Romanian Meatball Soup: Ciorbă de Perișoare
This traditional Romanian soup is a comforting blend of meat, vegetables, and a tangy sour base, typically topped with fresh lovage and served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 2 tomatoes or 7-8 cherry tomatoes
- 1 large white onion
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2-3 carrots
- 1 parsley root
- 1 celery root
- 1 red bell pepper
- 3 liters water
- salt to taste
For the meatballs:
- 500 g ground pork and beef in equal amounts
- 50 g semolina
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 small eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the finishing mix:
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2-3 tablespoons tarragon in vinegar chopped
For serving:
- fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Peel and chop all the vegetables.
- Heat the sunflower oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion until softened.
- Add the remaining chopped vegetables and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the water, add salt to taste, and stir in the chopped tomatoes.
- Cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, while we prepared the meatballs.
For the meatballs:
- In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, semolina, chopped onion, eggs, and salt. Mix well until fully combined.
- Using your hands, form small, round meatballs.
Add Meatballs to the Soup:
- After the soup has simmered for 20 minutes, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Carefully add the meatballs to the soup, one at a time.
- Let them cook for about 15 minutes until fully cooked through.
Finishing the Soup:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sour cream, and chopped tarragon in vinegar.
- Gradually ladle a few tablespoons of hot soup into the mixture to temper it, whisking constantly.
- Slowly stir the tempered mixture back into the soup.
- Add freshly chopped parsley leaves and adjust the seasoning with more salt, if needed.
- Serve hot, optionally accompanied by crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
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