Romanian Creamy Garlic Tripe Soup
Romanian creamy garlic tripe soup turns budget-friendly beef tripe into a tangy, silky, garlic-rich bowl with deep broth flavor.
This classic soup, often called ciorba de burta, tastes bold and comforting. The broth is savory, the sour cream makes it smooth, and the vinegar keeps every spoonful bright. It is also rich in protein, especially when you use real beef tripe and a slow-simmered bone broth.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big flavor from humble ingredients: tripe, bones, garlic, vinegar, and sour cream create a restaurant-style soup at home.
- Silky and tangy texture: tempered sour cream and egg yolks make the broth creamy without making it heavy.
- Great for meal prep: the broth and tripe can be cooked ahead, then finished gently before serving.
- Authentic comfort: the final soup smells like garlic, beef broth, and a little sharp vinegar, just like a cozy Romanian kitchen.
Fabian’s Budget & Health Tip: Use beef bones to make your own broth when you can. They are often cheaper than boxed broth and give the soup a richer taste. If you buy broth, choose a simple low sodium one, then add salt at the end so the soup stays balanced.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 2 pounds cleaned beef tripe (900 g)
- 2 pounds beef bones, or 6 cups beef broth (900 g bones, or 1.4 l broth)
- 6 cups water, if using bones (1.4 l)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled (200 g)
- 1 medium onion, peeled (150 g)
- 1 small piece celery root, peeled (150 g)
- 6 large garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed (18 g)
- 1 1/2 cups full fat sour cream (360 g)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 to 4 tablespoons white vinegar, plus more to taste (45 to 60 ml)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste (9 g)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (2 g)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Build the Beef Broth
Place the beef bones in a large pot with the water. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Lower the heat and simmer until the broth smells deeply savory, about 1 hour. If you use ready made beef broth, warm it in the pot and move to the next step.
2. Add the Vegetables and Tripe
Add the carrots, onion, celery root, cleaned tripe, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Keep the soup at a low simmer. You want small bubbles at the edge of the pot, not a rolling boil. Cook until the tripe feels tender when pierced with a fork, about 90 to 150 minutes. The kitchen should smell like beef broth and sweet cooked vegetables.
3. Strain and Slice
Lift out the tripe and vegetables. Discard the onion and celery root, or save them for another soup if you like the texture. Slice the tripe into thin strips. Cut the carrots into small pieces if you want them in the finished soup. Strain the broth for a smoother bowl, then return it to the pot.
4. Temper the Sour Cream and Egg Yolks
In a medium bowl, whisk the sour cream and egg yolks until smooth. Slowly ladle in hot broth, a little at a time, while whisking constantly. Add about 2 cups of hot broth in total. The mixture should turn warm and loose, with no lumps. This slow step keeps the soup creamy instead of curdled.
5. Finish the Soup Gently
Add the sliced tripe and carrots back to the broth. Turn the heat to low. Slowly stir in the tempered sour cream mixture. Heat gently until the soup is hot and silky, but do not let it boil. If it boils, the dairy can split.
6. Season with Garlic and Vinegar
Stir in the crushed garlic and 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Taste the soup. Add more vinegar, salt, pepper, or garlic until it tastes bright, creamy, and bold. The best bowl has a strong garlic aroma, a rich beef flavor, and a clean tang at the end.
Expert Troubleshooting & FAQs
What type of tripe should I buy?
Buy cleaned beef tripe, often sold as honeycomb tripe. It should look pale and smell clean, not sour or harsh. If the smell is strong, rinse it well in cold water before cooking.
Why did my sour cream curdle?
The soup was likely too hot, or the sour cream mixture went in too fast. Always temper the sour cream with hot broth first, then stir it back into the pot over low heat. Never boil the soup after adding the dairy.
Can I use store bought beef broth?
Yes. Use 6 cups of good beef broth and skip the bone simmering step. For a richer taste, simmer the broth with the onion, carrots, celery root, and tripe until the tripe turns tender.
Can I make Romanian creamy garlic tripe soup ahead?
Yes, but the best method is to cook the broth and tripe ahead, then add the sour cream and egg yolks when you reheat it. Warm it slowly and keep it below a boil for the smoothest texture.
How tangy should the soup taste?
It should taste bright but not sharp. Start with 3 tablespoons of vinegar, then add more by the teaspoon. Many Romanian cooks serve extra vinegar and garlic on the side so each person can adjust the bowl.
Estimated Nutritional Facts
These values are rough estimates per serving and will change based on the broth, sour cream, and tripe you use.
- Calories: about 430
- Protein: about 34 g
- Carbs: about 11 g
- Fats: about 28 g
Romanian Creamy Garlic Tripe Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cleaned beef tripe (900 g)
- 2 pounds beef bones, or 6 cups beef broth (900 g bones, or 1.4 l broth)
- 6 cups water, if using bones (1.4 l)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled (200 g)
- 1 medium onion, peeled (150 g)
- 1 small piece celery root, peeled (150 g)
- 6 large garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed (18 g)
- 1 1/2 cups full fat sour cream (360 g)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 to 4 tablespoons white vinegar, plus more to taste (45 to 60 ml)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste (9 g)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (2 g)
Instructions
- 1. Build the Beef Broth. Place the beef bones in a large pot with the water. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Lower the heat and simmer until the broth smells deeply savory, about 1 hour. If you use ready made beef broth, warm it in the pot and move to the next step.
- 2. Add the Vegetables and Tripe. Add the carrots, onion, celery root, cleaned tripe, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Keep the soup at a low simmer. You want small bubbles at the edge of the pot, not a rolling boil. Cook until the tripe feels tender when pierced with a fork, about 90 to 150 minutes. The kitchen should smell like beef broth and sweet cooked vegetables.
- 3. Strain and Slice. Lift out the tripe and vegetables. Discard the onion and celery root, or save them for another soup if you like the texture. Slice the tripe into thin strips. Cut the carrots into small pieces if you want them in the finished soup. Strain the broth for a smoother bowl, then return it to the pot.
- 4. Temper the Sour Cream and Egg Yolks. In a medium bowl, whisk the sour cream and egg yolks until smooth. Slowly ladle in hot broth, a little at a time, while whisking constantly. Add about 2 cups of hot broth in total. The mixture should turn warm and loose, with no lumps. This slow step keeps the soup creamy instead of curdled.
- 5. Finish the Soup Gently. Add the sliced tripe and carrots back to the broth. Turn the heat to low. Slowly stir in the tempered sour cream mixture. Heat gently until the soup is hot and silky, but do not let it boil. If it boils, the dairy can split.
- 6. Season with Garlic and Vinegar. Stir in the crushed garlic and 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Taste the soup. Add more vinegar, salt, pepper, or garlic until it tastes bright, creamy, and bold. The best bowl has a strong garlic aroma, a rich beef flavor, and a clean tang at the end.
