The Recipe · No.798 · Biały Barszcz

Biały Barszcz, and Where to Source It

Whisk the fermented rye starter into the hot sausage broth gradually; the raw grain thickens it instantly into an opaque, tangy white soup. Temper the sour cream with hot broth first so it does not curdle.

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Published July 2026 · Sourcing verified 5 Jul 2026

Prep15 min
Cook40 min
Makes4 servings
CuisinePolish
Cook it with
Instant PotSlow cookerOne-pot
Can you make Biały Barszcz in an air fryer? — Yes, with an insert

Not on its own — an air fryer can’t hold a pool of liquid. You can simmer it in an oven-safe dish or a silicone insert made to fit the basket, but the broth won’t reduce or brown the way it does on the stove, and that insert comes out scorching, so use oven mitts. For real depth, a pot on the stove wins.

Part One
The Ingredients — and where to get them
Fermented rye starter
Żur, the sour rye liquid that thickens and sours the soup. Local.
2 cups
Local / market
White sausage
A raw white kielbasa simmered whole for the broth. A butcher biała is best.
1 lb
Source it →
Bacon
Diced and rendered with onion for the smoky base.
4 oz
Source it →
Sour cream
Tempered in for creaminess and body. A cultured sour cream is tangiest.
1/2 cup
Source it →
Eggs
Hard-boiled and halved into the bowls before serving. Fresh eggs.
2
Source it →
One list, with a link to where to buy each one.
Part Two
The Method
  1. Make the brothSimmer the white sausage with a bay leaf, then slice it and keep the broth.
  2. Render the baseCrisp the bacon and onion and add them to the broth.
  3. Sour itShake the rye starter and whisk it into the simmering broth until it thickens.
  4. Temper and serveWhisk hot soup into the sour cream, return it with marjoram and sausage, and ladle over egg halves.
Part Three
The Toolkit

Soup pot · Skillet · Whisk

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© 2026 5best2buy · Worth The Hunt · Recipe No.798