Ah, Ciorbă de perișoare—a classic Romanian sour meatball soup! 🍲 This soup is hearty, tangy, and full of flavor, perfect for a comforting meal. Here’s a full recipe:
Ciorbă de Perișoare (Romanian Meatball Soup)
Ingredients (6 servings)
For the Meatballs (Perișoare):
- 500 g (1 lb) ground pork or a mix of pork and beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 2–3 tbsp rice, rinsed
- 1–2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Soup:
- 2–3 carrots, chopped
- 1 parsnip or celery root, chopped (optional)
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2–3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1–2 liters (8 cups) water or chicken/vegetable broth
- 1–2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2–3 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh dill, chopped, for garnish
For Sour Flavor (Traditional “Borș”):
- 200 ml (¾ cup) borș (fermented wheat or barley bran)
or 2–3 tbsp lemon juice / vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatballs:
- In a bowl, mix ground meat, chopped onion, rice, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Form into small balls (about 1 inch / 2–3 cm).
- Cook the Vegetables:
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
- Sauté onion, carrot, parsnip, and bell pepper for 3–4 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and stir for 1–2 minutes.
- Add Liquid:
- Pour in water or broth.
- Add bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a gentle boil.
- Cook Meatballs:
- Reduce heat to a simmer.
- Carefully add meatballs, one by one.
- Simmer for 20–25 minutes until meatballs are cooked and rice is tender.
- Add Sour Flavor:
- Pour in borș or lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Finish and Serve:
- Remove bay leaves.
- Sprinkle with fresh dill.
- Serve hot with crusty bread.
Tips
- Rice in meatballs helps them hold shape and adds texture.
- Borș vs lemon juice: Borș gives authentic Romanian tang; lemon or vinegar works if unavailable.
- Optional: Add a beaten egg with a little cream for a richer soup (similar to “ciorbă de perișoare cu smântână”).
- Serve with sour cream on the side if desired.
If you want, I can also give a faster, weeknight version of ciorbă de perișoare that’s just as flavorful but uses fewer steps.
Do you want me to do that?
