Polish Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 whole medium yellow onion
• 1 whole medium carrot
• 1 whole celery stalk
• 1 whole medium red beet, peeled
• 28 ounces canned whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium
• ½ cup pearl barley
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 2 whole fresh thyme sprigs
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Dice 1 medium yellow onion into 1/4-inch pieces. Peel 1 medium carrot and cut into 1/4-inch rounds — keeping uniform sizes helps everything cook at the same rate. Slice 1 celery stalk into 1/4-inch half-moons.

2. 2

   Peel 1 medium red beet with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, then cut it into 1/4-inch dice. The beet gives pomidorowa its characteristic deep red color and earthy sweetness — handle it last so it doesn't stain your cutting board before you prep other vegetables.

3. 3

   Set a 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Let the oil heat for about 1 minute until it shimmers — you should see it flow easily across the bottom of the pot.

4. 4

   Add the diced onion, carrot rounds, and celery slices to the hot oil. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables soften and turn translucent. You should smell the sweetness of the caramelizing onions.

5. 5

   Pour in 6 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth and add the diced beet. Stir in 0.5 cup of pearl barley and drop in 1 bay leaf and 2 fresh thyme sprigs. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil — you should see large, rolling bubbles breaking the surface.

6. 6

   Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. The barley should turn tender but still have a slight bite to it, and the beet should soften completely. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking.

7. 7

   Open 1 can (28 ounces) of canned whole San Marzano tomatoes and add them to the pot along with their juices — crush them gently with your wooden spoon as you stir them in. This releases their natural pectin and thickens the soup slightly.

8. 8

   Add 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. The vinegar is essential to pomidorowa — it creates that characteristic sour-sweet flavor that defines the soup. Stir well and taste.

9. 9

   Season with 0.75 teaspoon of kosher salt and 0.5 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes to let the flavors marry, then taste again and adjust the salt, vinegar, or sugar if needed — the soup should taste balanced between bright acidity and gentle sweetness.

10. 10

    Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Ladle the soup into bowls while hot, making sure each serving gets barley, beet, and vegetables in equal proportion. Serve with crusty rye bread and a dollop of sour cream on the side if desired.

Tools you’ll need

• 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot
• vegetable peeler
• sharp knife
• cutting board
• wooden spoon
• ladle
• can opener

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