Ciorba de Perisoare (Romanian Meatball Soup)
A fresh, soured vegetable soup with little rice and pork meatballs, finished with soured cream and herbs.
- Time1 hr 10
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.45 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Mix the pork, rice, egg, grated onion, parsley and salt. Shape into small walnut sized balls with wet hands.
- 2
Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the diced onion, carrot, parsnip, pepper and celery for 8 minutes.
8 min - 3
Add the stock and tomato purée and bring to the boil. Drop in the meatballs one at a time.
- 4
Simmer gently for 30 minutes, until the rice in the meatballs is cooked through.
30 min - 5
Stir in the vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk the egg yolk with the soured cream and a ladle of hot soup, then stir back into the pan off the heat.
- 6
Taste for sourness and seasoning. Serve scattered with dill.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.