Soups📍 TransylvaniaEasy💪 High-protein

Transylvanian Potato Soup with Smoked Meat

Name: Transylvanian Potato Soup with Smoked Meat
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Romanian
Ingredients: 700 g potatoes, peeled and cut into medium cubes; 300 g smoked pork belly or Transylvanian homemade smoked sausage; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 medium carrots, sliced; 1 parsley root, diced; 1 red bell pepper or kapia pepper, diced; 2 tbsp pork lard (or oil); 1 tsp sweet Transylvanian paprika; 1.5 L water or smoked bone stock; 1 bay leaf; a few whole black peppercorns; salt to taste; 2–3 tbsp white vinegar (or sauerkraut brine to taste); 200 ml full-fat sour cream (30% fat) — no egg yolks in the Transylvanian version; 1 tsp flour (optional, for thickening); fresh parsley, chopped (Transylvanian cooks prefer parsley over lovage); extra sour cream; pickled hot pepper or hot paprika; dark rye bread or homemade bread

Transylvanian smoked meat and potato soup is a hearty and intensely flavored soup typical of Transylvanian cuisine. Unlike the borș version, it is soured with vinegar or sauerkraut brine and dressed with full-fat sour cream — no egg yolks. Smoked belly or sausages fried in lard with Transylvanian sweet paprika give the broth a deep, characteristically smoky flavor.

🍽️

Servings

⏱️

Prep

15 min

🔥

Cook

45 min

⏰

Total

60 min

🥘Ingredients

servings

Main ingredients

For souring (Transylvanian style)

For dressing

For serving

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

✅Dietary Compatibility

💪High-protein

🍽️

Yield

approx. 2 L soup

📦Storage

❄️

Refrigerator

Up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat gently without boiling

🧊

Freezer

Without sour cream — can be frozen up to 2 months; add fresh dressing when reheating

🥗Nutrition Facts

Values per serving (approx. 350 ml)

🔥

Calories

290 kcal

🥩

Protein

13 g

🧈

Fat

17 g

🍞

Carbohydrates

22 g

🌾

Fiber

3 g

🍷Pairs Well With

🥂Full-fat sour cream (30%)

🥂Dark rye bread

🥂Pickled hot peppers

🥂Dry Transylvanian white wine

💡Variations

Replace the belly with Transylvanian homemade sausages (more seasoned, with garlic and paprika) for an even more intense version.

Add coarsely chopped sauerkraut in the last 10 minutes for a heartier soup with natural acidity.

Add cooked beans (200 g) for the 'potato, bean, and smoked meat' version, popular in Transylvanian villages.