Romanian Sour Tripe Soup (Ciorbă de Burtă)
Ciorbă de burtă Say it: CHOR-buh deh BOOR-tuh
This is Romania’s most iconic sour soup: a rich, creamy bowl of tender beef tripe and marrow-rich bone broth, thickened with sour cream and egg yolks, then sharpened with garlic and vinegar. It appears on restaurant menus nationwide and is a favorite for festive lunches and late-night gatherings. The long-simmered broth and silky finish make it deeply satisfying, while the garlic and vinegar cut through the richness. Serve it very hot with extra sour cream and hot pickled peppers.
Romanian Sour Tripe Soup (Ciorbă de Burtă)
Ciorbă de burtă
Pronounced CHOR-buh deh BOOR-tuh
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Total
- 3 hr 35 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains milk, egg, celery. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the broth and tripe
For the finish
To serve
Method
Rinse the beef bones and place them in a large stockpot with the 4 qt (3.8 L) cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the gray foam, then add the onion, whole carrot, parsley root, celeriac, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 1 tbsp salt.
Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently for about 2 hours, skimming occasionally, until the broth is rich and fragrant. Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discard the bones and vegetables, and return the clear broth to the pot.
Add the pre-cooked tripe strips to the broth, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook until the tripe is very tender and the broth is rich, about 30–45 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat, add the grated carrot, and cook for 2–3 minutes until soft and the oil turns orange. Stir the carrot mixture into the soup for a golden tint.
In a medium bowl, whisk the sour cream and egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk in about 2 cups (480 ml) of hot broth, a ladle at a time, to temper the mixture. Reduce the heat under the soup to low, then pour the tempered sour cream mixture into the pot while stirring constantly.
Stir in the garlic paste, then add the vinegar gradually, tasting after each addition until the soup is pleasantly sour. Warm the soup gently, stirring, for about 5 minutes until it is steaming and slightly thickened. Do not let it boil.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls, top each with a spoonful of extra sour cream, and pass hot pickled peppers and extra vinegar at the table.
Regional variants
A lighter chicken version, ciorbă rădăuțeană, uses chicken meat and the same sour-cream-and-garlic finish. The Turkish işkembe çorbası typically replaces vinegar with lemon and omits the root vegetables.
Cook's notes
- If the tripe still has a strong aroma, soak it in cold water with 1 teaspoon baking soda for 1 hour, then rinse well before using.
- Never boil the soup after adding the sour cream and egg yolks; keep it just below a simmer to avoid curdling.
- For a faster broth, use a stovetop pressure cooker: cook the bones and aromatics for about 45 minutes, then continue with the tripe as written.
Serve with
Serve with fresh white bread, extra sour cream, hot pickled peppers, and additional vinegar at the table.
Make ahead and storage
The broth and tripe can be made up to 2 days ahead; finish with the sour cream and egg yolks just before serving, and reheat gently without boiling.
