Name: Polish Herb Rye Soup (Żur z ziołami)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 130 min
Total time: 10245 min
Yield: 6 servings, about 350 ml each
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 100 g wholemeal rye flour; 500 ml potable water; 1 clean piece wholemeal rye-bread crust, about 10–15 g; check the label for other grains; 700 g meaty pork soup bones, a practical choice for the listed bone broth; 2.4 l cold potable water; 600 g peeled potatoes, cut into 2 cm pieces; 150 g onion, diced; 500 ml mature rye starter, stirred before measuring; 5 g dried marjoram, or 15 g fresh marjoram; 2 g ground black pepper; Up to 8 g fine salt, adjusted to taste

Lubuskie herb żur beside potatoes and onions on a rustic table.

Yield 6 servings, about 350 ml each

Serving size about 350 ml

Active preparation about 35 minutes

Cooking time about 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Recipe at a glance

Polish Herb Rye Soup (Żur z ziołami)

Żur z ziołami is a thick, gently tangy rye soup from Kamień Mały in Poland’s Lubuskie region. Tender potato pieces and onion sit in a cloudy, light-grey broth, while marjoram gives it a garden-herb aroma.

The regional listing describes a home-fermented rye starter made with wholemeal rye flour and a piece of wholemeal bread crust, left in a warm place for at least a week. That sour base is stirred gradually into bone broth with potatoes and onion. This measured home version keeps those defining ingredients and uses pork soup bones as a practical choice for the unspecified bone broth; that choice and the quantities below are adaptations, not the registry’s exact formula.

Plan ahead for the starter. Use clean equipment, keep the jar loosely covered, and confirm that the mature starter is pleasantly sour and at pH 4.6 or lower before adding it. Never taste raw flour starter. The soup itself is straightforward once the starter is ready: simmer the bones, cook the vegetables until tender, temper in the starter and finish with marjoram.

Tips for a good result

Start the culture in a clean glass jar and cover it loosely so gas can escape. Use potable water and clean utensils.
Check the starter with food pH strips or a calibrated meter; use it only at pH 4.6 or below and when it smells pleasantly sour. Do not judge it by bubbles alone.
Discard starter with fuzzy or colored mold, a putrid odor, or no clear acidification by day seven. Do not taste it raw.
Keep the broth at a gentle simmer and skim the surface. A hard boil can make the soup cloudy and rough.
Temper the starter with hot broth before pouring it into the pot. Add it gradually while stirring so the sourness is even.
Add marjoram near the end to preserve its aroma. Salt only after the starter is mixed in because starters vary in acidity and salt.
Chill cooked soup in shallow containers within two hours and keep it separate from raw pork and flour.

Ingredients

Wholemeal rye starter — prepare at least 7 days ahead

100 g wholemeal rye flour
500 ml potable water
1 clean piece wholemeal rye-bread crust, about 10–15 g; check the label for other grains

Soup

700 g meaty pork soup bones, a practical choice for the listed bone broth
2.4 l cold potable water
600 g peeled potatoes, cut into 2 cm pieces
150 g onion, diced
500 ml mature rye starter, stirred before measuring
5 g dried marjoram, or 15 g fresh marjoram
2 g ground black pepper
Up to 8 g fine salt, adjusted to taste

Method

Directions

Ferment the rye starter.In a clean glass jar, mix 100 g wholemeal rye flour with 500 ml potable water and add one clean 10–15 g piece of wholemeal rye-bread crust. Cover loosely and leave in a warm room for at least 7 days. Check acidity with food pH strips or a calibrated meter. Use only when pH is 4.6 or lower and the aroma is pleasantly sour. Never taste raw starter. Discard it if fuzzy or colored mold, a putrid smell, or no acidification by day seven appears.
Make the bone broth.Rinse 700 g pork soup bones and put them in a large stockpot with 2.4 l cold water. Bring slowly to a simmer, skim foam, then simmer gently for about 90 minutes until the broth is flavorful and the meat is cooked through. Lift out the bones; separate any edible meat safely and return it to the pot if desired.
Cook the vegetables.Peel and cut 600 g potatoes into 2 cm pieces. Dice 150 g onion. Add both to the broth and simmer for 18–22 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced.
Temper and add the starter.Stir the mature starter thoroughly and measure 500 ml. Whisk in a few ladles of hot broth, then slowly pour this mixture into the pot while stirring.
Simmer the soup.Keep the soup at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes; do not hard-boil it. Stir in 5 g dried marjoram (or 15 g fresh) and 2 g black pepper.
Season and check.Add up to 8 g salt, tasting only the fully cooked soup. Remove any remaining bones. The finished soup should be thick, pale grey, gently tangy, with distinct potato pieces and an herbal aroma.
Serve or chill.Serve hot. Cool leftovers promptly in shallow covered containers and refrigerate within two hours at or below 4°C. Keep them away from raw pork and uncooked flour.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Energy195 kcal
Carbohydrate27 g
Protein11 g
Fat5 g
Fibre4 g
Sodium880 mg
Allergensrye (gluten); the bread crust may also contain wheat or other grains

Approximate values for one 350 ml portion, based on the measured soup and excluding bread or other accompaniments: - Energy: 195 kcal - Carbohydrate: 27 g - Protein: 11 g - Fat: 5 g - Fibre: 4 g - Sodium: 880 mg - Allergens: rye (gluten); the bread crust may also contain wheat or other grains These rounded estimates use generic ingredient composition and a variable bone-broth estimate; they are not laboratory results. Bone meat, starter, bread brands and added salt can change the nutrition, especially sodium. Check the crust bread label for additional declared allergens.

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Serve hot in bowls, with the potato, onion and marjoram visible in the thick broth. The measured version does not add sausage, egg or cream. The rye starter is the make-ahead component; it needs at least seven days to ferment and should pass the pH check before use.

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Cool leftover soup promptly in shallow containers. Refrigerate within two hours, keep at or below 4°C and use within 3–4 days. Reheat throughout to 74°C. Do not leave the pot at room temperature to cool slowly.

Frequently asked questions

What makes this żur different?

The listed Lubuskie version is a thick rye-sour soup with potato, onion and herbs, particularly marjoram. Its starter is made from wholemeal rye flour and bread crust and ferments for at least a week.

Can I use ready-made rye żur starter?

Yes. A pasteurized ready-made starter is a practical shortcut; follow its label and adjust salt and acidity. It shortens the preparation and may differ from the listed home-fermented method.

Why check the starter’s pH?

The check confirms that the flour-and-water mixture has become sufficiently acidic before use. Do not taste it raw; discard it if it is moldy, putrid or has not acidified as directed.