If there’s one thing Romanians love on a chilly day, it’s a steaming bowl of sour soup, or ciorba. Among the many variations, Ciorba Taraneasca de Porc—a rustic Romanian pork soup—is one of the heartiest and most comforting. Loaded with tender pork, root vegetables, and the unmistakable tang of bors (fermented wheat bran) or pickled cabbage juice, this dish is a celebration of countryside cooking. It’s humble, nourishing, and packed with flavour—a taste of Romanian tradition with every spoonful.
Ingredients for the Rustic Romanian Pork Soup Recipe
For this traditional pork soup, you will need two pork leg slices or pork chops, two carrots, one parsnip, half a celeriac, one celery stick, three garlic cloves, one or two potatoes, three ripe tomatoes, two bell peppers, and one onion. You’ll also need 200 grams of tomato passata, half a litre of bors or pickled cabbage juice, one tablespoon of vegetable oil, and optionally, a handful of fresh parsley for serving.
You can play with the vegetables you add to this soup – that’s the beauty of this recipe, you can be as creative as you’d like, with the vegetables you really love.
How to Make Romanian Pork Soup
Start by chopping the pork into bite-sized pieces and placing them in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and carefully skim off the foam that forms on the surface. This will help you get a clean, clear broth. Once no more foam is forming, remove the pork pieces from the water, and keep the liquid—this will serve as your broth.
In the same pot, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and sauté the chopped onion, carrots, parsnip, celery stick, and celeriac until slightly softened. Add the diced bell peppers and chopped tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes to allow the flavours to come together.
Return the pork and its broth to the pot and let everything simmer for about 20 minutes. Then, add the chopped potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Next, add the bors or pickled cabbage juice gradually, tasting as you go to ensure the soup doesn’t become too sour. Stir in the tomato passata and minced garlic, and let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes to fully develop its flavour.
Finish by sprinkling chopped fresh parsley on top and serve the soup hot, ideally with a dollop of sour cream and a slice of crusty bread.
Notes and Tips:
- If you don’t want the soup so sour, add the bors in small amounts and taste after each addition.
- Can’t find bors? You can substitute it with the juice from pickled cabbage or even use lemon juice for a bit of acidity—though the taste will vary. You can find bors in the Romanian supermarkets and more recently, in the very big supermarkets as well, in the Polish section.
- Pork leg or shoulder works best for a tender, flavourful result, but you can also use pork ribs for extra richness.
- This soup can easily become a main meal when paired with bread and a fresh salad.
Rustic Romanian Pork Soup Recipe – Ciorba Taraneasca de Porc
Ingredients
- 2 pork chops or pork leg slices
- 2 carrots
- 1 parsnip
- 1/2 celeriac
- 1 celery stalk
- 3 ripe tomatoes
- 2 bell peppers
- 1-2 potatoes
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 250 ml tomato passata or 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 L Bors or pickled cabbage juice
- handful of parsley optional
Instructions
- Chop pork into small chunks and place in cold water. Bring to boil and skim off the foam. Once no more foam forms, remove the meat and keep the broth.
- In the same pot, add oil and sauté chopped onion, carrots, parsnip, celery, and celeriac. After a few minutes, add bell peppers and tomatoes.
- Add the pork and reserved broth back to the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Toss in chopped potatoes. Cook for another 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
- Gradually add borș, tasting as you go so it doesn’t get too sour.
- Stir in tomato passata and minced garlic. Simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Sprinkle fresh parsley and serve hot with a side of sour cream and crusty bread.
FAQ
What is bors and where can I find it?
Bors is a traditional Romanian fermented wheat bran liquid, used to sour soups. It’s commonly found in Eastern European grocery stores or homemade. If unavailable, pickled cabbage juice is the best substitute.
Can I make this soup in advance?
Yes! Like many soups, this one actually tastes better the next day as the flavours continue to meld. Just store it in the fridge and reheat gently before serving. My mom would always make the soup for the week on Saturday.
Can I freeze Romanian pork soup?
Absolutely. Let it cool completely and store in airtight containers. It keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Is this soup spicy?
No, this is not a spicy soup, but you can always add a little chili or hot paprika if you like a bit of heat.
For more traditional Romanian soups, check out my recommendations below:
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This looks like an amazing soup! Very flavorful. I’ll add this to a list of things to make for dinner.
I had this soup the other day at a friend’s house and it was so good. I am glad that I found this recipe.
I have never had this dish before. I love soups and this seems an interesting one to prepare. Will surely give it a try, thanks for sharing.
This soup looks incredibly comforting and full of flavor! I love how rustic and hearty it feels perfect for a cozy meal. Thank you for sharing a taste of Romanian tradition!
This Romanian pork soup looks absolutely delicious and comforting! I love how traditional recipes like this bring so much warmth and flavor. Perfect for a cozy meal. Can’t wait to try making it at home!
I love that it’s flexible with the veggies too. Can’t wait to try it with a warm loaf of bread on the side!
Wow! This soup recipe looks amazing and comforting. I can’t wait to try this at home!