Cold days call for warm food. I usually make this duck soup when I have a whole bird in the freezer or I buy it fresh. No special ingredients are needed, just a duck, regular vegetables, and some small pasta. The soup comes out clear if you are patient with the foam, and in the end, the tender meat can also be used for a second course. It's the kind of recipe where you don’t have much to invent, just work orderly.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: medium
Ingredients
1 whole duck (approx. 1.5 kg, bones included)
3 large carrots
2 parsley roots
1/2 celery root (or a small celery)
1 large onion (yellow or white)
1 clove of garlic
1 yellow bell pepper
few thin stalks of celery
250 g small pasta (preferably type 'arno' or alphabet)
salt
6-8 black peppercorns
ground pepper to taste
herbs: fresh parsley
(optional) 1 teaspoon of 'Taste Secret' or vegeta (depending on preference)
Preparation Method
1. Clean the duck of any feathers and excess fat, then cut it into suitable pieces. I also remove the neck, breast, and thighs separately, but it’s not necessary.
2. Wash the pieces of meat in cold water and leave them in water while you handle the vegetables. This step helps achieve a clearer soup.
3. Clean and cut the vegetables: carrots and parsley roots into large pieces, celery into thick slices, onion whole or halved. There's no need to chop them finely.
4. Place the duck pieces in a 4-5 liter pot. Add about 3 liters of cold water.
5. Put the pot on low heat and wait for the foam to form on the surface. Remove the foam with a skimmer or ladle whenever needed, until not much appears.
6. When there is no more foam, add the chopped vegetables, peppercorns, and salt. Let it simmer on low heat, with the lid slightly ajar. Don't rush the boiling, otherwise the soup will become cloudy.
7. After about 1 hour, check if the vegetables and meat are cooked. The vegetables should be easily pierced with a fork. Towards the end (the last 15 minutes), add the crushed garlic clove, the large chopped yellow pepper, and the celery stalks. I add them later so they don’t lose their aroma.
8. When the meat is tender, remove the duck pieces and vegetables from the soup. You can keep the meat for a second course.
9. Strain the soup into a clean pot. If it reduces too much, add hot water to reach the desired quantity (approx. 3 liters).
10. Put the soup back on the boil, taste for salt. If you want, add a teaspoon of vegeta or 'Taste Secret'. I only use salt when I have home-raised duck.
11. When the soup comes to a boil, add the pasta. Let them cook for 3-4 minutes or as stated on the package, but not completely – they will swell more while sitting in the soup. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it sit for 10 minutes with the lid on, so the pasta finishes absorbing the liquid.
12. When serving, sprinkle with chopped green parsley.
Why I make this recipe often
This soup is hearty, quite simple, and solves two meals with one duck. It can be kept for a few days in the fridge and reheats easily. The pasta doesn’t turn mushy if you don’t leave it too long on the heat. It’s great for family lunches or when you want something warm in a bowl.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Constantly skim the soup at the beginning, otherwise it will become cloudy.
- Low heat helps with the clarity of the soup.
- If you have a lot of fat from the duck, you can skim it off at the end. You can save some for cooking something else.
- Don’t add the pasta at the beginning, only after the soup is strained.
- If you want a clearer soup, you can also strain it through cheesecloth.
Substitutions
- Instead of alphabet or 'arno' pasta, any other type of small pasta will work: shells, stars, letters.
- If you don’t have fresh celery, you can just use the root.
- Vegeta or 'Taste Secret' are optional. You can skip them if you want a more natural base flavor.
Variations
- The soup also turns out well with chicken or hen, but the duck flavor is denser.
- You can skip the pasta altogether and serve the soup just with vegetables, especially if you want it gluten-free.
- For a tangy note, you can add a few drops of lemon or a bit of borscht at the end.
Serving Ideas
- I usually add chopped green parsley to each plate.
- The duck meat can be used as a roast, alongside boiled potatoes and a cold sauce (horseradish, garlic, dill, tomato, or even cherry sauce).
- The soup can be served with toasted bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use just the breast or duck thighs?
Yes, but the soup won’t have the same richness as when using the carcass and bones. It’s best with the whole bird, but it works with separate portions if that’s what you have.
2. My soup turned out cloudy. What can I do?
Most likely, you didn’t skim enough at the beginning or it boiled too hard. It doesn’t affect the taste, just the appearance. Next time, keep the heat low and skim more rigorously.
3. What can I substitute for pasta if I don’t have any?
You can use rice, semolina dumplings, or even nothing, just vegetables and meat.
4. How do I keep the soup from souring?
Let it cool completely before putting it in the fridge. It’s good to consume within 2-3 days, well reheated.
5. Can I freeze the soup?
Yes, without pasta. Freezing with pasta leads to a soft and structureless texture. Freeze only the clear soup and cook fresh pasta when reheating.
Nutritional Values (estimated per serving, without added pasta)
Calories: 200-230 kcal
Protein: 16-20 g
Fat: 10-12 g
Carbohydrates: 10-14 g (with pasta)
The duck has quite a bit of natural fat, but most of it is removed from the surface of the soup. The vegetables add vitamins, and the pasta increases the carbohydrate content.
Storage and Reheating
The soup can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. It is reheated on low heat. If there are pasta left in the soup, they absorb liquid, so you can add a little water or clear soup when reheating. If you want to keep it longer or freeze it, do so without pasta and add pasta when serving.
No sophisticated techniques are needed, just patience while boiling and attention to foam.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: medium
Ingredients
1 whole duck (approx. 1.5 kg, bones included)
3 large carrots
2 parsley roots
1/2 celery root (or a small celery)
1 large onion (yellow or white)
1 clove of garlic
1 yellow bell pepper
few thin stalks of celery
250 g small pasta (preferably type 'arno' or alphabet)
salt
6-8 black peppercorns
ground pepper to taste
herbs: fresh parsley
(optional) 1 teaspoon of 'Taste Secret' or vegeta (depending on preference)
Preparation Method
1. Clean the duck of any feathers and excess fat, then cut it into suitable pieces. I also remove the neck, breast, and thighs separately, but it’s not necessary.
2. Wash the pieces of meat in cold water and leave them in water while you handle the vegetables. This step helps achieve a clearer soup.
3. Clean and cut the vegetables: carrots and parsley roots into large pieces, celery into thick slices, onion whole or halved. There's no need to chop them finely.
4. Place the duck pieces in a 4-5 liter pot. Add about 3 liters of cold water.
5. Put the pot on low heat and wait for the foam to form on the surface. Remove the foam with a skimmer or ladle whenever needed, until not much appears.
6. When there is no more foam, add the chopped vegetables, peppercorns, and salt. Let it simmer on low heat, with the lid slightly ajar. Don't rush the boiling, otherwise the soup will become cloudy.
7. After about 1 hour, check if the vegetables and meat are cooked. The vegetables should be easily pierced with a fork. Towards the end (the last 15 minutes), add the crushed garlic clove, the large chopped yellow pepper, and the celery stalks. I add them later so they don’t lose their aroma.
8. When the meat is tender, remove the duck pieces and vegetables from the soup. You can keep the meat for a second course.
9. Strain the soup into a clean pot. If it reduces too much, add hot water to reach the desired quantity (approx. 3 liters).
10. Put the soup back on the boil, taste for salt. If you want, add a teaspoon of vegeta or 'Taste Secret'. I only use salt when I have home-raised duck.
11. When the soup comes to a boil, add the pasta. Let them cook for 3-4 minutes or as stated on the package, but not completely – they will swell more while sitting in the soup. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it sit for 10 minutes with the lid on, so the pasta finishes absorbing the liquid.
12. When serving, sprinkle with chopped green parsley.
Why I make this recipe often
This soup is hearty, quite simple, and solves two meals with one duck. It can be kept for a few days in the fridge and reheats easily. The pasta doesn’t turn mushy if you don’t leave it too long on the heat. It’s great for family lunches or when you want something warm in a bowl.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Constantly skim the soup at the beginning, otherwise it will become cloudy.
- Low heat helps with the clarity of the soup.
- If you have a lot of fat from the duck, you can skim it off at the end. You can save some for cooking something else.
- Don’t add the pasta at the beginning, only after the soup is strained.
- If you want a clearer soup, you can also strain it through cheesecloth.
Substitutions
- Instead of alphabet or 'arno' pasta, any other type of small pasta will work: shells, stars, letters.
- If you don’t have fresh celery, you can just use the root.
- Vegeta or 'Taste Secret' are optional. You can skip them if you want a more natural base flavor.
Variations
- The soup also turns out well with chicken or hen, but the duck flavor is denser.
- You can skip the pasta altogether and serve the soup just with vegetables, especially if you want it gluten-free.
- For a tangy note, you can add a few drops of lemon or a bit of borscht at the end.
Serving Ideas
- I usually add chopped green parsley to each plate.
- The duck meat can be used as a roast, alongside boiled potatoes and a cold sauce (horseradish, garlic, dill, tomato, or even cherry sauce).
- The soup can be served with toasted bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use just the breast or duck thighs?
Yes, but the soup won’t have the same richness as when using the carcass and bones. It’s best with the whole bird, but it works with separate portions if that’s what you have.
2. My soup turned out cloudy. What can I do?
Most likely, you didn’t skim enough at the beginning or it boiled too hard. It doesn’t affect the taste, just the appearance. Next time, keep the heat low and skim more rigorously.
3. What can I substitute for pasta if I don’t have any?
You can use rice, semolina dumplings, or even nothing, just vegetables and meat.
4. How do I keep the soup from souring?
Let it cool completely before putting it in the fridge. It’s good to consume within 2-3 days, well reheated.
5. Can I freeze the soup?
Yes, without pasta. Freezing with pasta leads to a soft and structureless texture. Freeze only the clear soup and cook fresh pasta when reheating.
Nutritional Values (estimated per serving, without added pasta)
Calories: 200-230 kcal
Protein: 16-20 g
Fat: 10-12 g
Carbohydrates: 10-14 g (with pasta)
The duck has quite a bit of natural fat, but most of it is removed from the surface of the soup. The vegetables add vitamins, and the pasta increases the carbohydrate content.
Storage and Reheating
The soup can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. It is reheated on low heat. If there are pasta left in the soup, they absorb liquid, so you can add a little water or clear soup when reheating. If you want to keep it longer or freeze it, do so without pasta and add pasta when serving.
No sophisticated techniques are needed, just patience while boiling and attention to foam.