• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Messy Vegan Cook
  • Recipes
  • Thai Food + Travel
  • Supper Clubs
  • Subscribe
    • Bloglovin
    • Instagram
    • RSS
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Thai Food and Travel
  • London Vegan Supper Clubs
  • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Easy Vegan Recipes » Soup Recipes

    Rye sourdough soup

    1 May, 2020 by Kip Leave a Comment

    Sourdough soups are a feature of Slavic cuisines, with regional variations favouring different fermented grains like rye, oat, barley, or wheat.

    I first encountered the Polish rye sourdough soup known as żurek in February. I'd landed in Warsaw a couple of hours prior and was famished. I crammed my bag in the hostel locker and headed around the corner to Chwast Polski, a restaurant focussed on vegan versions of Polish classics (even zimne nóżki, or meat aspic). My first meal in Poland was this soup, and it remains one of the most memorable during my short time in Warsaw.

    I'm not about to claim my version compares (or that I have a solid understanding of Polish cooking) but, hey, this riff is just an easy lockdown recipe.

    A very salty vegan bacon (not the rice paper sort, which won't stand up to the liquid) elevates this soup, so if you have some then by all means use it here. Failing that (or in addition to), liquid smoke complements the dish well.

    Vegan rye sourdough soup

    This rye sourdough soup recipe is based on a Polish soup called żurek. It's a great way to use any leftover sourdough starter. For added flavour, char the onion and root vegetables first by heating a wok or pan to the highest heat and frying until black char marks appear.
    Ingredients
    • 1 litre water
    • 1 - 1 ½ cups of ½ inch dice root vegetables such as carrot, celeriac, and/or parsnip
    • ½ onion, roughly chopped
    • 2-3 large cloves garlic, smashed
    • ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
    • 3 peppercorns
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 5-10 grams dried chanterelles or other dried mushrooms (about 2-4 tablespoons)
    • ¾ cup 1 inch pieces new potato
    • 2-3 vegan sausages, sliced and/or bacon pieces, fried and diced
    • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
    • 5-7 tablespoons rye sourdough starter
    • Additional salt for seasoning
    • White pepper for serving
    • Chopped fresh herbs like parsley and/or dill for garnish
    • Vegan cream, creme fraiche, or yoghurt (optional)
    Directions/Method
    1. Add the water, root vegetables, onion, garlic, dried herbs and spices, salt, and mushrooms to a saucepan. Bring to the boil and then turn to medium low heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
    2. Add the potatoes and sausages/bacon. Cook for 10-15 minutes, covered, or until the potatoes are done. Decrease the heat to the lower temperature setting and cover.
    3. Remove about 1 cup (aim for 200-250 millilitres) of stock only. Leave to cool (you can chuck a few ice cubes it to hurry it along). When room temperature (or a little above), add 5-7 tablespoons of rye sourdough starter, whisking through to ensure it blends with the liquid.
    4. Knock the heat of the soup back up to medium. Pour the sourdough liquid back into the pot, stirring the entire time. The soup should thicken substantially. Add the liquid smoke, if using (if you aren’t using vegan bacon I recommend using the liquid smoke). Taste and add salt as you see fit.
    5. Serve with white pepper and fresh herbs. If you'd like, swirl some cream/creme fraiche/yoghurt through the soup.
    • Author: Kip Dorrell
    • Serves: 3-4
    • Cuisine: Polish-ish

    A dedication to proper breadmakers everywhere

    The COVID-19 invention of sourdough and the accompanying individuals who have "nailed it" on their fourth attempt must feel like a war waged on the eyes of actual, skilled bakers. I dedicate this post to all of you who, every day, are restraining yourselves from expressing opinions and colourful language on social media upon seeing these loaves. I won't show you my sourdough loaves but I will show you my sourdough soup. This is not a euphemism.

    More Soup Recipes

    • Vegan tom yum soup (restaurant style) ต้มยำวีแก้น
    • Vegan Thai noodle soup stock น้ำซุปวีแกน
    • Vegan Kaeng Liang แกงเลียงมังสวิรัติ
    • Fragrant Scorched Vegan Corn Chowder

    Reader Interactions

    I reserve the right to improve any malicious and trollish comments left below. Please do not comment about nonvegan products or activities.

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Name's Kip. Some things about me: vegan, Thai food enthusiast, comfortably chaotic and disorganised, information lover, Londoner, cookbook collector, clumsy AF, rarely takes a serious photo, has never been on a diet. This is not a wellness blog.

    More about me →

    • All recipes
    • Thai food + travel
    • General travel
    • Reviews
    • Food facts
    • Thai fried tofu with sweet peanut dipping sauce
    • Thai winged bean salad (yam tua pu)
    Vegan Thai Recipes
    Vegan Travel in Thailand
    Kippysnacks logo

    I run vegan Thai supper clubs at my home in East London.

    Think Like a Vegan

    Think Like a Vegan Book

    A thoughtful read for long time vegans and nonvegans alike, this is one of the best styles of arguing for and discussing veganism I have yet to find. Highly recommended reading.

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Privacy policy
    • Relationships and disclosures
    • Comments Policy
    • PR and Review Policy
    • Freelance and Consultancy

    Contact

    Email me
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Newsletter

    All content on this site, including, but not limited to, text, recipes, and photographs are owned by Messy Vegan Cook and its contributors. No content may be reprinted or reproduced without permission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Messy Vegan Cook