Quick Polish Potato Soup: Kartoflanka Recipe

A rich winter dish that’s now popular year-round, Kartoflanka is a creamy Polish potato soup that’s quick and easy to make!

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Potatoes were cheap and filling, especially in the winter, so Poles quickly adopted them and turned them into many dishes – pancakes, pierogi filling, noodles, simply as a side dish, or Polish soups.

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Potato Soup Variations:

Traditional potato soup is of course cooked with potatoes. However, there are also such potato soups to which other specific ingredients are added. They are, of course, distinguished depending on the regions.

Among the recipes for potato soup, we can come across a potato soup with golce from Kociewie in Western Pomerania. The so-called golce, or poured dumplings, are made by dropping pieces of dough directly into boiling water. This type of soup is also known as Kashubian potato soup.

In Lublin, bacon and onion are often added to potato soup. In some homes in this region, sauerkraut is added to traditional potato soup. This is called zarzucajka, a soup with sauerkraut and potatoes, which is closer to potato soup than to traditional cabbage soup.

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Recipe Pointers For Polish Potato soup

• Parsley and Rosemary can be replaced by Italian seasonings.
• Alternatively, they can be replaced by marjoram and bay leaves.
• The bacon bits, sour cream, or cheese toppings can either be added on top or mixed in with the soup.
• You can replace the bacon bits with a diced smoked sausage.
• Serve with some soft focaccia bread or crusty toasted bread!
• Other potato soups you might like to try are this Polish Zurek made with fermented rye flour or the Irish Colcannon soup.

FAQs about Polish Potato soup (Kartoflanka)

What are the other names of this Polish creamy potato soup?

The creamy Polish potato soup is also called Zupa Kartoflanka or Zupa Ziemniaczana.

How do you pronounce kartoflanka?

Kartoflanka is pronounced car-toph-lan-cah and Ziemniaczana is pronounced zhem-nyah-chan-ah.

Can I make this soup without an immersion blender?

Yes, if you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a standup blender. Just be careful that it doesn’t splatter. If you do not have that as well, use a potato masher to puree the soup. It might be a little chunky, but it will still taste great!

Which potatoes should I use?

I use Yukon Gold potatoes, but Russet potatoes or red potatoes also work well.

Can kartoflanka be made vegetarian?

Kartoflanka potato soup can be made vegetarian by replacing the bacon with chopped celery or carrots and the chicken broth with veggie stock.

How do I make the soup thicker?

The creamy potato soup should be thick on its own, but if you need to make it thicker, do this. In a bowl, stir 2 tbsp of cornflour with about 50 ml of milk. Add this mixture to the soup, stir well, and let cook for a few more minutes before serving.

How long can I store Polish potato soup?

You can keep Polish potato soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat before serving.