Cucumber soup (traditional, with a delicate roux) - photo 1
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Cucumber soup (traditional, with a delicate roux)

Soups Regional Cuisine of Poland 40 min Medium 19 wyświetleń ~24.00 PLN - (0)
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Description

Classic Polish cucumber soup prepared in a clear chicken broth with grated pickled cucumbers and a bit of roux, which gives the soup a creamy consistency without losing acidity. This warming, aromatic dish is perfect for winter days — it combines the salty, slightly sour taste of pickled cucumbers with the delicate sweetness of carrots and potatoes, along with the freshness of dill. Serve with finely chopped dill, optionally with pieces of fried bacon or a half of a hard-boiled egg. The soup is perfect as a homemade lunch, a dish after holiday broth, or as part of a traditional Polish menu.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (18)

Servings:
4
  • Grated pickled cucumber (without brine) 400 g
  • Pickle juice (brine) 50 ml
  • Potatoes 4 szt.
  • Carrot 1.9 szt.
  • Celeriac 80 g
  • Onion 1 szt.
  • Butter 30 g
  • Wheat flour 30 g
  • Dill (bunch) 1 pęczek
  • Sugar 5 g
  • Chicken broth 1500 ml
  • 18% cream 200 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 8 g
  • Ground black pepper 2 szczypty
  • Bay leaf 6.7 szt.
  • Allspice (clove aroma) 3 szt.
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Egg (hard-boiled, optional) 1 szt.
  • Smoked bacon 100 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~24.00 PLN (6.00 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparing the pot and broth

1

Take a large pot with a capacity of at least 3 liters. Pour in 1500 ml of clear chicken broth and place it on the stove over medium heat. Add 2 bay leaves and 3 pieces of allspice. Heat until the broth starts to gently simmer (small, continuous bubbles), do not boil vigorously.

Ingredients: Chicken broth, Bay leaf, Allspice (clove aroma)
Use a 3–4 l stainless steel pot. Set the burner to medium heat – too vigorous boiling will make the broth cloudy.

Preparing the vegetables

2

Peel the potatoes with a kitchen knife or a peeler. Cut into even pieces about 1.5–2 cm (cubes). Peel the carrot and slice it into rounds or half-moons about 3–4 mm thick. Peel the celeriac and grate it on a coarse grater or cut it into small cubes. Peel the onion and chop it finely.

Ingredients: Potatoes, Carrot, Celeriac, Onion
Use a cutting board and a sharp knife. Even pieces of potatoes ensure even cooking. A vegetable peeler will be useful for peeling vegetables.

Cooking vegetables

3

Add the chopped potatoes, carrot, celery, and onion to the boiling broth. Increase the heat, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup gently simmers. Cook for about 12–15 minutes, until the potatoes are soft — you can check this by piercing a piece of potato with a fork; the fork should go in easily and without resistance.

Ingredients: Chicken broth, Potatoes, Carrot, Celeriac, Onion
Use a lid, but leave a small gap for the steam to escape. Check the potatoes after 12 minutes, as the time depends on the size of the pieces and the type of potato.

Cucumber starter part 1 — preparing the cucumbers

4

Take the pickled cucumbers and grate them on a coarse grater or use a food processor with a grating disc. Hold the hard end of the cucumber towards the disc and make even movements to obtain fine shreds. Keep the squeezed brine (juice) in a separate container — you will use it to season the soup.

Ingredients: Grated pickled cucumber (without brine), Pickle juice (brine)
Use kitchen gloves if the cucumbers are very sour and your hands are sensitive. The grater tends to slip — hold it steady or use a finger guard.

Sautéing the bacon (optional)

5

If you are using bacon: cut it into small cubes and fry in a dry pan over medium heat until the fat renders and the pieces become golden and crispy. Set aside on a paper towel to drain.

Ingredients: Smoked bacon
Use a 20–24 cm pan. Do not add fat — the bacon will render its own. For the vegetarian version, skip this step.

Adding cucumbers to the soup

6

When the potatoes are soft, add the grated part of the pickled cucumbers to the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon, bring the soup back to a gentle boil, and cook for 6–8 minutes — the cucumbers will soften during this time, and the flavors will meld together.

Ingredients: Grated pickled cucumber (without brine), Pickle juice (brine), Smoked bacon
First, add half of the cucumber juice and taste before adding the rest — the pickling strength varies. If you used fried bacon, you can add it now.

Preparation of light roux

7

In a small skillet or saucepan, melt 30 g of butter over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam, add 30 g of flour and stir with a whisk or wooden spoon for 1.5–2 minutes, until the mixture turns a light golden color and begins to smell nutty — this is a light roux. Be careful not to burn it (it will smell bitter then).

Ingredients: Butter, Wheat flour
Use a small pan with a diameter of 16–20 cm. Stir constantly to achieve a smooth consistency. The roux should be liquid and lump-free.

Tempering the soup (tempering the cream and combining with the roux)

8

Turn off the heat under the pot (it's important that the soup is not boiling). In a separate bowl, mix 200 g of sour cream with 2–3 tablespoons of hot soup (take it with a ladle) — gradually pour it in and whisk to temper the sour cream and prevent it from curdling. Then, pour the tempered sour cream into the pot in a thin stream while stirring the soup. Now add the roux: first pour it in with a spoon or ladle (it's best to dilute it with two tablespoons of hot soup), and then slowly pour it into the pot while vigorously stirring to avoid lumps. Place the pot back on low heat and warm it for 1–2 minutes without bringing it to a boil — sour cream does not like vigorous boiling, as it may curdle.

Ingredients: Chicken broth, Butter, Wheat flour, 18% cream
Use a metal whisk to temper the cream. If the cream starts to separate, immediately remove the pot from the heat and try not to let it boil later.

Final seasoning and finishing touches

9

After tempering the cream and adding the roux, season the soup with 5 g of sugar and 8 g of salt (add gradually). Add 2 g of black pepper (2 pinches). Taste and if necessary, add another tablespoon or two of cucumber juice if you want more acidity. Cook on very low heat for another 1–2 minutes, stirring.

Ingredients: Pickle juice (brine), Sugar, Salt, Ground black pepper
Season gradually and taste after each added portion of brine or salt. Remember that the bacon and brine are salty — it's better to add less salt at the beginning.

Serving

10

Chop the dill finely and just before serving, sprinkle a nice handful of fresh dill over the soup. On the plate, you can place drained pieces of fried bacon or a half of a hard-boiled egg as a garnish. Serve immediately, preferably with a slice of fresh bread or a roll.

Ingredients: Dill (bunch), Smoked bacon, Egg (hard-boiled, optional)
Use a kitchen knife to finely chop the dill and a strainer to drain the bacon. The soup tastes best fresh; serving it with an egg and bacon is a traditional addition.

Fun Fact

💡

Cucumber soup has its roots in peasant cuisine — pickled cucumbers were a way to survive the excess of summer cucumbers and provided vitamins in winter. In some regions of Poland, potatoes were also added to it, while in others, rice.

Best for

domowy obiad zimowy posiłek rozgrzewający poświąteczny obiad (zupa na rosole)

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve hot, but not boiling — the cream may curdle when it boils. For a lighter version, replace the cream with Greek-style natural yogurt (temper it similarly) or use kefir just before serving. Add fresh wheat or rye-wheat bread to the plate.

🥡 Storage

Store the soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Do not freeze if it contains cream — the cream may separate. If you plan to reheat, warm it slowly over low heat and, if necessary, temper with an additional portion of cream.

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