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A white bowl with the red soup in it, packed with vegetables and smoked meat. It sits on a wooden board, with a slice of bread on the side. There is also a wooden spoon resting on the board. The marble-like work top is covered with a grey tea towel with light grey circles pattern.

Romanian Cabbage and Smoked Meat Soup – Ciorba de Varza cu Afumatura

This Romanian cabbage and smoked meat soup is a hearty dish, perfect for a comfort dinner on a cold winter day.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Romanian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 white cabbage shredded
  • 200 gr smoked meat (I chose smoked pork leg) cut in cubes
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 2 carrot finely chopped
  • 2 celery sticks finely chopped
  • 1 red pepper finely chopped
  • a bunch of green beans cut in half
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp carraway seeds
  • 2 lemons juice only
  • 100 ml sour cream
  • dried dill optional

Instructions
 

  • Add a little bit of oil into a pan and fry the chopped onions, carrots, and celery sticks.
  • Add the chopped cabbage, and sauté until it starts to shrink.
  • Add the chopped smoked meat, and stir a couple of times, to mix with the vegetables.
  • Add the paprika and immediately a cup of water, so you don’t burn it.
  • Add 4L of water and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes or so.
  • Add the can of chopped tomatoes and mix well.
  • Simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Add one tsp of caraway seeds.
  • Add the chopped peppers and the green beans, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
  • If the water starts to evaporate, top it up.
  • In total, simmer the soup for 50 to 60 minutes, so all the flavours from the meat and the vegetables are released.
  • Turn the heat off, and prepare the sour cream dressing. Mix the lemon juice with the sour cream, then add a ladle of hot soup to the bowl, and mix well. Add another ladle of soup and continue to mix until you bring the sour cream to the soup’s temperature. This is important, so the sour cream doesn’t split in the hot soup.
  • Optional, you can sprinkled some dried dill on top once the soup is ready.
  • Serve hot with crusty bread, and extra sour cream and lemon wedges on the side.