Polish · Authentic-ish Polish
Krupnik Barley Soup
256 kcal a serving, against 512 for the traditional version. That is 256 kcal off, or 50%, with 20g of protein. Serves 4. 2 hours.
What the traditional version is
Pork ribs boiled with barley, diced carrot, celery, potato and a handful of dried mushrooms, finished with dill and black pepper. The result is a thick, comforting soup with a rich, savoury stock and a little shredded pork in every bowl.
What changed, and what each change costs
Pork ribs swapped for a raw chicken frame plus a single smoked pork bone
The pork ribs give you a sticky, fatty soup but the calories are nearly all in that fat. I use a chicken carcass for lean stock, and add a single 50g smoked pork bone - that's just for flavour.
What it costs you. There's no point pretending the chicken frame gives the same jelly-like broth. The soup's thinner, and you lose those sticky bits clinging to the barley. The aroma from that one smoked bone does help, but it isn't pork ribs, it's smoky chicken soup with barley.
Dropped the potato by half
With less fat in the broth, the soup doesn't need as much starch to give it body. Cutting the potato frees up space for more veg or a bigger portion.
What it costs you. The soup is a touch less creamy and filling. If you need that texture, just put the potato back and accept you'll lose some of the calorie saving.
Barley up from 100g to 130g
A leaner stock can't hide behind fat, so a bit more barley makes the whole thing heartier and sneaks in more fibre and a little extra protein.
What it costs you. Marginal change to flavour; you'll need an extra five minutes cooking time to get it soft.
Chopped chicken breast in at the end
Pork off the bone adds protein and a bit of chew. In the leaner version I use 120g chicken breast, diced small and poached right at the finish, so the soup still fills you up.
What it costs you. No contest: the pork's more flavourful. No one comes to krupnik for the chicken, but you'll appreciate not being hungry again by 3pm.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 512 | 256 |
| Protein | 30.4g | 20g |
| Fat | 27.5g | 3.5g |
| Saturated fat | 9.5g | 0.9g |
| Carbohydrate | 35.2g | 36.7g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 5.9g | 7.8g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Polish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. celery, gluten.
The method is in the book
I'm not going to lie - the pork version's richer, and the broth sticks to your lips in a way chicken stock just can't. But you do get a bowl that's lighter on the stomach, still comforting, and you can actually go back to work when you're done. The smoked bone brings back some of the missing depth, and upping the barley means you don't miss out on substance. Worth making if you want the taste of home without the nap-inducing aftermath.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Polish, along with 56 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.