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Kazakhstan · Soup
Kazakh Sorpa
Local name: Сорпа
A clear Kazakh meat broth made by slowly simmering bone-in lamb with onion, carrots and potatoes.
- Servings4
- Prep20 min
- Cooking2 h 10 min
- Total time2 h 30 min
- DifficultyEasy
About this dish
Sorpa is a clear meat soup served in Kazakhstan both as a broth and as a light meal. It is usually made from bone-in lamb or beef, and cooked at everyday meals, on cold days and for guests. The broth left from dishes such as beshbarmak is also served as sorpa, often in bowls for drinking.
The Kazakh way uses very few spices: meat, onion and a few vegetables give a plain, clean flavour. The meat simmers slowly so the broth stays clear, and it is finished with plenty of fresh herbs. The meat is often served separately in large pieces.
Ingredients
Tick the ingredients off like a shopping list.
Broth and vegetables
To serve
Method
Rinse the meat in cold water and let it soak for 10 minutes to draw out the blood.
Put the meat in a large pot, add 2.5 litres of cold water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Skim off the foam and impurities from the surface regularly with a slotted spoon.
Add the whole onions, bay leaves and peppercorns, reduce the heat and simmer with the lid slightly ajar for 90 minutes.
Add the salt in the last half hour and taste the broth.
Add the carrots and potatoes and simmer for 25 more minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Lift the meat out, remove it from the bones and cut it into large bite-sized pieces.
Finely chop the dill and parsley.
Divide the meat and vegetables among bowls, ladle over the hot broth, sprinkle with herbs and serve at once.
💡 Tips
- Start the meat in cold water so the flavour passes into the broth and makes it richer.
- Skim well and never let the soup boil hard, only a gentle simmer, to keep the broth clear.
- Add the salt late in cooking so the meat stays tender.
- Cut the vegetables large so they do not fall apart.
🛒 Can't find it abroad?
- Lamb — Use bone-in beef shank or short ribs, and extend the simmering time by about 30 minutes.
- Dill — Use fresh coriander or parsley alone.
This recipe was prepared with the help of AI, following the traditional home-style method; quantities, times and steps were checked automatically for consistency. Ovens and stoves differ, so check doneness by eye.
