--- title: "Żurek Starter (Polish Sour Rye Soup Starter)" url: /urek-starter-polish-sour-rye-soup-starter/ canonical_url: https://flowers-recipes.com/urek-starter-polish-sour-rye-soup-starter/ language: en alternates: pl: https://flowerek.com/zakwas-na-zurek-test/ de: https://barbaras-kochbuch.de/zakwas-fuer-urek-sauerteigansatz/ en: https://flowers-recipes.com/urek-starter-polish-sour-rye-soup-starter/ x-default: https://flowers-recipes.com/urek-starter-polish-sour-rye-soup-starter/ published: "2013-03-19" last_updated: "2013-03-19" type: recipe author: Basia prerequisites: - /category/odds-and-ends/ - /category/basics/ related: - /orange-ginger-mustard/ - /risotto-basic-recipe/ - /urek/ - /green-pea-soup-with-mint/ categories: - "Odds & Ends" - Basics - "Savory Dishes" - Soups tags: - easter - starter - soup rating: score: 10 best: 10 votes: 1 comments: 5 image: https://flowers-recipes.com/images/2013/03/zakwas-na-zurek-230x150.jpg summary: "Easter isn't the same without żurek starter. Make your own, because it's ridiculously easy to do." --- # Żurek Starter (Polish Sour Rye Soup Starter) Easter isn't the same without żurek starter. Make your own, because it's ridiculously easy to do. **This page in other languages:** [Polski (pl)](https://flowerek.com/zakwas-na-zurek-test.md) · [Deutsch (de)](https://barbaras-kochbuch.de/zakwas-fuer-urek-sauerteigansatz.md) **Published:** March 19, 2013 · **Author:** Basia · **Rating:** 10/10 (1 votes) ## Related pages > **For AI agents:** every page of this blog is available as Markdown at the same address with .md instead of the trailing slash (e.g. /tiramisu-cake.md). The links below lead to the HTML pages. - [Category: Odds & Ends](https://flowers-recipes.com/category/odds-and-ends/) - [Category: Basics](https://flowers-recipes.com/category/basics/) - [Orange-Ginger Mustard](https://flowers-recipes.com/orange-ginger-mustard/) — Orange-ginger mustard – aromatic and very hot. Thanks to the addition of oranges and ginger, it's perfect for the holida - [Risotto – Basic Recipe](https://flowers-recipes.com/risotto-basic-recipe/) — A rice dish in which the rice, slowly cooked in broth, swells, releases its starch and becomes sticky, creamy, thick and - [Żurek](https://flowers-recipes.com/urek/) — Żurek is a Polish Easter soup, but it's also great any day of the week. It tastes best made with a homemade sour rye sta - [Green Pea Soup with Mint](https://flowers-recipes.com/green-pea-soup-with-mint/) — A light, tasty green pea soup with fresh mint, lime and a dollop of whipped cream. Serve it warm or cold! ## Ingredients - 3 tbsp whole grain flour (I used type 1150) - 3 tbsp rolled oats - 1 large garlic clove (although I added 1.5), cut in half - 5 allspice berries - 2 bay leaves - a piece of whole grain bread crust - boiled water ## Instructions Hello, my dears. Today's post is unplanned, spontaneous, and still UNTESTED :) It all started when I bought ready-made żurek (a traditional Polish sour rye soup) in a jar at a local store. Overjoyed that I'd found it, I bragged about my catch on Facebook. It really was a catch for me, because not only had I just moved to a place that's completely unfamiliar to me, but I also didn't have to hunt down a Polish store to buy this starter. However, I quickly heard from people that the żurek I bought is good for nothing and that I absolutely have to make my own. So that's what I'm doing :) As a test, last night I set up a starter for [żurek](https://flowers-recipes.com/urek/) and now I'm waiting. The method has been tried (not by me) and is supposedly foolproof. Who's starting with me? Of course, as soon as I cook żurek with it, there will be a recipe for the soup and the results of the test :) Mine already smells like żurek, after just one night. Thank you, Evana, for the "kick in the pants" and for the starter method :) UPDATE! **The żurek starter worked** and it made a very tasty [Easter żurek](https://flowers-recipes.com/urek/)! Żurek starter ## Instructions – żurek starter: Put all the dry ingredients in a jar, mix, and pour in warm, boiled water so that all the ingredients are well covered (I used about 230 ml). Stir and set aside in a warm place with the lid slightly ajar for at least 4 days. Stir once a day. The finished starter can be stored in the refrigerator until you use it. Enjoy! ## Comments (5) - **joanna bb** · 2013-03-25 10:35 Basia, is that store-bought żurek totally useless? Of course, one made with your own starter is in a different league, but is the one you bought, I think at Rewe (I remember you wrote about it on FB and I commented happily because I found that very same żurek at Kaisers the same day), a complete flop? I'm asking to avoid embarrassing myself, because I was planning to use the store-bought one as a base to make one of my favorite soups, żurek, and – attention – invite guests! Best wishes - Joanna BB - **flowerek (Author)** · 2013-03-25 10:39 · reply Joanna, I opened that store-bought żurek and it smells terribly sour to me. Too much for my taste. I was also happy to have it, but it seemed kind of weird to me, so I made the starter myself. Maybe try taking out a spoonful, mixing it up, heating it and tasting it? I didn't like it. You'd still have time to make the starter yourself. I was surprised myself at how uncomplicated it is. - **joanna bb** · 2013-03-25 10:58 I've tried making the starter myself a few times already but it didn't really turn out. It might be a matter of the wrong flour, honestly I don't remember which one I used, because I admit I got discouraged. Please tell me which flour you used (if you used one of the German ones, because those are the only ones I have available). There are still a few days left, so I have a chance to make it in time :) Thanks in advance. JBB - **flowerek (Author)** · 2013-03-25 11:03 · reply I used Roggenmehl flour from Küchenmeister, type 1150, and along with it crusts from rye bread baked with sourdough starter. - **joanna bb** · 2013-03-25 11:26 Thank you :) --- [Recipes A to Z](https://flowers-recipes.com/recipes/) · [Sitemap](https://flowers-recipes.com/sitemap.xml)