Polish Sour Rye Soup (Zalewajka)
Zalewajka Say it: zah-leh-VY-kah
Zalewajka is a sour rye soup from the Radomsko area of central Poland, close cousin to żurek but built on potatoes and smoked sausage. A jar of fermented rye sour (zakwas) gives it its bright, mouth-puckering tang, balanced by earthy dried mushrooms, marjoram and sweet onion. It is eaten hot all year round, most often for lunch or a filling supper, with halved hard-boiled eggs floating in each bowl and dark rye bread on the side. Rustic, cheap and deeply savoury, it is the taste of a Polish country kitchen.
Polish Sour Rye Soup (Zalewajka)
Zalewajka
Pronounced zah-leh-VY-kah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the rye sour (zakwas) — make 3–5 days ahead
For the soup
To serve
Method
Make the zakwas. whisk the rye flour with the warm water in a clean glass jar until smooth, then add the garlic, bay leaf, allspice and the bread crust if using. Cover the mouth with a cloth and leave at room temperature for 3–5 days, stirring once a day, until it smells pleasantly sour and small bubbles rise to the surface. Refrigerate until needed.
Soak the dried mushrooms in the 1 cup (240 ml) warm water for 20 minutes, then lift them out, strain the soaking liquid and chop the mushrooms.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, add the kiełbasa and onion, and cook for 6–8 minutes until the onion is soft and golden and the sausage edges begin to crisp.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then tip in the potatoes, chopped mushrooms, strained mushroom liquid, water, bay leaf, allspice and peppercorns.
Bring to a boil, lower to a gentle simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but still hold their shape and a knife slides in easily.
Stir the zakwas well and pour it in through a small sieve, add the marjoram, and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes — keep it below a rolling boil so the soup stays clear and keeps its tang.
Season with the salt and pepper. For a creamier soup, whisk the sour cream with a ladleful of hot soup and stir it back in off the heat.
Ladle into bowls, top each with two egg halves, a scatter of chives and a pinch of marjoram.
Regional variant: Zalewajka świętokrzyska (Holy Cross Mountains rye soup)
In the neighbouring Świętokrzyskie region the soup is thicker and smokier. Use smoked bacon or pork ribs alongside the kiełbasa, increase the potatoes to 2 lb (900 g) and mash about a third of them against the side of the pot before adding the zakwas, then finish with a spoonful of sour cream stirred in off the heat.
Cook's notes
- Cover the fermenting zakwas with cloth rather than a tight lid so it can breathe, and avoid metal containers, which can react with the acid.
- Always add the zakwas at the end and keep the heat low; hard boiling makes the soup cloudy and dulls its sourness.
- The soup thickens as it stands — loosen it with a splash of water when reheating.
Serve with
Dark rye bread and butter, or a slice of bread spread with lard and sprinkled with salt; buttermilk or cold water to drink.
Make ahead and storage
The zakwas keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks; the finished soup keeps 3 days chilled and reheats gently — add the eggs fresh each time.
