Radauta Soup: The Original Recipe

Ciorba Radauta is often compared to the famous ciorbă de bartă, but it has a few advantages that make it a favorite of many: it is lighter, more refreshing and much more affordable, being made from poultry meat, not beef belly. With a pleasant balance between sour, creamy and aromatic, the ciorbă radauta recipe brings an extra flavor to any meal, without being difficult to prepare.

The origin of the Radauta soup

Ciorba Radauti, tasty and loved by Romanians everywhere, was born 40 years ago from the hands of a cook from Radauti, Cornelia Dumitrescu. Because no one in the family liked belly soup, she tried something new with turkey meat from the household and vegetables , and a miracle came out! What was first a family lunch, quickly became the star of the Nordic restaurant in Radauti, where Mrs. Cornelia worked, and in 1982 it officially entered the Bukovina recipe book. Since then, Ciorba Radauti has traveled all over the world, on the plates of Romanians who have gone far away.

Required ingredients

Let's see what the ingredients are for the Rădăuțeană soup from the original recipe!

For the soup :

• 1.3 kg turkey or chicken meat with bone and skin (avoid using just the breast)
• vegetables for soup
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 parsnip
  • 1 parsley root
  • 1 celery
  • 1 yellow onion
  • ½ red bell pepper or bell pepper
• 2-3 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves (optional, for subtle flavor)

For liaison :

• 3-4 fresh egg yolks
• 300-400 g sour cream , fat (min. 24%)
• 1 heaped tablespoon of flour or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 3–4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or minced

To serve :

• 1–2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar (or to taste)
• finely chopped green parsley (optional)
• sour cream and chili peppers at the table

Step-by-step preparation method

You've prepared the ingredients, now it's time to prepare the real Rădăuța chicken soup.

1. Slice the chicken

• Use meat with bone and skin (legs, back, wings, neck) for richer flavor.
• Avoid chicken breast exclusively, as it can be bland.
• Cut the chicken into 6–8 pieces suitable for boiling.

2. Clean and prepare the vegetables

• You can leave the vegetables whole or cut them in half, as you will be removing them from the pot later anyway.
• You can add 1–2 bay leaves for subtle flavor (optional).

3. Boil the meat and vegetables

• Place the meat in a large pot with cold water (4–5 L) and salt.
• Bring to a boil, foaming well, without throwing away the juice!
• Add the vegetables and peppercorns. Simmer over low heat for 45–60 min with the lid ajar.

If the chicken is from the country and has a strong smell, you can blanch it for 1 minute, then boil it in clean water.

4. Strain the soup

• Remove the meat and vegetables. Strain the broth and, if it has reduced too much, top up with water.
• If you don't want to use flour to thicken the soup, remove 2 carrots now. You will puree these and add them back to the radăuțean soup.

5. Bone the meat

• Let it cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bones and skin. Tear the meat into strips or pieces. Keep the meat in a few ladles of the juice so it doesn't dry out.

6. Prepare the "liaison" (the tights or thickening)

• Mix the egg yolks with the cream and flour until smooth. Add the garlic now. Gradually add 2–3 ladles of hot soup to the mixture, stirring constantly to prevent the radăuță soup from curdling.

7. Add the liaison to the soup

• Reduce the heat to low or turn it off completely.
• Pour the liaison into the soup, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
• Boil gently for 2–3 minutes if you added flour. If you followed the simple recipe for ciorba radăuțeană, it's ready immediately.

8. Finish the soup

• Put the meat and (optional) the mashed carrots back into the soup.
• Add vinegar to taste (1–3 tablespoons), before or after thickening (the method differs, but both work).
• Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, and extra garlic, if necessary.

9. Serve hot

• With fresh bread, sour cream, vinegar and hot pepper. You can sprinkle with green parsley or lovage, if you prefer.

Tips for a perfect Radăuțean soup

Use bone-in, skin-on chicken or turkey , not just the breast; thighs, wings, or backs add more flavor to the soup than lean meat.

Don't throw away the first water! Simmer well while boiling to preserve all the flavor and freshness in the soup. The goodness is in the broth!

For a smooth, even texture , mix the cream with the egg yolks, flour (or starch), garlic, and a few ladles of hot stock. Then pour everything into the pot over low heat, stirring constantly.

If you don't add flour , you can add the cream after turning off the heat. If you use flour, simmer the soup for 2–3 more minutes to cook it completely.

Want a rounder flavor and a smoother taste? Add a teaspoon of vinegar right into the cream and egg mixture (liaison). It tempers the taste and prevents cheesiness. This is what the inventor of the original recipe for ciorba radăuțeană does, but she says that the vinegar can also be added later, in the pot.

Leave the garlic for last . Put it in the liaison or directly on the plate, for a discreet but authentic fragrance that makes Radautean soup... Radautean soup.

How is Radauta soup served?

Radauțean soup is served hot, in a deep bowl or plate. Usually, a spoonful of sour cream is added, a little vinegar (if it has not already been put in the pot) and, optionally, a few slices of hot pepper.

It goes perfectly with a slice of fresh or lightly toasted bread.

For extra freshness, you can sprinkle a little chopped green parsley.

Rădăuțean chicken soup keeps well in the refrigerator and is even tastier the next day. It can be reheated gently, without boiling, so as not to curdle the cream.

So, although the original recipe was not published by its inventor with exact measurements, precisely to remain unique, we encourage you to try this simple recipe for Rădăuța soup: it is very close to the authentic taste and has every chance of becoming one of your favorites.