Do you like tripe soup (ciorba de burta) as we call it? Have you ever had tripe cooked in any other way? Well, you will have to try this tripe soup now and see what you think of it if you haven’t.
I love a good old tripe soup that's perfectly made, just like this recipe.
Initially, as a child, I remember my mum preparing tripe soup and I wasn’t so keen on having it but then, the more I had it the more I liked it. I think it can only go this way with this soup.
A good few years ago (a couple of decades back) I prepared this tripe soup for one of my very good friends Brigitte and she loved it instantaneously despite previously eating it somewhere else and... hated it.
She did give it another try (bless her) and ate mine, it became her favorite since. Even to this day, whenever we meet, she wants 'ciorba de burta' and I have to make it for her.
I also recall when I first made it for my family, my husband, and the kids were not impressed, however… now the tripe soup is a regular recipe and always on-demand.
It is addictively delicious, that's why!!
Jump to:
What is tripe?
Tripe is a pretty nutritious organ meat consumed since ancient times, that is a very concentrated source of nutrients.
Recently, there has been a re-emergence of interest in organ meats due to the popularity of premodern eating patterns such as the paleo diet. Eating whole, wholesomeness, no wasting any food and cuts.
Since tripe is not the most desirable cut just like a steak would be it’s more affordable for animal protein a good option for those trying to save money.
To me, this is the most important aspect really, by purchasing tripe we support the nose-to-tail consumption of animals, which cuts down on food waste.
Traditionally, every part of an animal killed for food was used but in these modern times, meat production often leads to all these less-demanded animal parts being thrown away.
That animal gets sacrificed, isn't it a real shame throwing half of it away because we say yuch to offal, tail, tongue, and so on?
As much as some may think this sounds, tripe is a type of organ meat made from the edible stomach lining. Beef tripe is one of the most commonly consumed varieties.
Types of tripe
- Blanket or flat tripe: Is the first stomach chamber of cows, it is a smooth tripe and it is considered to be the least desirable.
- Honeycomb tripe: This comes from the second stomach chamber and resembles a honeycomb, hence its name, it's more tender than the flat tripe and has a more pleasant flavor.
- Omasum or book tripe: It originates from the third stomach chamber also described as being like a mix between blanket and honeycomb tripe ( my favorites for this tripe soup)
- Abomasum or reed tripe: This comes from the fourth stomach chamber and can be the most tasty for some.
In this tripe soup, I used a mix of honeycomb and omasum tripe, probably the most commonly sold.
How to choose the best tripe for this tripe soup
Tripe is a delicate piece of “meat” but if you do not prepare it properly it's not a pleasant one at all. Please take my word for it.
Just make it simple for yourself and buy ready-cleaned tripe. The pre-cooked version is also great and widely available to get at most butchers.
Rince it a few times and keep it for a good 30 minutes submerged in cold water and add one or two tablespoons of vinegar.
Ingredients needed for offal soup
- Tripe – generally, easy to find and buy from the local butchers.
- Vegetables – parsnip, carrots, onion, and celery or celeriac (celery root) it helps bring delicious flavors.
- Beef Bone – a couple of bones are a must in this soup but if you do not have use a good beef broth/stock. I sometimes use oxtail or some scraped bones which any butcher can give if you ask. These can only be beef or veal for best results.
- Vinegar – I always use apple cider vinegar because of its great benefits. The addition of vinegar is not for everyone I guess. It adds a different taste to the soup. a taste that you need to be used to. Skip if you don't want it.
- Creme fraiche – or sour cream as known by some, has to be a higher fat percentage so it provides that creaminess but also it does not curdle. The soup must look good too!
- Eggs – eggs help with the creamy texture but also taste so keep those in unless you cannot have eggs. For best results, blend the eggs with the creme fraiche and add at the end.
- Garlic – Oh, my favorite ingredient! Using fresh garlic will help bring that authenticity- this is a Romanian dish after all and the flavor of ciorba de burta would never be the same without it.
- Seasoning – No other seasoning is necessary other than just some nice Himalayan pink salt and some freshly ground black.
How to make it
Step 1 - Gather all the ingredients.
Step 2 - Soften the onion and leeks.
Step 3 - Add the chopped vegetables.
Step 4 - Cook the vegetables.
Step 5 - Add the shredded tripe, cook a little further, season.
Step 6 - Add the beef stock, garlic, and herbs at the end.
Variations
- If you do not have celeriac, I don’t always have it but I put half a zucchini/courgette or any of the veggies that you may like. Even green beans or a handful of peas if you fancy.
- The main veggies that are pretty much a must-have inside this soup are : onion, carrot, parsnip, red/yellow, or both colors, and celery.
- Parsnip - no worries if you don't have it, add an extra carrot for sweetness and color.
- For me, a must-have with this soup is a nice fresh green chili or even two depending on how hot and fiery they are.
- Don't use the vinegar if you do not like a sour soup, you may use lemon or simply just some sour cream.
Serving Suggestions
Served as a main course rather than an appetizer due to the richness of this dish. It is so wonderfully filling!
Four ingredients are a real must-have when it comes to serving this tripe soup:
- the creme fraiche or sour cream - to make it more or less creamy;
- the apple cider or any vinegar for customizing and making it to your own taste - more or less sour especially if you wish to replicate the traditional Romanian tripe soup
- a nice fresh hot green chilli is also a must-have or I will not even dare to start. Pickled chilies are also good
- and of course, good homemade bread whether that's flatbread, sourdough, or whatever you fancy. OMG, I am drooling over here!
Tripe soup is best served with crusty bread, and also with garlic aioli or a dollop of sour cream.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, absolutely. Most of the time this will not need a long time to cook.
Yes, you can use tripe from other animals, but the flavor and texture may vary.
Soak the tripe in water with vinegar or lemon juice, then scrub with a brush to remove impurities.
Yes, tripe soup often tastes better the next day as flavors meld together.
Yes, tripe soup freezes well. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stove.
Well, I'd say yes, as it is low in fat and high in protein but loaded with important nutrients our bodies need to thrive on a daily basis like Vitamin B12, Selenium, Calcium, Zinc, Phosphorus, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, and Niacin (B3).
Other soup recipes you may enjoy
- Creamy mushroom soup with turmeric and thyme
- Potato soup with ham hock and petit pois (garden peas)
- Instant Pot Bean Soup
- 13 winter warming and comforting soup recipes ready in less than one hour
- Winter warming chicken soup
Okay, having said all this, let's get this tripe soup ready in a jiffy!!
Tripe soup
Equipment
- pot
- chopping board
- knife
Ingredients
- 1 kg tripe (35.27 oz) cleaned
- 2 large parsnips
- 1 medium carrots
- 1 medium onion
- 1 small leek optional
- 1 large red pepper
- 2 sticks celery
- ¼ small celeriac
- 200 g creme fraiche (7.05 oz)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon himalayan salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper (freshly grounded)
- 15 sprigs parsley to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- If the tripe is not pre-cooked then boil it in some water (just enough to cover the tripe) with 1-2 tablespoon of vinegar (any vinegar). Allow to boil for 2-3 min and then throw that first water away. Give the tripe a good rinse with cold water. Put new water and cook for about 30- 40 minutes covered, lower the fire to medium once the water starts boiling. It really depends on how chewy or soft you like the meat so try it and see if it is not too chewy but at this point 30-40 min covered should be sufficient.
- While the tripe is cooking chop the onions, cut the carrots in the desired size cubes and do the same with all the rest of the veggies (parsnip, celery, celeriac and the leek). Don’t worry if you do not have celeriac.
- Add the veggies to the soup and cook for a further 20-25 minutes covered again. The red pepper I put it in because of the taste of course but also because it gives a bit of colour to the soup so add this just 10 min before finishing off the cooking.
- Once you turned off the heat and the soup has finished cooking, leave it for 5-10 min to rest and then add the garlic crushed and finely chopped as well as 150- 170 g creme fraiche. Use the rest for deco at the end and if someone wants some extra.
- When serving add 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar or lemon juice (freshly squeezed) and some finely chopped parsley, maybe an extra teaspoon or tablespoon creme fraiche and enjoy!
Sherri says
In the beginning you discuss incorporating the eggs with the creme fraiche but did not see how many or them mentioned again. Big Red pepper. Bell pepper? Hot pepper? I liked it much better before I added the creme or acid to it and that brought my stars down to a 4. I thought the cooking time perfect for the tripe. I am knew to tripe and have had it only a few ways. Next time I will leave the creme and acid out and have as a clear broth, that I preferred much more.
Ramona says
Hi Sherri,
I have amended the overlooked info, I hope it will be clearer now. So sorry about this.
Regarding the addition of vinegar and cream, it is a personal choice and because this is how I always had it, I cannot think of any other way. I made this soup for some of my friends and the feedback was very mixed - some loved it, some didn't some loved it better when added the cream and the vinegar as it took away some of the tripe flavor which isn't everyone cup of tea. The vinegar needs added little by little to balance the dish as if you add only a little too much it ruins it. I am very glad you did like the soup overall.
Thank you so much for stopping by and for your feedback. It is greatly appreciated!
Ramona
Amit D'Sa says
I made this soup and loved it, I added a bit of chilli for my liking 🙂
Ramona says
Thank you so much Amit. It’s really good isn’t it? I made it the day before yesterday again. I also have it with green chilli always. It’s a family tradition 😄👌🏼