Cucumber soup takes a well-deserved place in the canon of Polish dishes. It is inevitably associated with home-made food served by mothers and grandmothers. Compared to other soups, it stands out due to its aroma – it has a deep, slightly sour taste that perfectly quenches thirst and appetite.. It is made from pickled cucumbers, broth and vegetables, sometimes with potatoes or rice. The soup warms and supports almost the entire body.
The indisputable truth is that Poles love soups. Three positions stand out in the ranking of lovers of Polish dishes – broth, tomato and cucumber. The broth, appreciated by both compatriots and foreign gourmets, was even ranked first in the ranking of the best Polish soups organized by the Taste Atlas guide. The broth is also the base of many other soups – from krupnik to . The latter, in turn, made with Sunday broth, is usually served on Mondays. It has also become the subject of an unresolved culinary debate – whether it is better to serve it with rice or pasta.
The last of the big three – cucumber soup – it has an extraordinary taste. Its traditional version is dominated by pickled cucumbers (preferably home-made ones), and sometimes also pickled liquid. Its sour taste is the result of cucumber fermentation, which gives it a unique character. The soup is strongly associated with grandma’s cooking – honest, filling, warming. Cucumber probably appeared in Poland in the 16th century and popularized with the availability of ingredients. In Małopolska it is often served with potatoes, in Kashubia – with rice, and in Mazovia – it is often enriched with cold meats.
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Scientific study Tasting of traditional Polish fermented cucumbers: Microbiology, morpho-textural features, and volatilomepublished in 2024 in the scientific journal Food Research International, indicates that pickled vegetables (such as cucumbers) may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. By eating cucumber soup, we provide our body with numerous nutritional values. To the most important properties of cucumber soup can include:
- support for intestinal function and digestion – the presence of probiotics and beneficial bacteria from cucumber fermentation promotes better intestinal microflora and improves intestinal peristalsis,
- helping you lose weight – high water content and low caloric value of vegetables accelerate weight loss,
- cleansing the body – pickled cucumbers and vegetable broth support the removal of toxins and metabolic products,
- support kidney function – gentle diuretic effect prevents water retention in the body and maintains proper water and electrolyte balance,
- beneficial effect on the liver – the slightly acidic reaction of the dish supports digestive processes and relieves the liver,
- anti-inflammatory effect – antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, relieve inflammation and delay the aging process,
- supporting immunity – vitamin C and natural probiotics strengthen the immune system and support the fight against infections,
- regulation of blood sugar levels – fiber from vegetables helps stabilize glucose levels,
- support for skin and hair – silicon and B vitamins present in cucumbers influence the healthy appearance of the skin, hair and nails.
Grandma’s recipe for a classic, more filling than today’s dish contains easily available ingredients that, when combined, give a lot of flavor. The dish will warm you up wonderfully on colder days and will remind you of the aroma of family, home-cooked dinners.
Ingredients:
- half a kilogram of meat or meat with bones (poultry, pork ribs, beef brisket),
- a bunch of vegetables (leek, carrots, parsley, celery),
- 4 potatoes,
- half of a medium white onion,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- 8 pickled cucumbers,
- 2 tablespoons of butter,
- 2 tablespoons of white flour,
- 100 ml sour cream,
- a few grains of allspice,
- a few bay leaves,
- salt and black pepper to taste.
How to do it:
- Wash the meat and put it in a pot. Pour about 3 liters of water, add allspice and bay leaves. Bring the broth to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes over low heat and covered.
- While the broth is boiling, peel the parsley, carrots, potatoes and celery. Cut into small cubes or slices (or grate on large holes) and put in the broth. Cut the leek in half, clean it and put it in the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft.
- Melt the butter in a pan and fry the onion in it. When it becomes translucent, add the peeled, chopped and crushed garlic and fry over low heat for a few minutes. Add to soup.
- Rinse the pickled cucumbers and grate them on a large grater. Place in a pot along with all the juice that will collect from under the cucumbers.
- Pour flour into the cream and mix until there are no lumps. Temper the soup with a hot ladle. Mix again and slowly pour the cream into the broth, stirring constantly.
- Cook the soup for a few more minutes and, if necessary, season with salt and pepper at the end. Serve the soup immediately, hot.
To make the cucumber soup even healthier and more aromatic, it is worth adding a handful of chopped fresh dill. You can also enrich it with a piece of meat caught from the pot. This is a simple way to make a hearty, warming and health-beneficial soup.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl, PubMed
