I made lamb soup for the first time mostly for myself, because not everyone at home is a fan of lamb meat. However, I feel that it shouldn't be missing during Easter, so I made sure to put a pot to boil. It's not complicated if you have the right meat and some root vegetables, and lovage really makes a difference.
Quick info
Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour – 1 hour and a half, depending on the meat
Servings: 8
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: traditional Easter soup
Ingredients
1 kg lamb meat for soup (neck, tail, leg)
3 dried onions
1 carrot
1 parsnip
1 parsley root
1 bell pepper
700 ml borscht
50 g rice
salt, to taste
1 egg
1 bunch of fresh lovage
sour cream (optional; I don’t use it)
Preparation method
1. Cut the lamb meat into suitable pieces. Wash it well and put it in a large pot with 4 liters of cold water and a little salt.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat and, when it starts to boil, skim off the foam that forms on the surface. It's important to skim several times to keep the broth clear.
3. While the meat is boiling, clean the vegetables. Grate the carrot, parsnip, and parsley root. Chop the onion and bell pepper finely.
4. When the meat is almost cooked (lamb doesn't take very long, about 40-50 minutes, but it also depends on how young the lamb is), add the prepared vegetables.
5. Add the rice, washed beforehand in cold water, at the same time as the vegetables or immediately after. Stir gently.
6. Let it continue to boil on low heat until the vegetables and rice are cooked.
7. Pour in the borscht, heated separately if you want, directly into the pot. Stir and let it boil a few more times. Taste the broth and add more salt if needed.
8. Turn off the heat. Beat the egg with a fork and slowly pour it into the soup while stirring gently to form thin strands.
9. Finally, sprinkle chopped fresh lovage on top.
Why I make the recipe often
This soup is quite quick for a lamb soup and doesn’t have many complicated ingredients. It works very well for Easter meals and you don’t have to keep an eye on it all the time. The taste is sour, fresh, and the meat comes out tender. If there are leftovers, it reheats easily the next day.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Wash the meat well before boiling, especially if it’s fresh from the butcher.
- Skimming at the beginning is important; if you skip this step, the broth won’t come out clear.
- Add lovage only at the end; otherwise, it loses its aroma.
- If you don’t want to use sour cream, you can leave it aside – the soup is quite sour even without it.
Substitutions
- The rice can be omitted or replaced with a little potato, diced small.
- If you don’t have borscht, you can use lemon juice or vinegar, but the taste will be different.
- For those who don’t want egg in the soup, it can be left out without ruining the texture.
Variations
- You can add celery leaves or other greens, according to preference, but lovage should not be missing.
- You can also add more parsley root if you want a more intense flavor.
- Some add a few stalks of green garlic towards the end for flavor.
Serving ideas
Serve in deep bowls, hot, with fresh lovage. Sour cream can be added at the table for those who want it. It goes well with white or homemade bread.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can the soup be made without borscht?
Yes, you can sour it with lemon juice or vinegar, but the taste won’t be exactly the same as the classic recipe.
2. Is the rice necessary?
No, you can omit it if you don’t like it or if you want the soup without grains.
3. Can another meat be used instead of lamb?
It’s not the classic recipe, but the technique can be applied to beef or chicken, but the taste will be different.
4. Why is egg added at the end?
The egg gives consistency and a pleasant appearance to the soup. If you don’t want egg, skip this step.
5. How long does the soup last in the fridge?
It keeps well for 2-3 days if covered and kept cold.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for a medium serving (without sour cream):
Calories: 220-250 kcal
Protein: 18-22 g
Carbohydrates: 12-15 g (from rice and vegetables)
Fats: 10-14 g (from meat, egg)
The values are approximate and depend a lot on the pieces of meat used and whether you add sour cream.
Storage and reheating
The soup lasts in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can be reheated directly on the stove over low heat, stirring gently. Freezing is not recommended because the rice and vegetables change texture. If you added sour cream, it’s better to add it only at serving, not in the pot.
Quick info
Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour – 1 hour and a half, depending on the meat
Servings: 8
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: traditional Easter soup
Ingredients
1 kg lamb meat for soup (neck, tail, leg)
3 dried onions
1 carrot
1 parsnip
1 parsley root
1 bell pepper
700 ml borscht
50 g rice
salt, to taste
1 egg
1 bunch of fresh lovage
sour cream (optional; I don’t use it)
Preparation method
1. Cut the lamb meat into suitable pieces. Wash it well and put it in a large pot with 4 liters of cold water and a little salt.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat and, when it starts to boil, skim off the foam that forms on the surface. It's important to skim several times to keep the broth clear.
3. While the meat is boiling, clean the vegetables. Grate the carrot, parsnip, and parsley root. Chop the onion and bell pepper finely.
4. When the meat is almost cooked (lamb doesn't take very long, about 40-50 minutes, but it also depends on how young the lamb is), add the prepared vegetables.
5. Add the rice, washed beforehand in cold water, at the same time as the vegetables or immediately after. Stir gently.
6. Let it continue to boil on low heat until the vegetables and rice are cooked.
7. Pour in the borscht, heated separately if you want, directly into the pot. Stir and let it boil a few more times. Taste the broth and add more salt if needed.
8. Turn off the heat. Beat the egg with a fork and slowly pour it into the soup while stirring gently to form thin strands.
9. Finally, sprinkle chopped fresh lovage on top.
Why I make the recipe often
This soup is quite quick for a lamb soup and doesn’t have many complicated ingredients. It works very well for Easter meals and you don’t have to keep an eye on it all the time. The taste is sour, fresh, and the meat comes out tender. If there are leftovers, it reheats easily the next day.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Wash the meat well before boiling, especially if it’s fresh from the butcher.
- Skimming at the beginning is important; if you skip this step, the broth won’t come out clear.
- Add lovage only at the end; otherwise, it loses its aroma.
- If you don’t want to use sour cream, you can leave it aside – the soup is quite sour even without it.
Substitutions
- The rice can be omitted or replaced with a little potato, diced small.
- If you don’t have borscht, you can use lemon juice or vinegar, but the taste will be different.
- For those who don’t want egg in the soup, it can be left out without ruining the texture.
Variations
- You can add celery leaves or other greens, according to preference, but lovage should not be missing.
- You can also add more parsley root if you want a more intense flavor.
- Some add a few stalks of green garlic towards the end for flavor.
Serving ideas
Serve in deep bowls, hot, with fresh lovage. Sour cream can be added at the table for those who want it. It goes well with white or homemade bread.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can the soup be made without borscht?
Yes, you can sour it with lemon juice or vinegar, but the taste won’t be exactly the same as the classic recipe.
2. Is the rice necessary?
No, you can omit it if you don’t like it or if you want the soup without grains.
3. Can another meat be used instead of lamb?
It’s not the classic recipe, but the technique can be applied to beef or chicken, but the taste will be different.
4. Why is egg added at the end?
The egg gives consistency and a pleasant appearance to the soup. If you don’t want egg, skip this step.
5. How long does the soup last in the fridge?
It keeps well for 2-3 days if covered and kept cold.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for a medium serving (without sour cream):
Calories: 220-250 kcal
Protein: 18-22 g
Carbohydrates: 12-15 g (from rice and vegetables)
Fats: 10-14 g (from meat, egg)
The values are approximate and depend a lot on the pieces of meat used and whether you add sour cream.
Storage and reheating
The soup lasts in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can be reheated directly on the stove over low heat, stirring gently. Freezing is not recommended because the rice and vegetables change texture. If you added sour cream, it’s better to add it only at serving, not in the pot.