Ciorbă de Perișoare

Name: Ciorbă de Perișoare
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Romanian
Ingredients: 400g ground beef; 80g rice, uncooked; 1 egg; 1 onion, grated; 2L water; 200ml borș (fermented wheat bran liquid) or lemon juice; 2 carrots, diced; 1 parsnip, diced; 1 celery root, diced; 2 tomatoes, diced; Fresh lovage leaves; Salt, pepper

Ciorbă de Perișoare (CHOR-buh deh peh-ree-SHWAH-reh)

Meatball Sour Soup

⏱ Prep Time 30 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 309 kcal

Tangy sour soup studded with tender beef-and-rice meatballs, diced vegetables, and fresh lovage, finished with a bright lemony broth.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 20.0g

Carbs 28.0g

Fat 13.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ eggs

Equipment Needed

large pot mixing bowl ladle

Presentation Guide

Vessel: deep bowl

Garnishes: lovage, sour cream

Accompaniments: crusty bread

Ingredients

400g ground beef
80g rice, uncooked
1 egg
1 onion, grated
2L water
200ml borș (fermented wheat bran liquid) or lemon juice
2 carrots, diced
1 parsnip, diced
1 celery root, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
Fresh lovage leaves
Salt, pepper

Instructions

1
Mix ground beef with rice, egg, grated onion, salt, and pepper. Form small walnut-sized meatballs.
2
Bring water to a boil. Add carrots, parsnip, and celery root. Simmer 10 min.
3
Gently drop meatballs into the simmering broth. Cook 20 min without stirring vigorously.
4
Add diced tomatoes and borș or lemon juice. Simmer 10 min more.
5
Season with salt and pepper. Add generous handfuls of fresh lovage.
6
Serve hot with sour cream on the side and crusty bread.

💡

Did You Know?

Lovage (leuștean) is so essential to Romanian soups that no household kitchen garden is without it.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large pot
mixing bowl
ladle

Garnishing

lovage, sour cream

Accompaniments

crusty bread

The Story Behind Ciorbă de Perișoare

Ciorbă de perișoare is one of the most popular soups in Romania, a staple of weekday lunches across the country. The souring agent — traditionally borș made from fermented wheat bran — gives the soup its characteristic tang. Every Romanian grandmother guards her own meatball ratio and souring technique.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed lunch 📜 Origins: Traditional, centuries old

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