Name: Zupa Karpielanka: Polish Rutabaga and White Bean Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 595 min
Yield: 4 servings, about 700 ml each
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 150 g small dried white pearl beans; 600 g yellow rutabaga (swede), peeled and diced; 200 g carrot, peeled and diced; 700 ml whole milk; 2.2 L water, divided: 1 L for the beans and 1.2 L for the soup; 30 g unsalted butter; 30 g plain wheat flour; 6 g fine salt; 15 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

A rustic bowl of pale yellow rutabaga soup with visible white beans, carrot cubes and parsley, with a spoon on a wooden table.

Yield 4 servings, about 700 ml each

Serving basis one quarter of the finished soup

Prep time 25 minutes

Cook time about 90 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Recipe at a glance

Zupa Karpielanka: Polish Rutabaga and White Bean Soup

Zupa karpielanka is a traditional soup from the Nadpopradzie area of southern Poland, where rutabaga is known locally as karpiel. The Polish Ministry of Agriculture lists it as a traditional prepared dish from Małopolskie. Small white pearl beans, carrot and parsley remain visible in its pale, creamy-yellow broth.

The Ministry records two local rutabaga types: white, with a sharper flavor, and yellow, which is sweeter. Milk-based karpielanka was the most popular version. The traditional ingredient family includes rutabaga, carrot, small white beans, butter, flour, milk or cream, parsley, water and salt. This measured home version uses whole milk and a light butter-flour thickener; it keeps the soup gently thickened and brothy instead of blending it smooth.

Dried beans need an overnight soak and thorough cooking, so begin the day before. The vegetables simmer until tender but still distinct, then milk and a pale roux give the broth its creamy body. Finish with parsley and serve while hot. Allow at least 9 hours 55 minutes from starting the eight-hour soak; a 12-hour soak extends the elapsed time by four hours.

Tips for success

Choose yellow rutabaga for the sweeter local variety described in the traditional register. Peel it thickly enough to remove the waxy skin, then cut even 1.5 cm cubes.
Soak the beans in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours, drain and rinse them, then boil them in fresh water before simmering until completely tender. Follow the package directions if they require longer.
Cook the rutabaga and carrot only until a fork passes through easily while the pieces still hold their shape. The finished soup is not puréed.
Cook the butter and flour together for 2 minutes without browning. Whisk the milk in gradually, then loosen the mixture with a ladle of hot vegetable liquid before adding it to the pot.
After the milk goes in, keep the soup at a gentle simmer and stir often. A hard boil can scorch the milk or make the thickener lumpy.
Add the beans only after they are fully tender. Keep the pale broth lightly thickened, with distinct beans, rutabaga and carrot visible in each serving.
Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers. A large pot of soup cools slowly, so do not leave it to cool on the counter.

Ingredients

Soup

150 g small dried white pearl beans
600 g yellow rutabaga (swede), peeled and diced
200 g carrot, peeled and diced
700 ml whole milk
2.2 L water, divided: 1 L for the beans and 1.2 L for the soup
30 g unsalted butter
30 g plain wheat flour
6 g fine salt
15 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method

Directions

Soak the beans.Cover the dried beans generously with cold water and soak them in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse. This is passive time, so start the recipe the day before.
Cook the beans fully.Put the beans in a 2 L saucepan with 1 L fresh water. Bring to a full rolling boil for 10 minutes, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 50–70 minutes, until every bean is completely tender. Drain them. Follow package directions if they require a longer soak or cook; do not taste or serve undercooked beans.
Prepare the vegetables.While the beans cook, peel the rutabaga and carrot and cut them into even 1.5 cm cubes. Keeping the pieces similar in size helps them soften evenly.
Simmer the vegetables.Put the rutabaga and carrot in a 4 L soup pot with 1.2 L water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender but still hold their shape.
Make the milk thickener.Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes without browning. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Whisk in one ladle of hot vegetable liquid, then pour this mixture into the soup pot while stirring.
Finish the soup.Bring the soup just to a gentle simmer, stirring often, and cook for 5–8 minutes until lightly thickened. Add the fully tender drained beans and salt; simmer gently for 5 more minutes. Do not let the soup boil hard after the milk is added.
Add parsley and serve.Stir in the parsley, take the pot off the heat and serve hot. The soup should be pale yellow and creamy, lightly thickened rather than puréed, with soft rutabaga and carrot and visible white beans.

Nutrition and allergens

Energy390 kcal
Carbohydrates54 g
Protein16 g
Fat13 g
Fibre11 g
Sodium730 mg
Allergensmilk, wheat

Approximate values per serving, based on one quarter of the recipe: - Energy: 390 kcal - Carbohydrates: 54 g - Protein: 16 g - Fat: 13 g - Fibre: 11 g - Sodium: 730 mg - Allergens: milk, wheat Values vary with the dried beans and milk used and how much cooking liquid is retained. The flour thickener contains wheat; the milk is dairy. Follow safe bean preparation, cool leftovers promptly and reheat the soup to 74 °C throughout.

Nutrition and allergens

Serving, storage, and reheating: Ladle the soup into four bowls and serve hot. Its mild sweetness comes from the rutabaga, while the white beans make the broth filling and the parsley adds a fresh finish. The traditional register describes a lightly thickened soup with the vegetables remaining visible.

Serving, storage, and reheating: Cool leftovers quickly by dividing them among shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32 °C. Keep at 4 °C or colder and use within 3–4 days. Reheat only the amount needed, stirring often, until the soup reaches 74 °C throughout. Add a small splash of milk or water while reheating if the chilled soup has thickened; heat gently and do not boil hard.

Serving, storage, and reheating: For make-ahead preparation, soak and cook the beans a day in advance, cool them promptly and refrigerate. Prepare the vegetable and milk soup on the serving day, then stir in the cooked beans. Do not leave cooked beans or soup at room temperature beyond the cooling limits above.

Approximate values per serving, based on one quarter of the recipe: - Energy: 390 kcal - Carbohydrates: 54 g - Protein: 16 g - Fat: 13 g - Fibre: 11 g - Sodium: 730 mg - Allergens: milk, wheat

Values vary with the dried beans and milk used and how much cooking liquid is retained. The flour thickener contains wheat; the milk is dairy. Follow safe bean preparation, cool leftovers promptly and reheat the soup to 74 °C throughout.

Zupa Karpielanka: Polish Rutabaga and White Bean Soup

Tips for success

Ingredients

Soup

Method

Nutrition and allergens

Nutrition and allergens

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