Name: Ciorba Radauteana
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 600g bone-in chicken or turkey. Any cut will work except the breast.; 2 medium carrots, peeled; 1 small red bell pepper, seeded; 1 onion, peeled; 1 parsley root, peeled; 1 parsnip, peeled; 75g celery root (typically 0.25 or less), peeled; 6 black peppercorns; 2.5tsp salt; 3 litres water; 3 fresh egg yolks; 250g sour cream (20-25% fat); 35g flour; 4-6 garlic cloves, pressed; vinegar, to taste, any kind

If you’re not yet familiar with ciorbă (pronounced CHOR-bah), this is a great recipe to start with.

Ciorbă is a broad category of sour soups that is especially popular in Romania and across the Balkans. It is traditionally soured with ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, or fermented wheat bran (borș). While the idea of a sour soup may sound unusual at first, it’s well worth trying. A slightly sour accent elevates and intensifies the flavour of the soup surprisingly well.

Ciorbă rădăuțeană is a dish I cook on repeat. It’s one of the most popular soups in Romania, both in home kitchens and restaurants, yet it’s far less known abroad than other traditional dishes such as Ciorbă de burtă (beef tripe soup) or Sarmale (cabbage rolls).

The soup was created in 1979 by Cornelia Dumitrescu in the Bucovina region of Romania.

At the time, the beef tripe required for the traditional Ciorbă de burtă was difficult to obtain. Under the communist regime, it was considered a premium ingredient and was reserved mainly for a few luxurious restaurants.

Cornelia wanted to prepare a familiar, comforting soup for her family, and since they kept chickens at home, she began experimenting with chicken as a substitute. The result was Ciorbă rădăuțeană – a creamy, flavourful soup inspired by Ciorbă de burtă, but made with tender chicken instead of tripe.

She later added it to the menu at the Nordic restaurant in Rădăuți, where it quickly became a local favorite before spreading throughout Romania.

Questions & Answers

Are there any substitutions for parsnips and parsley roots?

All of the root vegetables used in this recipe have a strong aroma and contribute to the soup’s unique flavour. You can omit either the parsnips or the parsley roots, but if you can’t find both of them, it’s better to make this soup another time.

Is flour required?

I recommend adding flour because it makes the soup slightly thicker and creamier. However, it can be replaced with starch or omitted entirely.

Ciorba Radauteana