Creamy Sorrel Soup Vegan Gluten Free Recipe (2024)

By: Author Lisa Viger Gotte

Posted on Last updated:

Creamy Sorrel Soup is rich, tangy, and so delicious. It’s fast and easy to make and uses lovely summer produce. I found this tasty, fresh sorrel from my local farmers’ market. It was just $2 a bunch. I made the whole pot of soup for about $3 total.

Creamy Sorrel Soup Vegan Gluten Free Recipe (1)

What is Sorrel and Where Can I Find It?

Sorrel is a perennial, leafy green vegetable. It has a tangy and sour flavor that is a bit lemony but also fresh and grassy. It can be used either as an herb or a green and belongs to the knotweed family, as does rhubarb and buckwheat. Sorrel is most readily found in farmers’ markets in spring and summer. It’s less likely to be found at regular groceries but will sometimes be in the produce department.

Creamy Sorrel Soup Vegan Gluten Free Recipe (2)

How to Grow Sorrel in Your Garden

Growing sorrel in your garden is easy. It’s a hardy perennial and will come back in the early spring in USDA zones 3-6. They can be grown from seeds or cuttings. To start from seed, simply plant the seed about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in the garden in early spring. Plant the seeds about 4 inches apart and then thin to about 12 inches apart. Alternatively, in late winter, start seeds inside in pots and transplant them to the garden in spring. Sorrel leaves do become tougher as they get older and can be replaced with new seeds or seedlings after a few years.

Creamy Sorrel Soup Vegan Gluten Free Recipe (3)

Polish Sorrel Soup or Zupa Szczawiowa (ZOO-pah shchtah-vee-YOH-vah)

There are lots of variations of sorrel soup. This one is pretty close to the Polish Sorrel Soup version. I’ve added some plant-based sour cream to make it creamy and that’s what makes it like the Polish version!

How to Make Sorrel Soup

Sorrel soup is so easy to make. Just prepare the vegetables and cook for about 20 minutes. It’s just a few simple ingredients!

Prepare the ingredients. Chop the vegetables. That’s about it. This is a super simple soup.

Cook on the stove or use an Instant Pot or slow cooker or crockpot.

Creamy Sorrel Soup Vegan Gluten Free Recipe (4)
  • Stovetop: Saute the onions and carrots until the onion has slightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the sorrel. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the sorrel in the last 5 minutes. Add a dollop of plant-based sour cream at the very end.
  • Instant Pot: Pressure cook all ingredients, except for the sorrel and plant-based sour cream, at 2 minutes. This will take longer than 2 minutes. It takes time for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure. Release the pressure naturally and then add the sorrel leaves to the hot soup. They will wilt in just a few minutes. Right before serving, add a dollop of plant-based sour cream and stir in.
  • Slow Cooker or Crockpot: Add all ingredients except the sorrel and plant-based sour cream to a slow cooker or crockpot. Heat on high for 2 hours or low for about 6 hours. Then add in the sorrel and let wilt for several minutes. Stir in a dollop of plant-based sour cream right before serving.
Creamy Sorrel Soup Vegan Gluten Free Recipe (5)

Ingredients in Sorrel Soup

  • Sorrel: Sorrel is a green that adds a lemony tang and lovely color to soups.
  • Mushrooms: Mushrooms add so much earthy umami flavor to this recipe. Use fresh or canned mushrooms.
  • Potatoes: Any potato can be used in this recipe. Diced small, they add texture and flavor.
  • Rice: Just a bit of brown rice adds a slightly nutty flavor and a tasty texture.
  • Carrots: Carrots add beautiful color and a delicate flavor.
  • Onions and Shallots: Onions and shallots add a huge amount of flavor to this soup. Onions or shallots can be used or a combination of the two.
  • Vegan Sour Cream: A few dollops of a plant-based sour cream make this so creamy. This is the ingredient that adds a creamy tang to the Polish sorrel soup called zupa szczawiowa (ZOO-pah shchtah-vee-YOH-vah).

Variations:

Sorrel can be difficult to find in the winter months. This soup recipe is also delicious with other greens. If sorrel is unavailable, simply substitute with kale, spinach, chard, or another favorite leafy green.

Creamy Sorrel Soup Vegan Gluten Free Recipe (6)

What Goes With Sorrel Soup?

Sorrel soup is versatile and goes with all sorts of things. I like it with a simple sandwich, like this BBQ Sweet Potato Sandswich or Edamame Salad Sandwich.

Creamy Sorrel Soup Vegan Gluten Free Recipe (7)

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Creamy Sorrel Soup

Creamy Sorrel Soup is rich, tangy, and so delicious. It's fast and easy and uses lovely summer produce. Sour cream makes it creamy! Yum! Vegan and gluten-free!

CourseSoup

CuisineVegan

Keywordsorrel, sorrel soup, vegan soup, zupa

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 3

Ingredients

Saute

  • 2tablespoonsoilmore or less for sauteing
  • 1/2cupsliced onions
  • 1/3cupsliced shallotsuse regular onions if you don't have shallots
  • 1/2cupcarrotpeeled and thinly sliced or chopped
  • 1cupsliced mushroomsfresh or canned
  • 1 cupdiced white potatoes

Broth Ingredients

Then Add

  • 1/2cupdried brown rice

Last Minute

  • 4cupssorrelwashed, loosely packed, no need to chop
  • 1/2cupplant-based sour cream
  • 1/2teaspoonblack pepperor to taste

Instructions

  1. In a medium to large heavy-bottomed soup pot, saute the onions, shallots, carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes over medium heat until slightly browned.

  2. Pour in 6 cups of water and add the seasonings and bouillon for the broth. Let simmer for 20 minutes and add the brown rice after 10 minutes.

  3. During the last few minutes of cooking, add the sorrel to the pot and stir. finally, stir in the plant-based sour cream. Enjoy!

XOXO Lisa

Creamy Sorrel Soup Vegan Gluten Free Recipe (8)

Lisa Viger Gotte

Hello! I’m Lisa, a vegan artist, photographer, author, Vegan Life Coach Educator, and RYT 200 yoga teacher. I love showing others how simple and delicious a plant-based diet can be. I draw and paint, cook, write, take lots of pics, eat lots of chocolate, and practice gratitude daily.

Creamy Sorrel Soup Vegan Gluten Free Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Where does sorrel soup come from? ›

Sorrel soup is a pale green thread that runs through the cuisines of Eastern Europe. The Poles serve it cold, garnished with hard boiled eggs and sour cream. Ukrainian “green borscht” combines sorrel with potatoes, carrots, and other root vegetables for a clear soup, which is served hot.

What is the flavor of sorrel? ›

All sorrel is incredibly sour with a lemony flavour and it shouldn't be eaten in large quantities as it contains a high amount of oxalic acid.

What is sorrel used for in cooking? ›

Cooking With Sorrel

Sorrel falls straight between herbs and greens. Use it as a leafy herb, like parsley or basil or mint, chopping it up to use in marinades and dressings, or stirring it into soups or casseroles for a bit of fresh flavor. Or, use it as a green, ripping the tender leaves into salads and stir-fries.

How do you store sorrel? ›

Store sorrel in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Use within 1 week. For longer storage, freeze sorrel into herb cubes. Sorrel is a wonderfully pungent, tart spring green that takes well to rich and sweet ingredients.

What is sorrel called in America? ›

Sorrel (Rumex acetosa), also called common sorrel or garden sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ('dock' being a common name for the genus Rumex).

Is Sorrel Soup good for you? ›

Sorrel is a great source of antioxidants, which are beneficial compounds that protect your cells from damage by neutralizing harmful free radicals. Antioxidants may help prevent many chronic conditions, including heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes ( 6 ).

Who should not eat sorrel? ›

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Wood sorrel is UNSAFE for both mothers and infants. Avoid use. Blood-clotting (coagulation) problems: Chemicals in wood sorrel can make blood clot too fast. Stomach or intestinal disorders: Wood sorrel can irritate the lining of the stomach and intestines and might make ulcers worse.

What is a good substitute for sorrel in soup? ›

Alternatives. Try endive, spinach or rocket.

What do Spanish people call sorrel? ›

You've probably heard of sorrel by other names. In Latin America, particularly Mexico, the flower is referred to as flor de Jamaica, and the drink is called Agua de flor de Jamaica. You might have also heard of it being called roselle, which is its African reference.

What does sorrel pair with? ›

Highlight it's lemony flavor by pairing it with fish or shellfish, like this salmon with sorrel sauce. The historic sorrel-based “greensauce” was commonly paired with veal. But probably the most common way to cook sorrel, across many different cultures, is in soup.

Does sorrel have side effects? ›

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.

Is sorrel good for your stomach? ›

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.

Can you eat sorrel 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.

Why does my sorrel taste sour? ›

Sorrel's purported properties as a tenderizer and aid to digestion are related to its abundance of oxalic acid. This natural chemical gives sorrel its tart citrus flavor. Because of its load of oxalic acid, sorrel should not be cooked in unlined aluminum or cast iron.

What part of sorrel do you eat? ›

Its leaves and flowers are used raw in salads, or can be used to replace lemon or lime in dishes requiring an acidic zing. Sorrel can be used as a garnish, a salad leaf, a green for a great soup, stews or as a sweet ingredient for cakes and sorbets.

Where did Jamaican sorrel originate? ›

"It's just essentially a nod to ancestral traditional red drinks that crossed the Atlantic during the Atlantic slave trade." Red drinks made from Roselle hibiscus have spread far and wide. A version of the drink is "known as bissap to many African countries," Miller says. "Then it became sorrel in Jamaica.

Is sorrel native to Jamaica? ›

Hibiscus sabdariffa also known as Roselle and Jamaican Sorrel is not indigenous to Jamaica. In fact, it is found all around the world.

What countries drink sorrel? ›

A festive drink made by steeping hibiscus flowers, sorrel is a holiday favorite throughout the Caribbean. Making this burgundy treat is a Christmas tradition in many Caribbean countries including Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, St.

What is Jamaican sorrel made of? ›

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.

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