Romanian Meatball Soup (Ciorba de perisoare)
Traditional Romanian meatball soup with a unique sour broth, perfect for a cozy, comforting meal.
Servings: 6
Calories: 332kcal
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 400 g ground beef 14 oz or ground pork, a mixture of pork and beef or ground turkey
- 50 g rice ¼ cup (long grain or arborio)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Soup
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil ¼ cup
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 large carrot grated
- 1 parsnip grated
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato puree or 100 ml tomato passata
- 2 celery sticks chopped
- 2 litres vegetable or beef stock 2 quarts
- 500 ml borș 2 cups or use the juice from one lemon
- 3 tablespoon chopped parsley or a small bunch
- 3 tablespoon chopped lovage or a small bunch (or substitute with celery leaves)
Optional
- 2-3 tablespoon lemon juice for extra sourness
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Start by peeling and chopping the veggies. Next, heat a splash of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once it’s warm, toss in a chopped onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until it softens. Then, add the grated carrot, parsnip, red bell pepper, tomato, and chopped celery. Stir everything together and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the veggies are softened and smell amazing. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the veggie mix on a small plate for the meatballs later.3 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 large onion, 1 large carrot, 1 parsnip, 1 red bell pepper, 1 tomato, 2 celery sticks
- Pour in 2 liters of vegetable or beef stock, stirring it into the sautéed veggies. Bring it to a gentle boil, and let the soup start simmering while you whip up the meatballs.2 litres vegetable or beef stock
- Prepare the Meatballs: Grab a mixing bowl and add the ground beef (or any ground meat you like), rice, the egg, the reserved veggies and a tablespoon each of chopped parsley and dill. Season with salt and pepper, and mix in half of the cooked veggies for a flavour boost. I like to use my hands to mix everything until well combined, then roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.400 g ground beef, 50 g rice, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- Carefully add the meatballs to the simmering soup, letting them cook for about 15 minutes. They’ll release so much goodness into the broth as they cook!
- Add the Borș and Tomato Puree: Add the borș (or a squeeze of lemon juice if you’re using that instead) and a spoonful of tomato puree to the pot. Let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes so the flavors can blend nicely. Stir in some chopped lovage and parsley, and give it a taste to adjust the salt and pepper as needed.Salt and pepper , 1 tablespoon tomato puree, 500 ml borș, 3 tablespoon chopped parsley, 3 tablespoon chopped lovage, 2-3 tablespoon lemon juice
- Finish and Serve: Let the soup cool just a bit before serving. For a true Romanian vibe, serve it up with fresh polenta or a crusty piece of bread, and maybe a pickled pepper on the side if you like a little heat! This soup is always a hit, bringing comfort and tradition right to the table.
Video
Notes
- Keep Meatballs Intact: Roll them tightly to ensure they don’t fall apart in the soup.
- Make It Ahead: The soup tastes even better the next day, so feel free to make a batch in advance.
- Adjust Sourness: Taste before serving and add more lemon juice or borș if you like a stronger tang.
Nutrition
Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 570mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2786IU | Vitamin C: 74mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
