A fasting-friendly Oltenian leek ciorbă with root vegetables, potato, rice and tangy cabbage brine.
Ciorbă de prazTender leek rounds, root vegetables, potato and rice simmer in a light broth sharpened with cabbage brine.
Ciorbă de praz is a Romanian leek soup associated with Oltenia, where the vegetable has a strong place in regional cooking. Radio România Oltenia lists leek soup among the area’s soup dishes, and a local grower interviewed by Adevărul describes a fasting version soured with cabbage brine. Household methods differ: some use borș, some add meat, and the vegetables and quantities vary. This measured four-serving edition follows the cabbage-brine, meat-free approach without presenting it as one universal Oltenian formula.
The leek is the main ingredient, not a garnish. The pale stalks are split and washed carefully because grit can hide between their layers, then cut into rounds thick enough to stay recognizable in the broth. Root vegetables bring sweetness and a modest spoonful of short-grain rice gives the soup body. Potatoes make the bowl satisfying while keeping it a light soup rather than a creamy purée. The quantities are selected for a balanced home pot and are stated in grams and millilitres for repeatability.
The order of cooking protects the texture. Onion, carrot, parsnip, celeriac and pepper soften first in a little sunflower oil. Water and potatoes follow, then the rinsed rice. The leeks go in later, once the roots have started cooking. A gentle simmer is enough; a hard boil can break down the rounds and make the broth cloudy. Check the pot as it cooks because rice continues to absorb liquid, especially if the soup stands before serving.
Cabbage brine supplies the sour note in this version. Its salt and acidity vary from jar to jar, so warm it separately and stir it in gradually near the end instead of pouring it all in at once. Start with the measured 250 ml, taste, and use up to another 50 ml only if you want a sharper soup. Hold the salt until after this step. If the brine is strongly salted, none may be needed; if it is mild, add a small measured pinch.
This is a fasting-friendly, fully plant-based preparation when the brine and other packaged ingredients contain no animal-derived additives. It contains no meat, dairy or egg. That matters because other regional versions of leek soup may include pork, smoked meat or a different souring liquid. The recipe keeps those variations in the source notes rather than blending them into one ingredient list. For a distinct alternative, borș can replace the cabbage brine, but the taste will be different and the amount should still be adjusted to taste.
Fresh lovage gives the finished broth a recognizable Romanian herbal aroma. Parsley softens that strong note and adds a clean green finish. Add both after turning off the heat so their flavor stays fresh. A five-minute rest lets the rice settle and the acidity distribute through the pot. Serve the soup hot in shallow bowls, with crusty bread if desired. Keep bread as an optional side; it is not needed to make the recipe’s main dish complete.
The finished ciorbă should be lightly brothy, with tender but distinct leek rounds, intact potato pieces and rice that is soft without turning the soup into porridge. If the broth tastes flat, add a little more warmed cabbage brine. If it is too sharp, dilute it with hot water and adjust the seasoning only afterward. If the rice has thickened the pot, loosen it with water rather than adding more oil. These small adjustments preserve the soup’s light texture.
For a make-ahead meal, cook the soup just until the leeks are tender and refrigerate it promptly in shallow covered containers. Rice will absorb liquid as it rests, so add a splash of water when reheating. Keep leftovers refrigerated at 4 °C / 40 °F or below and use within three to four days. Reheat the soup throughout to 74 °C / 165 °F, stirring so the temperature is even, then taste again because reheating can soften the acidity.
Ciorbă de praz is not the same dish as the roster’s Mâncare de praz cu măsline. That is a leek-and-olive stew; this recipe is a vegetable soup with a measured broth and a separate sour finish. The distinction keeps the two topics useful without claiming that every Oltenian household follows the same recipe. What defines this edition is the abundance of leek, the gentle simmer and the option of cabbage brine for its characteristic tang.
Trim away the root ends and any damaged outer layers from the leeks. Split them lengthwise and rinse between the layers until no grit remains, then cut the pale and tender green parts into 8–10 mm rounds. Dice the onion, carrot, parsnip, celeriac, pepper and potatoes evenly. Rinse the rice in a colander and drain it.
Warm the sunflower oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, parsnip, celeriac and red pepper. Stir and cook gently until the onion turns translucent and the roots begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Keep the vegetables pale rather than browning them; lower the heat if they start to catch.
Pour in 1.5 L of the water and add the potatoes. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes begin to turn tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the rinsed rice and continue simmering for about 5 minutes, until it is nearly tender. Keep the broth at a quiet simmer so the potatoes stay intact.
Add the sliced leeks and the remaining 300 ml water. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, until the thickest leek rounds are tender but still keep their shape. Avoid a hard boil, which can collapse the leeks and cloud the light broth. If the rice absorbs more liquid than expected, add a little hot water while keeping the soup brothy.
Warm the cabbage brine separately; do not boil it down. Stir 250 ml into the soup, taste, then add up to 50 ml more if you want a sharper finish. Taste again before adding any salt because the brine may already be salty. Turn off the heat, add the black pepper, lovage and parsley, and rest for 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Split each stalk lengthwise and rinse under running water before slicing; grit is easy to miss near the pale base.
Add them after the roots and potatoes have begun to soften, then maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
Cabbage brine can contribute plenty of salt. Add it gradually, then season only after the souring liquid is mixed in.
Rice absorbs liquid as it stands. Loosen the soup with a little hot water before serving or reheating.
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| The soup tastes too salty. | Do not add more salt. Dilute with hot water a little at a time and finish with extra parsley; check the cabbage brine label before the next batch. |
| The soup is sharper than expected. | Stir in hot water gradually and taste after each addition. Brine acidity varies; add it in smaller increments next time. |
| The leeks have collapsed. | They were likely cut too thin or boiled hard. Use 8–10 mm rounds and add them later, keeping the pot at a gentle simmer. |
| The soup has become too thick. | Rice absorbs broth while standing. Stir in hot water until the soup is lightly brothy again, then retaste the acidity and salt. |
| Original ingredient | Practical substitute | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Cabbage brine | Romanian borș | Borș is documented in other regional leek-soup versions. Warm it separately and add a little at a time; its acidity differs, so adjust by taste. |
| Short-grain white rice | Long-grain white rice | Use the same weight and simmer until tender. The broth will be slightly less thick because long-grain rice releases less starch. |
Serve hot after the short rest, with crusty bread as an optional side.
Transfer leftovers to shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep at 4 °C / 40 °F or below and use within 3–4 days.
Reheat throughout to 74 °C / 165 °F, stirring for even heating. Add a little water if the rice has absorbed broth.
It is Romanian leek soup. This fasting-friendly home edition pairs leek rounds with root vegetables, potato and rice, then adds cabbage brine for a gently sour finish.
Regional Romanian sources list leek soup among Oltenian dishes and describe the region’s strong association with leeks. Recipes vary, so this page presents one documented style rather than a single official formula.
Yes. Borș appears in other Romanian leek-soup versions. Warm it and add it gradually to taste; it changes the flavor from this edition’s cabbage-brine profile.
Yes, when the cabbage brine and packaged ingredients contain no animal-derived additives. The measured recipe uses vegetables, rice, sunflower oil, herbs and water; it includes no meat, dairy or egg.
Explore more Romanian soups and regional home cooking.
