Krupnik is a traditional Polish barley soup, often made with chicken or another meat, root vegetables, and a gently seasoned broth. This version uses bone-in chicken thighs for a flavorful base, then simmers pearl barley and vegetables until tender; Polish households make many variations, so the ingredients can be adapted to what is available.
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, about 4 medium pieces
- 10 cups (2.4 L) cold water
- 2/3 cup (120 g) pearl barley, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium yellow onion (150 g), peeled and quartered
- 2 medium carrots (200 g total), peeled and cut into small dice
- 1 medium parsnip (120 g), peeled and cut into small dice
- 1 cup (120 g) peeled, diced celery root (celeriac)
- 1 medium potato (250 g), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) cubes
- 2 garlic cloves (6 g), lightly crushed
- 2 bay leaves (about 0.2 g)
- 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (6 g) chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, for serving (optional)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Rinse the barley under cool running water and drain it. Dice the carrots, parsnip, celery root, and potato into pieces of similar size so they cook evenly. Keep the onion in quarters; it will flavor the broth and can be removed before serving if you prefer a less rustic soup.
- Start the chicken broth. Put the chicken thighs, cold water, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in a large heavy pot. Bring the water just to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that gathers on the surface. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil. A calm simmer helps keep the broth clearer and reduces the chance of the chicken breaking apart too early.
- Simmer until the chicken is cooked. Partially cover the pot and simmer for about 40 minutes, turning the thighs once if they are not fully submerged. Check the thickest part of each thigh with a food thermometer, avoiding the bone. USDA FSIS lists 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for poultry. If a thigh has not reached that temperature, keep simmering and check again after a few minutes.
- Remove and prepare the chicken. Transfer the cooked thighs to a plate with tongs and let them cool just enough to handle. Remove and discard the bones, then shred or chop the meat into bite-size pieces. Skim excess fat from the broth if desired, but leave a little for flavor. Fish out the bay leaves and onion quarters, or keep the onion if you like it in the finished soup.
- Add the barley and vegetables. Stir the rinsed barley, carrots, parsnip, celery root, potato, and dried marjoram into the simmering broth. Bring it back to a gentle simmer, then partially cover the pot. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every 8 to 10 minutes, until the barley is tender and the vegetables can be pierced easily with a fork. Keep the heat low enough that the barley does not stick to the bottom.
- Finish the soup. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes, until it is hot throughout. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped dill just before turning off the heat. If the soup has thickened more than you want, add hot water a little at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Serve warm. Ladle the soup into bowls and offer sour cream and lemon juice at the table. For a smooth, lightly tangy finish, stir a spoonful of sour cream into each bowl rather than adding cold sour cream directly to the whole pot, where it may not blend evenly.
Tips
Keep the broth at a gentle simmer. A hard boil can make the broth cloudy and cause the chicken to break up before you are ready to remove it. If the pot is bubbling vigorously, lower the heat and leave the lid slightly ajar. Skim foam during the first few minutes, but there is no need to chase every small particle from the surface.
Cut the vegetables evenly. Small, even dice cook at roughly the same pace as the barley. If you prefer clearly defined vegetables rather than a soft, thick soup, make the dice closer to 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) and begin checking tenderness at 25 minutes. The barley should be pleasantly chewy, not hard in the center.
Choose a useful substitute for celery root. Celeriac is a traditional, earthy-tasting soup vegetable, but it is not stocked everywhere. Replace it with 2 chopped celery stalks (about 80 g) and an extra 1/2 cup (75 g) diced parsnip. The soup will be a little less earthy and slightly sweeter, but will still have a rounded vegetable flavor.
Rinse the barley and season at the end. Rinsing removes loose starch and dust from the grains. Since broth reduces as it simmers and different salts vary in strength, taste before adding more salt at the finish. If you use salted stock in place of some water, start with less salt than the listed amount.
Serving Suggestions
Krupnik is substantial enough to serve as a one-pot lunch or dinner. Put a basket of rye bread, sourdough, or another sturdy loaf on the table for dipping, and add a simple cucumber salad or crisp green salad if you want something fresh alongside the warm soup. A small dish of chopped dill lets everyone add more herb flavor to their own bowl.
Sour cream is a familiar accompaniment in many versions. To prevent it from curdling, do not boil the soup after adding sour cream. Either serve it as a topping or temper it: whisk a little hot broth into the sour cream, then stir that mixture into individual bowls. A small squeeze of lemon can brighten the broth, especially if the vegetables have made it quite sweet. Add lemon gradually so it does not overwhelm the mild barley and chicken.
Variations
Use another meat. Pork shoulder or a meaty pork rib can make a fuller, richer broth; simmer it until tender and check the appropriate safe temperature with a food thermometer. Beef chuck is another option, though it generally needs a longer simmer to become tender, so allow extra time before adding the barley and vegetables. Remove bones and any large pieces of fat before returning the meat to the pot. Cooking times depend on the size and cut, so tenderness and a thermometer reading matter more than the clock alone.
Make it with chicken breast. Boneless chicken breast is leaner and cooks faster than bone-in thighs, but contributes less richness to the broth. Simmer it gently and check that the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C), then remove and shred it. You can add a low-sodium chicken stock in place of some of the water to give the broth more body; taste before salting because prepared stock may already be salty.
Adjust the grains and vegetables. Pearl barley is the classic choice for this style of krupnik, but hulled barley takes longer to soften and may need extra liquid and cooking time. For a gluten-free version, use rinsed rice instead of barley and begin checking it after about 15 minutes; rice makes the soup less chewy and often thickens it differently. You can also swap the potato for more root vegetables or add a handful of sliced mushrooms with the carrots for a deeper, savory note.
Make the broth more substantial. Some home versions include a small amount of dried mushroom or use a different mixture of vegetables. If using dried mushrooms, soak them according to the package directions, strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve, and add it to the broth. This gives the soup a darker, more pronounced mushroom flavor. Keep additions modest at first so the chicken, barley, and marjoram remain easy to taste.
Storage and Reheating
Cool the soup promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking, in shallow containers if possible. Store it covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Barley continues to absorb broth as it sits, so the leftovers will be thicker than the freshly made soup. That is normal; stir in water or chicken stock when reheating, a little at a time, until the texture is right.
Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often so the barley does not settle and catch on the bottom. Bring it to a steady simmer and use a food thermometer to confirm leftovers reach 165°F (74°C). If reheating in a microwave, cover loosely, pause to stir, and check the temperature in several places. Avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the full pot.
You can freeze the soup in airtight, freezer-safe containers for about 2 to 3 months for best quality. Leave a little space at the top for expansion and label the container with the date. The barley may soften and the vegetables may lose some firmness after thawing, but the soup remains useful for a quick meal. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat to 165°F (74°C); add liquid as needed to loosen it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is krupnik?
Krupnik is a Polish soup commonly made with barley, vegetables, and broth, often with chicken or another meat. Recipes differ from household to household: some are more brothy, while others become thick and stew-like as the barley absorbs liquid. This recipe uses chicken thighs and root vegetables for a filling, gently flavored version.
Can I make this soup ahead?
Yes. You can cook it a day ahead and chill it promptly, then reheat it when needed. Expect the barley to absorb more broth overnight, so keep extra water or stock available to thin the soup. For the freshest dill flavor, stir it in near the end of reheating rather than before chilling.
Can I use quick-cooking or instant barley?
You can, but follow the package timing and add it at the point recommended by its instructions. Quick-cooking barley may become soft if simmered for the full 30 minutes, so start checking early. If it cooks in a separate pot, add it to bowls or stir it into the soup shortly before serving; this also helps control how much broth it absorbs.
Why did my krupnik become very thick?
Barley releases starch and continues taking up liquid during cooking and storage, so thickening is expected. Stir in hot water or stock until the soup is as loose as you like, then taste again and adjust the seasoning. For a thinner result next time, start with an extra cup (240 ml) of water, especially if you plan to keep leftovers.
Can I leave out the sour cream?
Yes. Sour cream is an optional topping, not a requirement for the soup to cook properly. Serve the bowls without it, or offer lemon juice and extra dill for a brighter finish. If you want a creamy bowl without sour cream, stir in a small splash of cream after reheating, but do not let the soup boil afterward.
Can I make krupnik gluten-free?
Traditional pearl barley contains gluten, so simply omitting the barley is not enough if you need a gluten-free soup. Replace it with rice labeled gluten-free and check any packaged stock for suitable labeling. Add rice according to its cooking time, since it generally cooks faster than barley and can turn soft if left simmering too long.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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