Top 3 Silesian Soups

This popular sauerkraut soup is one of the traditional Polish dishes originating from the country's mountainous region, and it is often associated with the town Żywiec. Since it is prepared with fermented sauerkraut juice and smoked meat, it has a rich, smoky flavor, and is usually quite sour. Unlike kapuśniak, a similar sauerkraut soup, kwaśnica does not include any root vegetables. The soup is traditionally served as a nutritious main course, and it is recommended to pair it with bread or potatoes on the side.Expand

Wodzionka is a traditional Silesian soup made with stale bread. The type of bread used is ideally a more dense and heavy one, such as sourdough bread, and it should be several days old. The bread is soaked in water or broth, and then melted pork fat, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper are added to the pot. Butter and cream can also be used. It is said that this dish was traditionally enjoyed in autumn or winter, when milk was scarce.Expand

Siemieniotka is a very old Silesian hemp soup that has been traditionally served as a part of the Christmas Eve dinner in Silesian households for ages. Also known as konopiołka, from the Polish siemię konopne, meaning hemp seeds, this soup is prepared with boiled and crushed hemp seeds which are cooked with milk and butter. The process of obtaining hemp milk is time-consuming and laborious, and sometimes requires boiling the seeds several times. This regional dish is prepared only once a year and is typically accompanied by buckwheat or millet groats. With a mild and slightly bittersweet flavor, this hemp dish is one of the oldest dishes associated with Polish Wigilia.Expand