Barszcz: The Polish Christmas soup that stole my heart 🎄🇵🇱
If you had told me a year ago that I would fall in love with a bright red soup, I would have laughed. But then I met Zofia, my friend from Poland, during the Bocconi Summer School in Milan, and she changed my life—one bowl of barszcz at a time.
Zofia and I bonded over our love for pierogi (which I embarrassingly pronounced as “pie-roh-gee” instead of “pyeh-roh-gi”). One night, while sitting on the steps of the Duomo eating gelato, she told me about her family’s Christmas Eve tradition: a deep red, slightly tangy beet soup called barszcz, served with delicate dumplings called uszka (which means “little ears”—yes, dumplings with ears!).
“EVERYONE in Poland eats it for Christmas,” she said. “It’s basically illegal not to.”
So when December rolled around, I messaged Zofia: “Barszcz time. Send recipe.” And, being the amazing friend she is, she did.
Barszcz: More Than Just Soup, It’s a Christmas Tradition 🎄🥟
Barszcz is not just any soup—it’s a holiday staple in Poland. It’s vibrantly red, thanks to the beets, slightly sour from fermented beet juice, and usually served crystal clear, like a ruby-colored broth. And the best part? The tiny dumplings filled with mushrooms and cabbage.
Legend has it that eating barszcz on Christmas Eve brings good luck for the year ahead. So, obviously, I’m now making it every December because who doesn’t want extra luck?!
But before you start picturing me effortlessly whipping up an authentic Polish feast, let me tell you: my first attempt was a disaster.
My First Attempt: A Beetroot Crime Scene 💀🍲
When I finally decided to make barszcz, I was not prepared for the beet explosion that happened in my kitchen. I underestimated just how red and staining beets are. By the time I was done, my counter looked like a crime scene, my hands were a shade of pink that no soap could remove, and my mom was questioning all my life choices.
But after some minor panic and a lot of cleaning, I finally had a pot of beautifully red soup that smelled like Christmas in a Slavic winter wonderland. And the moment I tasted it? Pure magic.
How to Make Zofia’s Family Recipe for Barszcz
After surviving my first barszcz experience, I can confidently say: If I can do it, YOU can too.
What You’ll Need for the Barszcz (Beet Soup):
✔️ 5 medium beets, peeled and chopped
✔️ 1.5 liters of water
✔️ 2 cloves garlic, crushed
✔️ 1 bay leaf
✔️ 3 allspice berries
✔️ 1 tsp dried marjoram
✔️ 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or fermented beet juice for real authenticity)
✔️ Salt & pepper to taste
What You’ll Need for Uszka (Dumplings):
✔️ 1 cup flour
✔️ 1 egg
✔️ A pinch of salt
✔️ ¼ cup warm water
Filling:
✔️ 1 cup mushrooms (wild or button)
✔️ ½ cup sauerkraut or finely chopped cabbage
✔️ 1 small onion, chopped
✔️ Salt & pepper
📝 How to Make It: The Slightly Messy But Totally Worth It Process
Barszcz (The Soup):
1. Boil the beets in water with garlic, bay leaf, allspice, and marjoram. Let it simmer until the beets are tender and the broth turns deep red (around 40 minutes).
2. Strain the broth to keep it clear and add vinegar to balance the sweetness. This is what gives barszcz its signature tang!
3. Season with salt & pepper, and it’s ready to go.
Uszka (The Little Dumplings):
1. Sauté the mushrooms, onion, and cabbage until soft and flavorful. This is your filling.
2. Mix the dough (flour, egg, salt, warm water) and roll it out super thin.
3. Cut small squares, add a tiny spoonful of filling, and fold them into little dumplings (basically, make them look like tiny pasta hats).
4. Boil until they float—which means they’re ready to be dropped into the soup!
Why you NEED to make this
Barszcz isn’t just food—it’s a warm hug in a bowl. It’s festive, flavorful, and the perfect dish for winter nights. Plus, making uszka dumplings is shockingly fun (even if your first ones look weird, they’ll still taste amazing).
So if you want to bring a little Polish Christmas magic into your home, give this a try. Just… maybe wear gloves when handling the beets unless you want to look like you committed a serious crime.
PS: I sent a picture of my final dish to Zofia, and she approved—which means I am now officially barszcz-certified. 😎🇵🇱
Happy cooking, and Wesołych Świąt! (That’s Merry Christmas in Polish!) 🎄✨