Name: Sour Rye Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 400 ml żur starter (fermented rye flour); 300 g kielbasa; 400 g potato; 6 pieces egg; 1500 ml chicken stock; 150 g sour cream; 4 cloves garlic; 2 pieces bay leaf; 5 pieces allspice berries; 1 tsp dried marjoram; 1 bunch fresh marjoram

UntrainedChef

Tips from the kitchen

Stir the żur in slowly and taste as you go. Different starters have different levels of sourness, so the one cup is a starting point, not a rule. Stop when it tastes the way you want.
Once the starter is in, keep the soup at a gentle simmer. If it comes to a hard boil after you add the sour cream, the cream can split and you get a grainy look instead of a smooth one.
Shake the żur before you measure it. The rye flour settles to the bottom of the jar, and that cloudy sediment is where the flavor lives. Pour off only the clear liquid and you lose half the point.
For 6 to 7 minute eggs with a soft center, lower them into already boiling water and start your timer then. Drop them straight into cold water after so the yolks stay jammy and the shells peel cleaner.
If you taste it and it's gone too sour, the pinch of sugar in step 6 fixes it fast. Add it tiny bit by tiny bit, it doesn't take much.

Ways to vary it

Some people add a halved hard-boiled egg per bowl instead of the soft ones, or grate a little fresh horseradish on top. Both are common at Easter tables.
If you want it smokier, use a smoked kielbasa rather than a plain one. You can also brown the sausage slices in a dry pan before adding them for a deeper flavor.
Serving it in a hollowed-out round loaf as a bread bowl is the classic move for company. Otherwise a regular bowl with bread on the side does the job.

Storage & leftovers

Keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in a covered container. Store the eggs separately so they don't go rubbery sitting in the broth. Reheat gently on low heat and don't let it boil, or the sour cream will break. It freezes poorly because of the cream, so freeze it only before adding the cream if you must.

What to serve with it

A chunk of dark rye bread is all it needs, ideally the same rye your starter came from. Some boiled potatoes on the side round it out if you want more on the plate.

By Untrained ChefPublished 1 February 2026 · Updated 7 June 2026

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