Savory Rhubarb Soup

4.75 from 16 votes

This savory rhubarb soup combines tart rhubarb, tomatoes, and a bacon omelet for a comforting sweet-and-sour spring dish.

Prep Time40

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Romanian

Servings: servings

Calories: 393kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

Large soup pot or Dutch oven
Frying pan
Immersion blender

Ingredients

Rhubarb and tomato soup:

2-3 rhubarb stalks depending on size, about 9 oz/250 g
2 medium onions
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
1 teaspoon sugar + more to taste
4 cups chicken stock 1 liter Note 1 – Vegetarian version
2 cups pureed tomatoes or passata, Note 2
¾ cup heavy cream
1 large sprig of lovage Note 3

Bacon eggs:

4.5 oz smoked bacon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 large eggs
4 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

US - EU

Instructions

Rhubarb Soup:

Prepare vegetables: Clean and chop the rhubarb stalks into small pieces. Chop the onions finely.
2-3 rhubarb stalks + 2 medium onions
Sauté: Heat the oil and cook the rhubarb and the onions until they are softer, 3-4 minutes.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sprinkle the paprika powder on top and stir for another minute.
1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
Add sugar, stock, and tomatoes. If you are using dried lovage, add it to the soup now - 1 teaspoon. Fresh lovage should be added at the end.
1 teaspoon sugar + 4 cups chicken stock + 2 cups pureed tomatoes
Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the rhubarb is completely soft. Blend the soup with an immersion blender (Note 4).
Add cream and adjust the taste with salt and pepper, and more sugar to taste. The rhubarb soup should taste sweet and sour.
¾ cup heavy cream + fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper + more sugar if desired
Stir in the chopped lovage, cover the pot, and let it stand while you prepare the eggs.
1 large sprig of lovage

Bacon omelet:

Cook the bacon: Chop it and cook the cubes in oil in a non-stick pan.
4.5 oz smoked bacon + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Beat the eggs and milk in a small bowl; add the sweet paprika, salt, and pepper.
6 large eggs + 4 tablespoons milk + ½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder + fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook eggs: Pour the eggs over the bacon in the pan and let them get slightly set. Start pushing the cooked portions from the edges of the pan towards the center so that the uncooked eggs can also touch the bottom of the pan. Tilt the pan and push the eggs around until they are all cooked.
Break the omelet into rough pieces and serve them on top of the soup.

Notes

1. Vegetarian version:

Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Cook the eggs without bacon.
Or replace the bacon with finely chopped spring onions, fresh herbs (dill or chives are great), sauteed mushrooms (or other vegetables), or grated cheese (See blog post for more details).

2. Tomatoes: Not tomato paste or tomato sauce. Pureed, sieved tomatoes, or passata are all uncooked, pureed tomatoes. You can also blend the same amount of canned tomatoes until smooth.

3. Lovage: If fresh lovage is unavailable, it can be replaced with 1 teaspoon of dried lovage, which should be added to the pot with the stock. Alternatively, use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or replace the fresh lovage with fresh basil.

4. Blending the soup: I recommend blending soups or any other hot liquids with an immersion blender; it’s safer than using a stand blender (See blog post if using a stand blender).

Nutrition