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

What is a good substitute for sorrel in soup? ›

Still, if you do run across a recipe with sorrel in it and you want to find a substitute, you could simply add some lemon juice or lemon zest. Mustard greens, arugula, rhubarb, and even spinach, along with a squeeze of lemon juice, can also stand in for sorrel.

What can I use sorrel for? ›

Preparation. Because of its bitter flavour, sorrel is often combined with other ingredients. It can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in soups, purées and stuffings and goes particularly well with fish and egg dishes.

How to keep sorrel bright green? ›

When cooked those gorgeous green leaves take on a yellow-brownish tone which is far less appetizing. Many chefs fix this by using sorrel with another vegetable that stays green—say, spinach or parsley. I get it and I've done it too, but the additions do tend to diminish the savory-sour intensity of the sorrel.

Can you eat sorrel raw? ›

It bump up the acidic quality of salads (just use less vinegar or lemon juice), and is great eaten raw. It also cooks down quickly in a sauté pan. It gets "mushy," which makes it ideal for blending into sauces and vinaigrettes. Sorrel adds some kick to this simple salad.

What is sorrel called in America? ›

Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ('dock' being a common name for the genus Rumex). L. Acetosa agrestis Raf. Acetosa amplexicaulis Raf.

Is sorrel just hibiscus? ›

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.

Who should not eat sorrel? ›

Children: It is UNSAFE give wood sorrel to children. It contains crystals made of oxalic acid that can damage the organs. One four-year old child died after eating rhubarb leaves, which also contain oxalic acid. Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Wood sorrel is UNSAFE for both mothers and infants.

What does sorrel do to the body? ›

Sorrel is used for reducing sudden and ongoing pain and swelling (inflammation) of the nasal passages and respiratory tract, for treating bacterial infections along with conventional medicines, and for increasing urine flow (as a diuretic). Sorrel is also an ingredient in the herbal cancer treatment Essiac.

Is sorrel an anti inflammatory? ›

Sorrel is especially high in vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin that fights inflammation and plays a key role in immune function ( 3Trusted Source Trusted Source ). It's also high in fiber, which can promote regularity, increase feelings of fullness, and help stabilize blood sugar levels ( 4 ).

What does sorrel taste like? ›

The closest taste to mature sorrel leaves is one you wouldn't expect: A tart, sour green apple. Sorrel is a very tangy, acidic herb. Its sour taste comes from oxalic acid, which also gives rhubarb its tartness. This fresh, lemony sourness has been highly prized in cuisines all over the world.

What is the difference between sorrel and French sorrel? ›

French or buckler-leaved sorrel (Rumex scutatus) – small shield-shaped leaves with lemony tang, ideal for adding to salads. Red-veined sorrel (Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus) – the long, pointed leaves with a dark red mid-rib, veins and stem are both decorative and edible, with a sharp flavour.

Why does my sorrel taste sour? ›

The herb contains oxalic acid, which gives it this characteristic sour taste. The easiest way to cook sorrel is to saute it with a little butter.

Does sorrel raise blood pressure? ›

Sorrel has antihypertensive properties that help to lower blood pressure. A research done at a university in Boston found that persons who drink a cup of sorrel daily saw a significant reduction in their blood pressure level in 30 days.

Does sorrel clean you out? ›

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.

Is sorrel a natural laxative? ›

The fresh or dried leaves are considered astringent, diuretic (increasing urination), laxative (softening the bowel), and cooling. Juice of the leaf has also been applied topically for the treatment of itchy skin and for treatment of ringworm.

What leaves are similar to sorrel? ›

Bindweed can often be mistaken for Common Sorrel, as it grows in the same habitat with a similar leaf-shape. The easiest way to tell these two apart is that sorrel grows in a rosette and bindweed is a trailing plant.

What herb is like sorrel? ›

Given the tangy and acidic profile of sorrel, the best flavor substitute is lemon zest, which can add sharp acidity to a dish, or the similarly tart spice sumac. Other ingredients that can be used as sorrel substitutes include: Arugula.

What tastes like sorrel? ›

Sorrel is fruity like rhubarb. It is tart like lemon. It is herbal like basil. And it can be treated like all three.

Can you substitute spinach for sorrel? ›

If you can't find sorrel, use other greens or all spinach and season with a squeeze of lemon. The classic seasoning for creamed spinach is nutmeg and often used with an overly heavy hand.

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