Kalakeitto or fish soup has been a staple of traditional Finnish cuisine for a long time. Although there are numerous ways to prepare this classic Finnish specialty, it typically consists of cleaned and filleted fish chunks and diced vegetables that are simmered in a rich, buttery fish broth.
Carrots, potatoes, onions, and leeks are among the most common vegetables used for the soup’s preparation, while the choice of fish includes salmon, rainbow trout, vendace, pike, perch, zander, or burbot. Traditionally, the soup is enhanced with the addition of butter and cooking cream (ruokakermaa), and it is usually flavored with dill, allspice, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
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Lohikeitto is a creamy Finish salmon soup, similar to laxsoppa in Sweden. Apart from chunks of salmon fillet, it traditionally incorporates diced potatoes and carrots cooked in a flavorful, buttery broth infused with fish stock and cream.
This comforting winter dish is generously seasoned with dill and served alongside buttered rye bread or lemon wedges.
MOST ICONIC Lohikeitto
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This Hungarian specialty is prepared with meat, traditionally beef, that is simmered in a rich paprika-infused broth, usually alongside onions, bell peppers, root vegetables, various spices, and occasionally tomatoes (in some regional variations).
Gulyás is a well-known dish that enjoys immense popularity even outside the Hungarian borders. In many countries, the word is synonymous with a thick stew, while in Hungary, gulyás mostly represents a soup-like dish, which is why this dish is also known as gulyásleves (lit. herdsman soup).
It closely resembles pörkölt—a thick Hungarian stew consisting of meat, onions, and selected spices—which is what most people outside of Hungary associate with the word gulyás (goulash).
MOST ICONIC Gulyás
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Comforting rosół is a traditional meat soup. Even though the chicken version, called rosół z kury, is the most famous variety–beef, veal, turkey, or mixed meat broths are also quite frequently prepared throughout the country.
Pork should never be used since it results in an opaque broth. Rosół is usually made with meat that is left on the bone, which contributes to the overall taste. The meat is cooked in cold water with a variety of vegetables such as carrots, celery, and mushrooms.
VARIATIONS OF Rosół
MOST ICONIC Rosół
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Żurek is a traditional soup characterized by its distinctively sour taste, which comes from sour leavening, or the fermentation of bread and rye flour. The soup also contains meats such as sausages, bacon, or ham, and vegetables such as potatoes and mushrooms.
Although it is extremely popular throughout Poland, each region has its own version of the dish. It is sometimes served in an edible bowl made of bread, when it is common to add halves of hard-boiled eggs on top of the soup as garnish. Żurek is traditionally prepared and consumed during Easter.
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In Czech folklore, the best cure for a cold or a hangover is a bowl of česnečka, a traditional garlic soup. Although garlic is the key ingredient, the soup also incorporates potatoes, meat broth, onions, and traditional spices such as caraway and marjoram.
This healthy dish is usually topped with grated cheese and crunchy croutons, and it is commonly served and enjoyed as an appetizer.
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Traditionally prepared with beef or chicken, this hearty Hungarian soup is a staple restaurant dish as well as a common home-cooked meal. Besides meat, it usually incorporates noodles, root vegetables, and a variety of spices. It is always served hot, either as a nutritious appetizer or a light main course.
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This hearty Greek soup couples tender beef meatballs and a creamy, flavorful broth. The meatballs and the broth are usually seasoned with various fresh herbs, and the whole dish is finished with the addition of avgolemono—the creamy egg and lemon sauce—which thickens the broth and adds the characteristical zesty flavor.
Traditionally associated with wintertime, youvarlakia is usually accompanied by bread and enjoyed as a nutritious main course.
Even though it has been traditionally prepared all along the coast, Cullen skink is a dish originating from the fishing village of Cullen in Northeastern Scotland. This thick and creamy fish soup is typically based on smoked haddock cooked with milk, leeks, onions, and potatoes which provide the filling bulk.
Some recipes specify the use of Arbroath smokies, although just about any smoked white fish will do. Cullen skink will go hand in hand with a glass of dry white wine, but to indulge in a true Scottish feast, try pairing it with Scotch whisky.
MOST ICONIC Cullen Skink
View moreCiorba Radauteana is a traditional soup. It's made with a combination of chicken, onions, sweet red pepper, celery, carrots, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, and sour cream. The ingredients are simmered over medium heat until the meat and the vegetables become tender.
The soup is quite sour due to the addition of lemon juice. In Romania, ciorba Radauteana is especially prized for being a hangover cure and having healing properties - it's often used as a remedy for common cold symptoms.
MOST ICONIC Ciorba Radauteana
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