Sorrel Soup is a classic Russian/Ukrainian soup that’s loaded with potatoes, greens and veggies. Serve it hot with a big dollop of sour cream.

Sorrel soup is loved by kids and adults alike. Our sons went to visit their grandmother recently and they begged her to make it for their lunch nearly everyday.
What is Sorrel Soup?
Sorrel soup is a traditional green borscht made mostly with broth, sorrel leaves and salt. Sorrel soup can also be referred to as a “sour soup”, as the sorrel leafs are extremely tangy and acidic.
Borscht originated in Russia, Ukraine and Poland. When you think of borscht, your mind probably goes to the variety that is made with beets. But, despite popular belief, borscht can come in many different styles.
You can eat this soup year round. Typically, beet-based borscht is eaten during the winter piping hot. Green borscht (like sorrel soup) is eaten during the springtime when sorrel leaves are perfect for picking or widely available at farmers markets. During the summer, vegetarian borscht is eaten cold and serves as a refreshing pick-me-up.

How To Make Sorrel Soup
Making sorrel soup is a no-brainer. Follow these easy steps to get it just right:
- Clean your veggies. Chop onions and shred carrot.
- In a preheated pot sautee your carrots and onions until soft. Add the water to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
- Cut potatoes into cubes. Add the potatoes to the cooking ingredients.
- Dice up hard-boiled eggs, onions, scallions, dill and sorrel.
- Add green onions and dill to the pot. Bring it to a boil, add sorrel and remove from the heat.
- Serve hot with a big dollop of sour cream!






Storing Borscht for Later
Refrain from freezing your borscht – it never works well. The best way to store it for later is to refrigerate it. It will stay fresh for up to a week. The kicker? The flavor gets better as it marinates in itself, making for some pretty incredible leftovers.
A Few More Borscht Recipes
Borscht comes in many different shades and flavors. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Classic Borscht Recipe – This is the borscht you likely know well and already love. It’s beet red and packed with cabbage, pork and kidney beans.
- Russian Creamy Beet Borscht Recipe – Sour cream gives this borscht a wonderfully creamy texture.
- Cabbage Soup Recipe – Another great rendition on the classic. This soup is made with your favorite bone-in meat, which gives the broth a rich marrow flavor.
Serve Borscht With
Adding a dollop of sour cream or mayonnaise is the most traditional way to serve borscht. But, there is nothing quite like serving borscht with a slice of freshly baked bread. Here are some of my favorite recipes:
- No Knead Bread – Save your hands the work with this no-knead bread.
- Wheat Bread – Hearty wheat bread pairs amazingly with beet borscht.
- Flatbread Recipe – This flatbread recipe is so easy! From quick pizzas to a salad or soup sidekick, it always comes in handy.
Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- In large pot, sautée carrots and onions with 4 tablespoons of cooking oil. Sautée until vegetables are soft (7-10 minutes).
- Add water to the pot and bring it to a boil.
- Cut potatoes into one inch cubes. Add potatoes into boiling water and let it cook for 15 minutes.
- Dice hard boiled eggs, scallions, dill and sorrel.
- Add green onions, eggs and dill to the soup, let it cook for about five minutes. Add sorrel to the soup. Remove soup from the heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- Soup is best when it is served warm. Optionally, add a dollop of sour cream to it before serving.
This was the first time I’ve made sorrel soup. It was a delicious recipe. We enjoyed it served with horseradish.
Marysia, I miss sorrel from my moms garden. I am so happy you got to enjoy it. Best childhood soup. 🙂
Can you use jarred sorrel? If so what changes would I make to the recipe? When I lived in New York I dated a Polish man who made this soup regularly and I loved it. I currently am living in the Caribbean so I don’t have access to fresh sorrel.
Hi Julie! I have not tried using jarred sorrel before. 🙂 I know sometimes people will use spinach instead, but it just doesn't have that lovely tart/sour flavor that sorrel does. Maybe start with just a few tablespoons of the jarred sorrel (I'm not sure how concentrated it is) and then add more from there if needed. Enjoy!
I just asked this same question of my russian deli shopkeeper. She uses 1 450g jar per 7 litres.
Hi David, thank you for letting me know! I appreciate you reaching out!
A friend of mine gave me a bunch of sorrel from her garden. I had never heard of it before. She said it's good in soup, so I googled, and found your site. I followed your recipe almost to the letter, using only 8 cups of veggie broth, and no egg or sour cream. It is a really good soup, with just enough lemony flavour. I ate two bowls, and froze four for work lunches. Thank you for this recipe! I will definitely spend more time checking out your website.
I also made a big salad with sorrel, spinach and romaine with lots of other chopped veggies. It was really good with feta cheese and poppy seed dressing.
Hey Ruth, you started with one of the most traditional soups in Ukraine. I am so glad you enjoyed it. The salad sounds amazing, I need to try that!
I want to make this but can anyone tell me where I can buy Sorrell?
It should be readily available at a farmer's market in the spring. It is very easy to grow if you have a little plot/pot. I pick it profusely in the spring and dehydrate it for year-round use.
Hi Kasparyan - You'll have a better chance finding it at Whole Foods or another specialty health food store. Hope this helps!
Comparing to other sorrel recipes, 4 qt of water seems to be a lot of water/broth too me. Is that the correct measurement or is it meant to be 4 cups. of soup?
No 4qt is correct.
When do you add the eggs?
Hey Peg, add them in step 5, thanks for catching that!
Delicious! I grew up eating Sorrel soup and enjoyed making it using your recipe. After finally finding sorrel, I added even more than the already great recipe called for and it was delicious. Adding spinach with lemon is also a great fit! Спасибо!
Natalie, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
We love this soup! But there’s no fresh sorrel in winter. Do you know how to substitute fresh sorrel, besides the one in cans from the European store? I saw someone using spinach with lemon juice to substitute sorrel. Do you have any ideas?
Hey Natasha, yes, I heard of that version with spinach and lemon juice. I have never tried it before.
Where do you buy sorrel
I get it from my mom, she grows it. But a lot of European markets sell it too.
Love the flavor combos in this soup. It's awesome and the first i've ever heard of it. yum!
Thank you Rachael, I really hope you love it!
This is such a delicious sorrel soup recipe! So easy and hearty! 🙂
Thank you Valentina, means a lot coming from you!
I love this soup. It’s a classic. I’m so surprised you don’t add milk or half/half to yours. I always add a lil at the end it makes the soup little less sour because of the sorrel.
Wow Olga, I have never hear of anyone adding milk or half and half. This is interesting.
This looks delicious! I had never heard of this soup until reading this. Excited to try it.
Julie, enjoy! Mom made it growing up, totally a Slavic favorite!
My mum used to say, make sure the potatoes are sufficiently cooked before you add the sorrel. If you add the sorrel too early the potato will never soften, no matter how long you cook it (because of the acidic sorrel). You have been warned!
Oh wow, that's very interesting Inna. Thank you for sharing!
My Russian Grandmother, Xenia Kurlowich, made a soup like this with broth from salmon bones. Loved it. So happy to have found a recipe similar to hers.
Gali, this is an honor because nothing beats grandmas cooking. I have so many memories that I look back to when I am in the kitchen. I can totally relate! 🙂
You should try adding kropiva to it as well - we always make this soup when kropiva is in season. I think it's called "nettle" in English.
I have never tried using kropiva in soups, I have heard that its very good. I would totally do it if I could find some. I never seen it in WA
Love this soup. My husband only likes it once a year lol and my kids like the greens right out of the garden not in soup;) but I love it and always have its something I could probably eat a couple times a week just like borsch (I dont) but I like it enough that I could:).
Luba, you are funny. I would never in my right mind think that my kids would love it. But they did. Still surprised 🙂
I love schavloviy soup. Will have to try your version!…I usually boil eggs, then cut up and add that way, and also add some meat.
Nella, I know a lot of people cut up boiled eggs. Mom says its the right way of doing it. But this is an easy way and it taste really good too. 🙂 I use to add meat but I don't like sour meat, so it would go to waste.