Barszcz Biały with Smoked Sausage and Eggs

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Polish comfort: a gentle, wheaty tang balanced by smoky meat and creamy finish.
• One-pot and weeknight-friendly when using ready-made zakwas.
• Customizable: choose bacon or kielbasa, add more horseradish for heat, adjust sourness to taste.
• Beautiful, hearty presentation with halved eggs and marjoram—perfect for gatherings.

Grocery List

• Produce: Onion, garlic, waxy potatoes, horseradish root (or jarred prepared horseradish), parsley or chives, dried marjoram
• Dairy: Sour cream, unsalted butter, eggs
• Pantry: Smoked bacon or smoked kielbasa, low-sodium chicken broth, white borscht wheat starter (zakwas), bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, allspice berries, salt, pepper

Full Ingredients

Smoky Base (choose one)

• 8 oz (225 g) smoked bacon, diced or 12 oz (340 g) smoked kielbasa, sliced 1/4-inch
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup/150 g)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Broth & Aromatics

• 1 lb (450 g) waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or similar), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 cups (1 L) low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups (480 ml) water
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 whole black peppercorns
• 3 whole allspice berries

Sour & Creamy Finish

• 2 cups (480 ml) white borscht starter, zakwas pszenny (well-shaken)
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream (18–20% fat), room temperature
• 2 tsp dried marjoram, crushed between fingers
• 2–3 tbsp freshly grated or prepared horseradish (not cream-style), to taste
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Serve

• 4 large hard-boiled eggs, halved
• Reserved crisp bacon or browned kielbasa, for topping
• Chopped parsley or extra marjoram, optional
• Rustic rye or country bread, optional

Optional: Homemade Wheat Starter (Zakwas) — make 3–5 days ahead

• 1 cup (240 ml) warm filtered water
• 3.5 oz (100 g) whole-wheat flour (or white wheat flour)
• 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 allspice berries

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cook the eggs

Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring just to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 9 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath to cool completely, then peel and halve. Set aside.

Step 2: Brown the smoky element

In a heavy 5–6 quart pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the diced bacon or sliced kielbasa until browned and some fat renders, 6–8 minutes. If using bacon, you should have 1–2 tablespoons of fat in the pot; pour off any excess if needed. Scoop out a small handful of the browned bits and reserve for garnish.

Step 3: Soften onion and bloom garlic

Add the butter and diced onion to the pot. Cook, stirring, until translucent and sweet, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown.

Step 4: Simmer potatoes with aromatics

Add the potatoes, chicken broth, water, bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered until the potatoes are just tender when pierced, 15 minutes. Skim any foam if needed.

Step 5: Add zakwas and gently cook

Shake the zakwas well, then stir it slowly into the pot. Return to a gentle simmer and cook 10 minutes to meld flavors. Avoid a rolling boil, which can mute the delicate sourness and cause dairy to curdle later.

Step 6: Temper the sour cream; add marjoram and horseradish

Turn off the heat. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream, then slowly ladle in 1 cup of hot soup while whisking to temper. Stir this mixture back into the pot. Rub the dried marjoram between your fingers to release oils and add it to the soup. Stir in 2 tablespoons horseradish, taste, and add up to 1 tablespoon more for extra heat and brightness.

Step 7: Season and serve

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Fish out bay leaves and whole spices. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, add two egg halves per serving, and top with reserved bacon or kielbasa. Sprinkle with parsley or a pinch more marjoram and serve with rye bread if you like.

Pro Tips

• Handle zakwas gently: shake before using and avoid vigorous boiling after adding it to preserve its delicate, wheaty tang.
• Temper dairy: bring sour cream to room temp and temper with hot soup so it blends silky-smooth without curdling.
• Tune the sourness: for more tang, add an extra splash of zakwas at the end; if you must, brighten with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar.
• Keep spices tidy: tie bay, peppercorns, and allspice in a cheesecloth sachet to remove easily before serving.
• Texture matters: dice potatoes evenly and simmer just until tender so they hold their shape in the bowl.

Variations

• Vegetarian smoky: skip meat; sauté onion in 2 tbsp butter, add 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp smoked salt, and simmer with a handful of sliced mushrooms for depth.
• Ham-bone broth: simmer a smoked ham hock or rib with the broth for 30 minutes before Step 4, then proceed; shred a little meat into the soup.
• Żurek style: swap wheat zakwas for rye zakwas for a more assertive sourness and deeper grain flavor.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate the soup (without eggs) in an airtight container for up to 4 days; keep the halved eggs in a separate container and add when serving. The soup base freezes well for up to 3 months if you omit the sour cream and horseradish; add them after reheating. Reheat gently over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling to protect the creamy finish.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for kielbasa version: 360 kcal; 22 g fat (9 g saturated); 22 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 17 g protein; 960 mg sodium. Values will vary with bacon vs. kielbasa and seasoning.