is thought to be a great remedy for an upset stomach. It is, in a way, comfort food - just like what ramen is for the Japanese, this soup is for the Polish.

8. Dill Pickle Soup or Ogórkowa

If you like pickles… you might like the Polish dill pickle soup. We have to be frank here, it is not for those sensitive to tastes, but if you give it a try, you might find it’s your favorite soup! It is both a little sour and a little sweet, if with added cream.

9. Beet Soup or Buraczkowa

While the Poles enjoy a hot bowl of barszcz on special occasions, the regular beet soup is somewhat more of a common meal. Made from beets to be rich in texture and ingredients (unlike a clear barszcz), it is a great, healthy meal to indulge in once in a while.

10. Czarnina

Just like ogórkowa is not for the sensitive to tastes, czarnina is not for those sensitive to, well, blood. Yes, you read that right - this soup, also known as czarna polewka, is made from animal blood, often duck blood, and used for special occasions. This custom comes from the times of scarcity, where nothing of a killed animal was allowed to be spared. Try our Czarnina recipe here!

11. Grzybowa

Grzybowa, or forest mushroom soup, is a yummy, creamy soup prepared for both special occasions and Sunday family lunches. It seems that every Polish family has its own way and its own recipe for preparing this soup, that is a great, rich comfort food, easily eaten as a full meal.

Try Polish Soups

As Polish cuisine is very rich in different kinds of dishes, and the list of soups could go on based on its ingredients, try and explore as many Polish tastes as you can - you will certainly come across one or two of your favorites! 

For detailed Polish soups recipes, explore our blog section, and don’t forget to browse through our store with cool Polish gear!