Sorrel Soup Recipe - How to Make French Sorrel Soup (2024)

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4.88 from 33 votes

By Hank Shaw

April 04, 2012 | Updated June 22, 2020

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Sorrel Soup Recipe - How to Make French Sorrel Soup (2)

One of the first things I did when I moved to California was plant sorrel in my backyard. It is my kind of veggie: Tart, tender, drought-resistant, indestructible. Ignore it and sorrel thrives. Stomp on it and it comes back stronger. And it’s green almost all year long.

Sorrel soup is a classic. It is a harbinger of spring all over Europe, and several versions of it exist from Scotland to France to Russia.

Sorrel, like many early-spring greens, is a tonic after so many months of eating roots and preserved meats. It is very high in Vitamin C and reasonably high in iron. It’s tang — I call it “lemonade in a leaf” — comes from oxalic acid, the same thing that make its cousin rhubarb taste the way it does.

Sorrel is exceptional paired with seafood or chicken, and I often make a simple sorrel sauce whenever I have some trout or salmon or pheasant around.

Everything about sorrel soup sounded wonderful, save one: For whatever reason, sorrel turns olive green almost the second it touches the heat. Sorrel looks like overcooked collard greens even before it’s fully wilted. And I have a thing about overcooked greens, although I am trying to get over it. I want my greens to shine like emeralds, not look like the side of an Army truck.

Sorrel Soup Recipe - How to Make French Sorrel Soup (3)

I stood in my yard, staring at my gigantic sorrel patch. Would another year pass without me making sorrel soup? I got out my scissors. No, I’d suck it up and deal with the drab.

You don’t have to garden to enjoy sorrel. I happen to grow the common garden sorrel that was developed in France centuries ago, but there are several wild sorrel species that live in North America.

Most common are the oxalis family, of which there are scores. Chief among this clan is creepingwood sorrel, Oxalis corniculata, which looks like shamrocks with little yellow flowers. It turns bronze in cold weather and often infiltrates your lawn. There is another sorrel that lives in the West Coast, Oxalis albicans. It too has shamrocks, only they’re larger and the yellow flowers are the color of saffron-and-cream. You see this sorrel a lot in the Bay Area.

In the woods you will find sheep sorrel,Rumex acetosella. It has tiny, arrow-shaped leaves and grows in a little rosette. Sheep sorrel can carpet the forest floor. My garden sorrel is a relative of this one.

Sorrel Soup Recipe - How to Make French Sorrel Soup (4)

Since the French really pioneered the cultivation of sorrel, I decided to make my sorrel soup a French one. There are scores of recipes for this soup, but if you want to make a classic French dish you go to the classic French cookbook: Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. My version of this recipe differs from Julia’s only in that I used wild onions instead of regular onions, and I used more sorrel. Other than that, it is an homage to a master.

As you might expect from a vegetable whose chief attribute is tartness, this soup would be inedible without the cream and eggs to temper it. With them, however, it becomes a bright, smooth wake-up call from a long winter. All it needed for total balance was a good loaf of bread and a crisp white wine. Enjoy!

4.88 from 33 votes

Sorrel Soup, French Style

You will need a fair bit of sorrel to make this recipe, as it cooks down into a puree alarmingly fast. You can buy sorrel at some fancy supermarkets, a lot of farmer's markets in the spring -- or you can garden your own or forage for it. (If you want to plant it in your garden, you can buy sorrel seed online.) If you can't find it, substitute watercress and use sour cream instead of regular cream.

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Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: French

Servings: 4 people

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions, ramps or other wild onion
  • 4-6 cups of chopped sorrel, packed
  • Salt
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 quart chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup cream

Instructions

  • Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the green onions or ramps and turn the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and cook gently for 10 minutes.

  • While the onions are cooking, pour the stock into another pot and bring to a simmer.

  • Turn the heat up, add the sorrel leaves and a healthy pinch of salt to the pot with the onions and stir well. When the sorrel is mostly wilted, turn the heat back to medium-low, cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Mix in the flour and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.

  • Whisk in the hot stock, stirring constantly. Bring this to a simmer.

  • To finish the soup, whisk together the egg yolks and cream. Temper the mixture by ladling a little soup into it with one hand, while you whisk the egg-cream mix with the other. Repeat this three times. (You are doing this to prevent the eggs from scrambling) Now start whisking the soup. Pour the hot egg-cream-soup mixture into the pot with the soup, whisking all the way. Add the final tablespoon of butter. Let this cook -- below a simmer -- for 5 minutes. Do not let it boil or the soup will break. Serve at once.

Notes

Serve this with bread and a nice white wine, or a floral beer like a Belgian.

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 270mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2242IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
French, Recipe

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Sorrel Soup Recipe - How to Make French Sorrel Soup (2024)

FAQs

What is sorrel soup made of? ›

Sorrel soup is made from water or broth, sorrel leaves, and salt. Varieties of the same soup include spinach, garden orache, chard, nettle, and occasionally dandelion, goutweed or ramsons, together with or instead of sorrel.

How do you prepare sorrel to eat? ›

Preparation. Because of its bitter flavour, sorrel is often combined with other ingredients. It can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in soups, purées and stuffings and goes particularly well with fish and egg dishes.

Can you eat French sorrel? ›

Just a little is all that is needed for the flavor, and since the plant contains oxalic acid (like spinach, beets, almonds, soy, potatoes and dates), only a small amount should be eaten at a time. It is a common culinary herb all over the Mediterranean region used to add lemony flavor and tartness.

Does sorrel need to be cooked? ›

Uncooked sorrel will give you the most tart flavor. Add it fresh to get the full impact of flavor or cook it to decrease its prominence in a recipe.

What is the difference between French sorrel and common sorrel? ›

Sorrel sort of looks like spinach; common sorrel has spear-shaped, deep green leaves, while French sorrel's leaves are a bit wavier. Both have reddish-brown flower clusters when allowed to bolt. French sorrel is said to be more mild (i.e., less sour) than common sorrel.

What does sorrel do to the body? ›

Sorrel is a leafy green plant that can be used as both an herb and a vegetable. In certain parts of the Caribbean, its fruit is used to make beverages. It's rich in antioxidants and nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, and magnesium. It may support heart health and fight cancer, although more human research is needed.

Can you eat too much sorrel? ›

Sorrel is possibly unsafe when consumed in large amounts. Large amounts might increase the risk of developing kidney stones, or damage the liver or stomach.

Can sorrel upset your stomach? ›

Special Precautions and Warnings

Wood sorrel can cause diarrhea, nausea, increased urination, skin reactions, stomach and intestine irritation, eye damage, and kidney damage. Swelling of the mouth, tongue, and throat can make speaking and breathing difficult.

Is sorrel a laxative? ›

The fresh or dried leaves are considered astringent, diuretic (increasing urination), laxative (softening the bowel), and cooling. Juice of the leaf has also been applied topically for the treatment of itchy skin and for treatment of ringworm.

What are the side effects of French sorrel? ›

The combination product can cause digestive system upset and occasionally allergic skin rash. Sorrel is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in large amounts, since it might increase the risk of developing kidney stones. There is also a report of death after consuming a large amount (500 grams) of sorrel.

What is the difference between red veined sorrel and French sorrel? ›

Red veined sorrel is typically more bitter than French sorrel, and is often grown as an ornamental. Sorrel is cold-hardy and grows vigorously in spring.

What is the common name for French sorrel? ›

Rumex alpestris) is a plant in the buckwheat family, used as a culinary herb. Its common names include French sorrel, buckler sorrel, shield-leaf sorrel, and sometimes the culinary name "green-sauce". L. Acetosa scutata (L.)

Does sorrel clean you out? ›

Sorrel can be used as a detoxifying food as it is rich in vitamin C. Sorrel is an excellent diuretic and purgative since it contains flavonoids and other antioxidants. This aids in the elimination of toxic poisons from the body. Protocatechuic acid, found in sorrel leaves, assists in bodily detoxification.

How do you know when sorrel is ready? ›

Harvesting Sorrel

Newly seeded plants take 35 to 40 days to reach “baby” size and two months to fully mature. Sorrel is ready to harvest when the leaves are about 4 inches long. Tender leaves are best for eating.

Is sorrel safe to eat raw? ›

If you've never tried sorrel, be prepared to pucker up. This spring green is packed with potent astringency and a lemony, citrus-like flavor. It bump up the acidic quality of salads (just use less vinegar or lemon juice), and is great eaten raw.

What is sorrel made from? ›

In the Caribbean, the popular terms are hibiscus or sorrel, as it is made from the hibiscus sabdariffa flower. The plant is native to India, but can grow as an annual in all climates. The fleshy, red calyxes that surround the base of the flowers are what we brew to make sorrel, the drink.

Is sorrel soup healthy? ›

Improved digestion: Sorrel is a good source of fiber, which helps to promote healthy bowel movements and digestion. It may help to reduce constipation, and can also help in preventing heart disease by reducing cholesterol.

What Flavour is sorrel? ›

What Does It Taste Like? Sorrel has a remarkably bright and tart flavor. Many people liken its taste to lemons which is likely due to its sour flavor. It can be tricky to work with since that lemony flavor is mixed with a deep grassy flavor.

What kind of herb is sorrel? ›

sorrel, any of several hardy perennial herbs of the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) that are widely distributed in temperate regions and cultivated for their edible leaves. Sorrel leaves are typically pungent and sour and derive their flavour from oxalic acid.

References

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