Soups📍 DobrogeaEasy🐟 Pescatarian🌾 Gluten-free🥛 Dairy-free🥩 Low-carb / Keto💪 High-protein🥦 Clean eating🫒 Mediterranean

Romanian Fish Sour Soup

Name: Romanian Fish Sour Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Romanian
Ingredients: 1–1.2 kg fresh fish (carp, pike, catfish or pike-perch, cleaned and portioned); 2 medium carrots, sliced into rounds; 1 parsley root, diced; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 red or green bell pepper, diced; 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or 150 ml tomato purée); 2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped; 2 L cold water; 2 bay leaves; a few whole black peppercorns; salt to taste; 1–2 tbsp sunflower oil; 500–600 ml fermented wheat bran borș, boiled separately; 1 large bunch fresh or dried lovage; 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped; 1–2 fresh or dried hot chili peppers (optional)

Borș de pește is a traditional Romanian sour fish soup specific to Dobrogea and the Danube Delta, made with fresh freshwater fish, vegetables, and soured with fermented bran juice (borș). Lovage and tomatoes give it its unmistakable aroma, while the tender fish makes this dish a symbol of Romanian fishing cuisine.

🍽️

Servings

⏱️

Prep

20 min

🔥

Cook

50 min

⏰

Total

70 min

🥘Ingredients

servings

Fish and vegetables

For souring

Finishing

📝Preparation steps 🗓️Add to Meal Planner🎨Serving & Presentation

✅Dietary Compatibility

🐟Pescatarian🌾Gluten-free🥛Dairy-free🥩Low-carb / Keto💪High-protein🥦Clean eating🫒Mediterranean

🍽️

Yield

approx. 2.5 L soup

📦Storage

❄️

Refrigerator

Up to 2 days in a sealed container; reheat gently without boiling to avoid breaking up the fish

🧊

Freezer

Not recommended — cooked fish loses its texture and flavor when frozen

🥗Nutrition Facts

Values per serving (approx. 400 ml)

🔥

Calories

220 kcal

🥩

Protein

24 g

🧈

Fat

8 g

🍞

Carbohydrates

14 g

🌾

Fiber

3 g

🍷Pairs Well With

🥂Homemade bread or warm polenta

🥂Pickled hot peppers

🥂Sour cream (optional, non-traditional)

🥂Dry Dobrogean white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay)

💡Variations

Add 2–3 pieces of smoked knuckle or a few rounds of smoked sausage for a more complex flavor.

Use a combination of several fish types (carp + pike + perch) for a richer-flavored borș.

Add 2 tbsp of rice to the vegetable broth 15 minutes before the fish for a heartier version.