Zagorje Potato Soup

Zagorje potato soup has many variations as each household adds something to make it special and uniquely theirs. Although dried mushrooms are sometimes added to this soup, we made it without them this time.

Main ingredients are potatoes and sour cream, so the fact that we didn’t have mushrooms didn’t affect the taste of this invigorating soup in a significant way.

We started with a recipe from Croatian chef Mladen Marušić and adjusted the measures (his recipe is made to serve 10 people) and ingredients based on those we had available.

If you use dried mushrooms, soak them previously in hot water until soften. If you use fresh mushrooms, clean, wash, and slice them finely.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp of vegetable, canola or sunflower oil for frying
• 2 tbsp of vegetable, canola or sunflower oil for “zaprška” (browned flour)
• 50 g bacon/pancetta
• 1 large onion
• 6 medium potatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 100 ml (1/2 cup) white wine
• 1 large tomato
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp ground red paprika
• 150 ml (10 tbsp) sour cream
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) vinegar
• 1 l (4 cups) stock or clear soup
• 2-3 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• finely chopped parsley leaves for garnish

Preparation mise en place

1. Chop the onion finely.
2. Cut pancetta to strips.
3. Peal the potatoes and cut them into small cubes.
4. Cut the red pepper into pea-sized cubes.
5. Blanche the tomato in hot water for couple of minutes and peel of the skin. Chop it finely.

Preparation

1. On a medium to high temperature in a large saucepan on oil fry the onion and pancetta until soft and translucent.
2. Add potatoes and fry them for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the red pepper and fry for another couple of minutes.
4. Season all the ingredients with salt and pepper and after they are combined add stock or soup. Do a taste test as you season.
5. Add blanched tomato to the soup, white wine, and bay leaf. If necessary, add more salt and pepper. Allow the soup to cook until all the ingredients soften.
6. To make “zaprška” (browned flour), in a separate small saucepan heat up 2 tablespoons of oil. Add as much flour as oil can absorb to the hot oil. Fry the flour briefly until it becomes reddish but not burned, then add the ground red paprika and immediately take the frying pan off the heat.
7. Add this mixture to the soup while constantly stirring. Allow the soup to simmer.
8. In a separate bowl mix sour cream with a couple of spoonfuls of hot soup to avoid lumps. Add all the sour cream to the soup and remove it from the heat.
9. Sprinkle with chopped parsley for garnish.

Thank you Croatian Language School, it was a pleasure for Zvonimir and me to make this soup for you 😀

Read all about it on Croatian Language School’s web site: Zagorje Potato Soup. Make sure to check many interesting articles about Croatia and its culture while you are visiting.

Fun Fact

Have a hangover? This soup might help!
People report it helped them and being a really hearty meal, it might be true. This makes it a great brunch idea after partying all night 😉

Let us know in the comments if it worked for you 😜