Sorrel Soup Recipe - How to Make French Sorrel Soup (2024)

FAQs

What is sorrel soup made of? ›

Sorrel soup is made from water or broth, sorrel leaves, and salt. Varieties of the same soup include spinach, garden orache, chard, nettle, and occasionally dandelion, goutweed or ramsons, together with or instead of 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.

Cook sorrel in the same way as spinach, lightly steamed or boiled. Sorrel stalks can be cooked like rhubarb. The acidity of sorrel is tamed by cooking in butter or cream or by topping sorrel with a cream sauce. Sorrel soups are commonly thickened with eggs and cream.

Sorrel is a small edible green plant from the Polygonaceae family, which also includes buckwheat and rhubarb. The French translation of sour (“sorrel”) is spot-on: These leaves have an intense lemony tang.

The leafy herb is not to be confused with what's sometimes called French sorrel, but is really common sorrel or garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa). There is only one French sorrel — True French sorrel, that is — with leaves that are small and shaped like a shield (scutatus is Latin for “armed with a shield”).

Sorrel sort of looks like spinach; common sorrel has spear-shaped, deep green leaves, while French sorrel's leaves are a bit wavier. Both have reddish-brown flower clusters when allowed to bolt. French sorrel is said to be more mild (i.e., less sour) than common sorrel.

Rumex alpestris) is a plant in the buckwheat family, used as a culinary herb. Its common names include French sorrel, buckler sorrel, shield-leaf sorrel, and sometimes the culinary name "green-sauce". L. Acetosa scutata (L.)

Most folks use raw sorrel as an accent, but young spring sorrel can be wonderful tossed into salads, making for a nice citrusy bite. You can even drop a handful in the blender before blitzing up your breakfast smoothie. This is the kind of green that will refresh you, wake you up, and remind you that it's spring.

Wood sorrel is UNSAFE, especially when used when used in higher doses. Wood sorrel can cause diarrhea, nausea, increased urination, skin reactions, stomach and intestine irritation, eye damage, and kidney damage. Swelling of the mouth, tongue, and throat can make speaking and breathing difficult.

The recommended dosage of sorrel is around ½ cup of sorrel leaves, which provides about half of your daily vitamin C and vitamin A needs. It is also rich in potassium and magnesium.

Is sorrel a 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.

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.

If you experience any adverse symptoms after eating it or are allergic to other plants in the same family, such as rhubarb, buckwheat, and knotweed, you may need to avoid it. It's also worth noting that sorrel contains oxalate, a common plant compound that can block the absorption of minerals like calcium (17, 18).

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).

Sorrel, also known as roselle, has been studied for its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant capacity [17–20].

It's rich in antioxidants and nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, and magnesium. It may support heart health and fight cancer, although more human research is needed. It can be used to make herbal tea, taken as a supplement, or enjoyed in dishes like soups, salads, and sauces.

What is sorrel? Sorrel is a herb with a sharp, lemony flavour. Highly regarded in France, where the leaves are used in soups and sauces, sorrel can also be served with fish and egg dishes. Only the younger leaves, available in the springtime, should be used in salads.

Sorrel soup is common throughout Europe, with nearly countless versions, from the delicate French soup to a hearty soup from Eastern Europe known as green borscht.

Despite its dull color when cooked, sorrel does taste bright and exuberant. No other vegetable at this time of year has such power, or complexity. Sorrel is fruity like rhubarb. It is tart like lemon.