Caraway seed soup brings back the fragrant memories of traditional Czech cuisine. Though nearly forgotten today, the recipe remains easy to make. Caraway seeds, known for their benefits, were often used by Bohemian grannies to soothe upset stomachs and support breastfeeding mothers.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is how Steve commented on the recipe: Very tasty soup!! I bought some caraway seeds for a recipe only to find I already had some. So, while searching for recipes with caraway seeds, I found this recipe. Thank you!! Also, I will definitely try some of your other recipes. They look delicious! Thanks again!!
In this post: About the recipe · Czech pronunciation · Ingredients · How to make Czech caraway soup · Useful tips
➜ About this recipe
A hundred years ago, caraway soup was a common part of Czech family dinners. This popular soup required only a few basic ingredients, with caraway seeds as the main component, a staple spice in Czech cuisine.
However, in the second half of the 20th century, the soup's reputation suffered due to its frequent appearance in school canteens. Many schoolchildren didn't find caraway soup appealing and often merely dipped their spoons into it.
While the basic recipe for caraway soup traditionally included only water and was thickened with a mixture called Záklechtka (flour mixed with water), my recipe offers a more modern approach.
I start by frying the ingredients for a more intense flavor, thicken the soup with a roux, and use vegetable broth instead of water. This results in a delicious and flavorful soup that I believe is well worth trying.
Caraway or cumin? Do not confuse caraway seeds with cumin! Although these seeds look similar, you can only achieve the authentic Czech flavor of the soup by using caraway. While caraway seeds are called Kmín in Czech, cumin is known as Římský kmín.
➜ Pronunciation
Caraway soup is called "Kmínová polévka" in Czech. I have recorded a short audio clip with the pronunciation so that you can get an idea of how to say Kmínová polévka in native Czech.
Want to make more traditional Czech soups? Try this one: Sauerkraut soup, aka Zelňačka!
➜ Ingredients
- Onion – small
- Caraway seeds – roughly crush the seeds using a mortar or briefly pulse them in a clean coffee grinder. Or, read how to grind spices by hand.
- Potatoes – small; any all-purpose yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Golds) will work.
- Vegetable oil – canola or sunflower oil work well. Pork lard is also an excellent option and used to be the preferred choice of Bohemian grandmothers for cooking.
- All-purpose flour – for making roux, a thickening agent in the soup.
- Egg – whisking an egg into the hot soup makes it thicker and richer.
- Vegetable broth – or water.
- Black pepper – ground
- Salt
- Parsley greens – for garnishing
✅ You will find the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below, which you can also print out.
➜ How to make caraway soup
STEP 1: Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel the potatoes and cube them.
STEP 2: In a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven (my preferred option), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and stir until translucent.
STEP 3: Add the caraway seeds and stir for about 1 minute until the caraway aroma develops.
STEP 4: Add the flour and stir continuously for another minute.
STEP 5: Remove the pot from the heat source and add one cup of vegetable broth. Whisk well to prevent lumps. Add another cup of broth and whisk again. Now, you can add the rest of the liquid. Season with salt and pepper, and stir well.
STEP 6: Put the pot of caraway soup back on the stove. Add the cubed potatoes, raise the heat, and bring the soup to a boil.
STEP 7: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Stir occasionally to prevent the flour from settling at the bottom and burning.
STEP 8: Finally, remove the pot from the stove, crack one whole egg into the soup, and whisk it in. Do not cook the soup any further.
STEP 9: Salt to taste if necessary, stir, and serve.
➜ Serving
Serve warm, garnish the soup in a bowl with chopped parsley greens.
A slice of fresh rye bread or a sprinkling of bread croutons is a great accompaniment to this caraway soup.
➜ Cooking Tips
- Bohemian grandmothers typically didn't fry the flour initially; they usually just stirred it with a bit of water into the soup and cooked it briefly. However, if you sauté the flour at the beginning, the soup will gain much more flavor.
- Flour stirred in a bit of water, added to the soup to thicken it, is called "Záklechtka" in the old Czech language.
- In Czech history, caraway seeds were often used in folk medicine. Known for its digestive benefits, caraway seed soup remains a favorite vegetable soup for lactating mothers and people with upset stomachs.
More Czech soups
- Czech garlic soup – Česnečka
- Bramborová polévka – mushroom potato soup
- Goulash soup – Gulášová polévka, made with beef
Tried this recipe?
Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Caraway Soup – Czech Kmínová polévka
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground caraway seeds
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon sunflower oil (or canola / pork lard)
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 5 cups vegetable broth lukewarm (or water)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- salt
- 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley greens to garnish
Instructions
- Before you start cooking: Peel and finely chop 1 medium onion, then peel and dice 4 medium potatoes.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 Tablespoon sunflower oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring until translucent.
- Add 2 teaspoons ground caraway seeds and stir for about 1 minute until the caraway aroma develops. Add 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour and stir for 1 minute.
- Remove the pot from the heat, then add one cup of lukewarm broth. Stir carefully with a whisk to prevent lumps. Add another cup of broth and whisk again. Now, add the rest of the broth, season with salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and stir well.
- Return the pot to the stove and add the diced potatoes. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Stir occasionally to prevent the flour from settling at the bottom and burning.
- Finally, remove the pot from the stove, crack 1 egg into the soup, and whisk it in. Do not cook the soup any further.
- Salt to taste if necessary, stir well, and serve, sprinkling each bowl of soup with chopped parsley greens.
Notes
- The basic recipe makes 4 yields.
- SERVING: Serve warm, garnishing each bowl with chopped parsley greens. A slice of fresh rye bread or a sprinkling of croutons makes a perfect accompaniment to this caraway soup.
- Store the soup in the fridge, where it will keep for 3-4 days.
Malcolm High says
Loved this soup! The Caraway and salt make a pervasive flavour under the potato that is excellent! Thank you for posting these recipes!
Petra Kupská says
Thanks a lot for your lovely comment! I am happy you like the flavor of this caraway soup, it’s an old-bohemian recipe 🙂
Sandra says
Delicious and easy to make. My Czech mother made this soup for me when I had stomach issues, so I figured I would give it a try. I made it Hungarian style by adding paprika and garlic. I also cooked the raw egg for 3 minutes.
Petra Kupská says
Thank you, Sandra, for your lovely feedback! Yes, caraway seeds are an excellent natural remedy for soothing the stomach 🙂 Ground paprika and garlic definitely gave the soup another dimension of taste, and I am happy to confirm that a beaten egg is also often added to the soup in Czech recipes!
Steve says
Very tasty soup!! I bought some caraway seeds for a recipe only to find I already had some. So, while searching for recipes with caraway seeds, I found this recipe. Thank you!! Also, I will definitely try some of your other recipes. They look delicious! Thanks again!!
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Hello Steve, thank you so much for your kind words and feedback! I hope you will enjoy the other recipes as well!
Peter says
Delicious soup. my wife and both enjoyed it. Caraway is a pjnice flavor for the soup. something different.
Petra Kupská says
Thank you, Peter, for your kind feedback!
Victoria says
Hi Petra, I’m looking for a recipe my grandma made, chlebova polevka. She would,dry rye bread in the oven and grate it into the soup. If you have that recipe, please highlight it for us. I love all your recipes, but this is one I’ve looked for years. Thank you.
Petra Kupská says
Hi Victoria, thank you for the interesting tip! I will add Chlebová polévka to my to-do list and try to find the recipe to make it as soon as possible. Greetings from Bohemia, Petra
Olga Mitchell says
I have never heard of this soup and would like to try it. I don’t know where I could get the ground poppy seeds. Olga
Petra Kupská says
Hi Olga, in the Czech Republic, crushed caraway seeds are commonly found in the stores, but I understand it can be challenging to obtain elsewhere. Therefore, I recommend using ground caraway instead. You can easily grind it yourself using a spice grinder or a clean coffee grinder. A mortar and pestle will also work well. Additionally, I have written an article on how to grind spices by hand, please click HERE.
Harriet Pellizzari says
i never needed the onion, potatoes and egg.
it tastes so good too.
Must be good though.
i called it war soup.
it is yummy x
Petra Kupská says
Hi Harriet, thank you for your kind words! I agree that traditional Czech recipes are quite simple, yet still delicious. I try to retain the original ingredients but update the methods to better suit modern tastes. Thank you for the interesting insight on terminology— "war soup" is a new term for me! Warm greetings from the Czech Republic, Petra
Barb says
I love this soup! Since I first made it, I find myself craving it every so often! It’s tasty, light, just a few ingredients, and it’s fun to make! One tip I found: when ready to add the egg at the end, I first emulsify the egg with an immersion blender in a tall narrow container; then while the blender is still running, I pour in about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the HOT broth and blend until smooth and velvety. I THEN stir the egg-broth mixture into the soup. Perfect! Smooth with no blobs or strings of egg floating in the soup!! I’m a soup-aholic and THIS is one of my all-time favorites! Dekuji, Petra!
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Thank you so much for your comment and useful feedback! I am delighted to hear you like the soup!
Karen Radanovich says
I have been looking for this recipe for years I am 75 when my grandmother passed it did too. Thank you so much. The other recipe is for sauerkraut soup can you help😉
Suzanne RN says
This is another delicious Czech soup that's perfect for the fall or winter! I love caraway and really like this soup too!