Rabbit soup has always been on my recipe list when I get fresh meat or when I want something light and different. I usually make it in the spring because that's when rabbit is easier to find and because the soup is clear and not too heavy. It's not a sour soup, but neither is it a clear soup like at a wedding – it's somewhere in between. I usually serve it simple, with homemade noodles, a little greenery on top, and, if I'm in the mood, with a hot pepper on the side.
Quick info
Total time: about 1 hour 10 minutes
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes (cleaning and chopping vegetables, portioning the meat)
Cooking time: about 55-60 minutes in total
Servings: 4-5
Difficulty: easy-medium
Recipe type: homemade soup, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
- 500 g rabbit offal (back, neck, organs)
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 parsley root
- 1/2 parsnip
- 1 slice of celery
- 1 slice of kohlrabi
- 1 medium carrot
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh lovage
- 2 potatoes
- homemade noodles (to taste, I usually add 2-3 handfuls)
- iodized salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 2 coriander seeds
- greenery for garnish (parsley, lovage, to preference)
Preparation method
1. Wash the rabbit meat well, clean it of any residues, and put it to boil in plenty of cold water with a little salt. I turn the heat to medium and let it reach a boil, then skim off the foam that forms on top. I let it boil for about 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, I clean all the vegetables and chop them finely. For better flavor, I also use parsley root and parsnip – I don't skip them. I cut the carrot into half rounds and half cubes, so it cooks evenly with the rest.
3. In a pan or a small pot, I heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil. I add the chopped vegetables and sauté them lightly for 2-3 minutes. They should not brown. Then I pour 2-3 ladles of the soup in which the meat is boiling over them to soften a bit, and let it simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
4. I take the rabbit meat out of the main soup, debone it if necessary (especially from the back), and cut it into pieces suitable for serving. I return the meat to the large pot along with the vegetables from the pan. I add enough cooking liquid to cover everything well, add the cubed potatoes, coriander seeds, a few peppercorns, and salt if needed.
5. I cover and boil everything for another 25 minutes on medium heat until all the vegetables are well softened.
6. Finally, I add the homemade noodles directly into the soup and let them boil for 3-4 minutes until cooked. In the last minutes, I add the chopped fresh lovage, which gives a fresh taste and good aroma.
7. I turn off the heat and let the soup sit for 5 minutes before serving. I serve it hot, sprinkled with fresh greenery, plain. If someone is interested, I put hot pepper or sour cream on the table, but it’s not strictly necessary.
Why I make the recipe often
I like it because it’s a light version of meat soup, not too fatty and quite quick. I can also make it if I only have offal or a smaller piece of rabbit. It remains clear and doesn’t require complicated ingredients.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Skim the soup a few times at the beginning for clarity.
- If you have homemade noodles, they taste better than store-bought ones.
- Don’t add too many potatoes, otherwise the soup becomes cloudy.
Substitutions
- Rabbit offal can be replaced with small pieces of rabbit if you don’t have organs.
- Noodles can be swapped with semolina dumplings, but the texture will change.
Variations
- For a more sour version, you can add a splash of borscht or a little lemon juice at the end, but that’s not the classic recipe.
- If you don’t have lovage, use fresh parsley.
Serving ideas
- The soup is served hot, with freshly chopped greenery.
- It goes well plain, but also with hot pepper or a spoonful of sour cream if you like it creamier.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use only rabbit meat, without organs?
Yes, it works very well with just the back, neck, or rabbit thighs. The organs add more flavor, but they are not mandatory.
2. If I don’t have homemade noodles, can I use dried noodles?
Yes, just boil them separately if they are very fine, so they don’t cloud the soup.
3. Why are the sautéed vegetables added, not directly to the soup?
Sautéed in a little oil, the vegetables give a better flavor and the soup turns out a bit more aromatic and clear.
4. Does the soup turn out very clear?
If you respect the boiling time and skim at the beginning, the soup comes out clear, but not completely transparent like chicken soup. It’s normal for it to be slightly golden from the vegetables.
5. Can the soup be made with other meat?
It can be adapted, but it won’t have the specific rabbit taste. The method also works with turkey or chicken, but the flavor will be different.
Nutritional values (estimate)
A serving has approximately 120-140 calories (without sour cream or bread), with 12-15 g protein, 4-6 g carbohydrates (due to the noodles and vegetables), and 4-5 g fat. Rabbit soup is not fatty, especially if you use offal or back. These are estimates for an average serving, with moderate noodles.
Storage and reheating
Rabbit soup can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days, covered. It can be reheated on low heat, but the noodles may absorb liquid, so you may need to add a little water or broth when reheating. Ideally, it should be consumed fresh, but it doesn’t spoil if you keep it for a day or two in the fridge. I do not recommend freezing, as the texture of the noodles suffers.
Quick info
Total time: about 1 hour 10 minutes
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes (cleaning and chopping vegetables, portioning the meat)
Cooking time: about 55-60 minutes in total
Servings: 4-5
Difficulty: easy-medium
Recipe type: homemade soup, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
- 500 g rabbit offal (back, neck, organs)
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 parsley root
- 1/2 parsnip
- 1 slice of celery
- 1 slice of kohlrabi
- 1 medium carrot
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh lovage
- 2 potatoes
- homemade noodles (to taste, I usually add 2-3 handfuls)
- iodized salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 2 coriander seeds
- greenery for garnish (parsley, lovage, to preference)
Preparation method
1. Wash the rabbit meat well, clean it of any residues, and put it to boil in plenty of cold water with a little salt. I turn the heat to medium and let it reach a boil, then skim off the foam that forms on top. I let it boil for about 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, I clean all the vegetables and chop them finely. For better flavor, I also use parsley root and parsnip – I don't skip them. I cut the carrot into half rounds and half cubes, so it cooks evenly with the rest.
3. In a pan or a small pot, I heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil. I add the chopped vegetables and sauté them lightly for 2-3 minutes. They should not brown. Then I pour 2-3 ladles of the soup in which the meat is boiling over them to soften a bit, and let it simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
4. I take the rabbit meat out of the main soup, debone it if necessary (especially from the back), and cut it into pieces suitable for serving. I return the meat to the large pot along with the vegetables from the pan. I add enough cooking liquid to cover everything well, add the cubed potatoes, coriander seeds, a few peppercorns, and salt if needed.
5. I cover and boil everything for another 25 minutes on medium heat until all the vegetables are well softened.
6. Finally, I add the homemade noodles directly into the soup and let them boil for 3-4 minutes until cooked. In the last minutes, I add the chopped fresh lovage, which gives a fresh taste and good aroma.
7. I turn off the heat and let the soup sit for 5 minutes before serving. I serve it hot, sprinkled with fresh greenery, plain. If someone is interested, I put hot pepper or sour cream on the table, but it’s not strictly necessary.
Why I make the recipe often
I like it because it’s a light version of meat soup, not too fatty and quite quick. I can also make it if I only have offal or a smaller piece of rabbit. It remains clear and doesn’t require complicated ingredients.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Skim the soup a few times at the beginning for clarity.
- If you have homemade noodles, they taste better than store-bought ones.
- Don’t add too many potatoes, otherwise the soup becomes cloudy.
Substitutions
- Rabbit offal can be replaced with small pieces of rabbit if you don’t have organs.
- Noodles can be swapped with semolina dumplings, but the texture will change.
Variations
- For a more sour version, you can add a splash of borscht or a little lemon juice at the end, but that’s not the classic recipe.
- If you don’t have lovage, use fresh parsley.
Serving ideas
- The soup is served hot, with freshly chopped greenery.
- It goes well plain, but also with hot pepper or a spoonful of sour cream if you like it creamier.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use only rabbit meat, without organs?
Yes, it works very well with just the back, neck, or rabbit thighs. The organs add more flavor, but they are not mandatory.
2. If I don’t have homemade noodles, can I use dried noodles?
Yes, just boil them separately if they are very fine, so they don’t cloud the soup.
3. Why are the sautéed vegetables added, not directly to the soup?
Sautéed in a little oil, the vegetables give a better flavor and the soup turns out a bit more aromatic and clear.
4. Does the soup turn out very clear?
If you respect the boiling time and skim at the beginning, the soup comes out clear, but not completely transparent like chicken soup. It’s normal for it to be slightly golden from the vegetables.
5. Can the soup be made with other meat?
It can be adapted, but it won’t have the specific rabbit taste. The method also works with turkey or chicken, but the flavor will be different.
Nutritional values (estimate)
A serving has approximately 120-140 calories (without sour cream or bread), with 12-15 g protein, 4-6 g carbohydrates (due to the noodles and vegetables), and 4-5 g fat. Rabbit soup is not fatty, especially if you use offal or back. These are estimates for an average serving, with moderate noodles.
Storage and reheating
Rabbit soup can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days, covered. It can be reheated on low heat, but the noodles may absorb liquid, so you may need to add a little water or broth when reheating. Ideally, it should be consumed fresh, but it doesn’t spoil if you keep it for a day or two in the fridge. I do not recommend freezing, as the texture of the noodles suffers.