You simply can’t take ciorbă out of a Romanian. It doesn’t matter if the temperature is pushing 40°C outside we will still happily cook and enjoy a steaming bowl of soup. During summer, though, our soups become lighter, fresher, and many of them are just as delicious served cold as they are hot. The other week I was really craving a homemade tomato soup, so I thought, why not document the recipe on the blog as well and share it with you.
This Romanian tomato soup with dumplings recipe is very easy to make and it’s delicious both hot or cold. The better the tomatoes you choose, the better the taste of this soup. So make sure you buy plump, juicy tomatoes, with a lot of flavour. Or even better, use some from the garden.
Ingredients for the Romanian Tomato Soup With Dumplings Recipe
This Romanian tomato soup starts with plenty of ripe tomatoes, which form the heart of the soup. The sweeter and juicier they are, the better the final flavour will be. Alongside the tomatoes, you’ll need an onion, two carrots, and a bell pepper, which build the base.
I also like to add rice, for a little bit more body to the soup. And my choice of herbs, for this soup, is dill. You can however use parsley if you prefer.
The word “dumpling” might scare you, but I promise, they are very easy to make, with just three ingredients: an egg, semolina, and a little bicarbonate of soda.
How to Make Romanian Tomato Soup with Dumplings
Start by finely chopping the onion, carrots, and bell pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large soup pot and sauté the vegetables over a medium heat until they soften and the onion becomes translucent.
Meanwhile, grate the tomatoes, discarding the skins if desired. I don’t because they bare a lot of flavour. Add the grated tomatoes to the pot together with enough water to make the soup. Stir in the rice and bring everything to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for around 20 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften completely and the flavours to develop.
While the soup cooks, prepare the dumplings. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil.
In a bowl, whisk the egg, then mix in the semolina and bicarbonate of soda until combined. Leave the mixture to rest for about 10 minutes so the semolina can absorb the moisture.
Once the water is boiling, use a teaspoon to carefully drop small portions of the mixture into the water. Don’t worry if they look tiny as they will almost triple in size as they cook.
Boil the dumplings for about 15 minutes, until they are light, fluffy, and fully cooked.
Carefully lift the dumplings from the water using a slotted spoon and gently place them into the tomato soup. Season the soup with salt to taste and simmer everything together for another 10 minutes. Finish with plenty of freshly chopped dill and serve either hot or chilled.
Notes and Tips:
- Using ripe, flavourful tomatoes makes the biggest difference to this soup. During summer, fresh garden tomatoes will always produce the best results.
- Cooking the dumplings separately keeps the soup beautifully clear. If they are cooked directly in the soup, the excess semolina can make the broth cloudy.
- Let the dumpling mixture rest before cooking. This allows the semolina to hydrate properly, resulting in softer, fluffier dumplings.
- Make the dumplings fairly small when dropping them into the boiling water. They expand significantly as they cook.
Romanian Tomato Soup With Dumplings Recipe
Ingredients
- 750 gr ripe tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 1 bell pepper
- 1/4 cup rice
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 4 tbsp semolina
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 small bunch dill
- salt to taste
- water 2-3 Liters
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté the onion, carrots, and bell pepper until softened.
- Grate the tomatoes and add them to the pot.
- Pour in the water and add the rice.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg with the semolina and bicarbonate of soda.
- Leave the mixture to rest for 10 minutes.
- Bring a separate pot of water to a boil.
- Spoon small portions of the dumpling mixture into the boiling water.
- Cook the dumplings for about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked dumplings into the soup using a slotted spoon.
- Season with salt and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped dill and serve hot or cold.
FAQ:
What are Romanian semolina dumplings?
They are light, fluffy dumplings made from semolina and egg. They are commonly added to clear soups throughout Romania.
Can I use canned tomatoes?
Yes. Good-quality canned tomatoes or passata work well when fresh tomatoes are out of season, although fresh ripe tomatoes provide the best flavour.
Why are the dumplings cooked separately?
Cooking them in a separate pot prevents excess semolina from clouding the tomato soup and keeps the broth clear.
What can I serve with Romanian tomato soup?
It is delicious on its own or served with crusty bread, fresh sour cream, or extra chopped dill.
For more similar traditional Romanian soups check you my recommendations below:
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