Austro-Hungarian Cream of Horseradish Soup Recipe

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 01/25/22
Cream of Horseradish Soup

Tara Fisher / "The Viennese Kitchen" (Interlink Books, 2011)
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
481 Calories
34g Fat
36g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 481
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 43%
Saturated Fat 20g 101%
Cholesterol 185mg 62%
Sodium 731mg 32%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 16mg 78%
Calcium 98mg 8%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 903mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This Austro-Hungarian cream of horseradish soup recipe is enriched with heavy whipping cream and egg yolks for an unusual yet satisfying first course. We adapted this recipe from one in "The Viennese Kitchen: Tante Hertha's Book of Family Recipes" by Monica Meehan and Maria von Baich (Interlink Books, 2011).

There is a huge crossover of recipes among Austrian, Hungarian and German cuisines, where this would be known as a cream soup or krensuppe. Although the names may be spelled differently, the flavor is the same or very similar.

Horseradish root is native to the warmer climes of Eastern Europe, and some say Asia, and it appears in recipes worldwide. Compare the Austro-Hungarian version with this Polish horseradish soup recipe, which is creamed with sour cream, not heavy cream as in this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound russet potatoes, or other high-starch potatoes

  • 2 medium onions

  • 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 2 cups clear vegetable stock

  • 1 cup chicken stock, or more vegetable stock to make this vegetarian

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine

  • 1 1/2 ounces fresh horseradish, grated very finely on a zester

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Chopped fresh dill, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Wash, peel and cut 1 pound starchy potatoes, like russets, into 1/2-inch chunks and coarsely chop the 2 medium onions. Heat 1 1/2 ounces butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over low-to-medium heat until bubbling. Add the potatoes and onions, and increase the heat to full medium, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn just translucent, but not mushy and certainly not browned.

  2. Add 2 cups vegetable stock and 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock to the pot, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low-medium and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, which should take about 20 minutes.

  3. Remove the pan from the heat and puree the contents directly in the pot using a hand-held immersion blender. Return the pot to medium heat and stir in the 1 cup heavy whipping cream, increasing the heat a little to bring to a gentle, but not rolling, boil. Immediately remove from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk the 1 large egg yolk with 2 tablespoons dry white wine and ​temper with a few ladles of hot soup, then return the tempered egg yolk-wine mixture to the pot, and whisk constantly until well incorporated and slightly thickened.

  4. Finally, stir in the 1 1/2 ounces grated fresh horseradish root and season to taste with salt and pepper, but do test the soup first, since the stock may already contain enough salt. Serve hot and garnish with chopped fresh dill.

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of foodborne illness.

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Tip