Romanian Tomato Soup with Borscht and Fluffy Dumplings – A Simple, Flavorful Recipe
Romanian tomato soup with borscht and fluffy dumplings, made with ripe tomatoes and aromatic vegetables. A simple, tangy soup that’s perfect for summer.
Romanian Romanian Tomato Soup with Borscht and Fluffy Dumplings
Course: MainCuisine: RomanianDifficulty: Easy8
servings30
minutes40
minutes115
kcal1
hour10
minutesWhen we were kids, tomato soup was probably one of the dishes Mom made most often during the summer. With tomatoes and vegetables from the garden, of course. I think that’s one of the charms of country life: most of the time, you have almost everything you need right there in the garden. The important thing is knowing how to make the most of simple ingredients.
Why dumplings? Or, more accurately, little dumplings? Because that’s exactly how Mom used to make it. Sometimes with dumplings, other times with poached eggs, but the flavor of this soup has stayed with me all these years. And, honestly, I couldn’t wait to make it myself.
It’s not complicated at all, but it’s one of those simple recipes that can be incredibly delicious when you start with good ingredients. You can use pretty much any vegetables you like and easily leave out anything you don’t. After all, the tomatoes are the real star of this soup.
You can add the borscht directly to the pot to give the soup its tangy flavor, or let everyone adjust it to taste in their own bowl. You can even add rice if you prefer a heartier soup, but this time I chose to make it with little dumplings.
And because we live in a world where there’s always room for a little technology in the kitchen, I took the opportunity this time to try out a few of my new kitchen helpers. I used the Heinner meat grinder and chopper to prepare the soup, as well as the stainless steel pot with lid from the Heinner Cooking range. And I can honestly say: love them all!
Now, let me show you what a lovely tomato soup you can make at home, too.
Ingredients
- For approximately 3.5 liters of soup:
2.6–2.8 kg ripe tomatoes
1 leek or 1 medium onion
1 medium carrot
1 red pointed pepper or bell pepper
approximately 70 g celeriac
350–500 ml borscht, depending on how tangy you like it
2 eggs (approximately 100 g weighed whole, with shells)
75 g semolina
1½ tablespoons oil
salt and pepper, to taste
¼–½ teaspoon sugar, only if the tomatoes are very acidic
1 generous bunch of fresh lovage or celery leaves
Preparation method
- Tips for the Perfect Tomato Soup
Choose very ripe tomatoes. The more flavorful the tomatoes, the better the soup will be. Fresh, garden-grown tomatoes at their peak are ideal.
Don’t add all the borscht at once. Borscht can vary in intensity and acidity, so start with 350 ml, taste, and adjust to your preference.
Let the dumpling mixture rest. The 10–15 minutes are important to allow the semolina to hydrate and give the dumplings a light, fluffy texture.
Don’t make the dumplings too large. They will expand as they cook, so smaller portions are ideal.
Cook the dumplings over low heat. A gentle simmer helps them stay tender and prevents them from falling apart.
- Preparing the Tomatoes
Wash the tomatoes well and remove the stems and any bruised or damaged parts. Pass them through a tomato strainer to obtain a smooth tomato pulp, free of skins and seeds. - Depending on the variety and how juicy the tomatoes are, 2.6–2.8 kg of tomatoes will yield approximately 1.9–2.2 liters of tomato pulp and juice.
- Preparing the Vegetables
Since I had some new kitchen tools to try, I decided to put the chopper to the test as well. This time, everything was incredibly quick: I added the vegetables to the chopper and gave them a few pulses until they reached the desired size. That’s it—the vegetables were chopped and ready to go. - I used a 3.7-liter pot. Add the oil to the pot and sauté the vegetables over low heat for about 5–7 minutes. We don’t want them to brown, just soften slightly and release their flavors.
Add approximately 800 ml of water and let the vegetables simmer for 10–15 minutes. - Adding the Tomatoes
Pour the tomato pulp into the pot and, if needed, add a little more water. Simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are almost cooked, about 15–20 minutes.
I used borscht to add acidity to the soup, but you can use your preferred method. In a separate saucepan, bring the borscht to a boil and let it simmer for 2–3 minutes. Gradually add it to the soup, starting with about 350 ml.
Taste and add more borscht if you prefer a tangier soup. Season with salt and pepper.
If the tomatoes are very acidic, you can add ¼–½ teaspoon of sugar. Taste before adding more—the sugar should simply balance the acidity, not make the soup sweet. - Preparing the Dumplings
Crack the two eggs into a bowl and beat them lightly. Add the semolina and mix until you have a smooth, homogeneous mixture. Let the mixture rest for 10–15 minutes to allow the semolina to hydrate.
After resting, the mixture should be soft enough to scoop with a teaspoon but firm enough to hold its shape. If it feels too stiff, add 1–2 teaspoons of water and mix again. - Cooking the Dumplings
Reduce the heat so that the soup is barely simmering. Using a damp teaspoon, scoop small portions of the dumpling mixture and carefully drop them into the soup. Don’t make the dumplings too large—they will expand as they cook.
Partially cover the pot and let the dumplings simmer for about 8–10 minutes, until cooked through and fluffy. Avoid stirring vigorously, as this may cause the dumplings to break apart. - How to Serve
Turn off the heat and add the chopped lovage or celery leaves. Taste and adjust the salt or amount of borscht if needed. Cover the pot and let the soup rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Serve the soup hot, topped with a little fresh lovage or celery leaves. If you prefer a tangier soup, you can add a little extra borscht directly to your bowl. It’s delicious with fresh bread and, if you like, a hot pepper on the side. - Storage
Store the soup in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 3 days. When reheating, warm only the amount you plan to serve and avoid prolonged boiling so the dumplings retain their texture. Enjoy!
