Cuisine: Polish
•
Course: Soup Main Course
•
Diet: Dairy-Free

Pomidorowa Czysta (Clear Tomato Soup)

A sharp, clear Polish tomato soup built on a rich meat stock, served dairy-free over al dente fusilli.
Prep time 20m
Temp 100°C (212°F)
Cook time 3h 30m
Total 3h 50m
Yield 6
By Razziel

Ingredients

  • 2500 ml
    Water
    Water
  • 500 g
    Turkey Neck
  • 500 g
    Beef Short Rib
  • 200 g
    Carrots
    Carrots
  • 100 g
    Parsley Root
    Parsley Root
  • 100 g
    Celeriac
    Celeriac
  • 100 g
    Leek
    Leek
  • 100 g
    Onion
    Onion
  • 4 pcs
    Allspice Berries
    Allspice Berries
  • 3 pcs
    Bay Leaves
  • 6 pcs
    Black Peppercorns
    Black Peppercorns
  • 500 ml
    Tomato Passata
  • 30 g
    Tomato Puree
  • 300 g
    Fusilli Pasta
    Fusilli Pasta
  • 13 g
    Salt
  • 10 g
    Flat-leaf Parsley

Success!

Ingredients added to your shopping list.

View Shopping List Continue Browsing

Kitchen Kit

  • Large Stock Pot
  • Sieve
  • Pasta Pot
  • Ladle

Method

  1. Start the Stock. Grab a large stockpot. Chuck in the Turkey Neck, Beef Short Rib, and 2.5 litres of cold Water. Bring this to a boil over high heat. As soon as it boils, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Skim off the grey scum that floats to the top—absolute clarity is essential for this version.
  2. Add the Roots. Once the scum is gone (about 15 mins), tip in the Carrots, Parsley Root, Celeriac, and Leek.
  3. The Burned Onion. Peel your Onion. Use a blowtorch or a dry frying pan to char the cut side until it’s properly black. This adds the signature golden colour and depth. Drop it into the pot along with the Allspice Berries, Bay Leaves, and Black Peppercorns.
  4. The Long Simmer. Cover the pot loosely and let it bubble gently for at least 2.5 hours. You want the meat falling off the bone and the liquid reduced by about 20%. Do not let it boil rapidly, or the stock will turn cloudy.
  5. Strain & Rinse. Pour the stock through a fine sieve into a large clean bowl. Crucial Step: Rinse out your stockpot to remove any dried scum rings or debris before pouring the clear golden base back in. Discard the bones and mushy veg (keep the carrots to slice back in if you wish).
  6. Tomato Phase. Pour the Tomato Passata and Tomato Puree into the hot, clear stock. Bring it back to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes to let the flavours marry.
  7. Season with Caution. Taste it first. Because there is no cream, the saltiness hits the palate faster, and the reduction has already concentrated the flavours. Add the Salt gradually, tasting as you go. If the acidity bites too hard, add a pinch of sugar to balance it.
  8. Cook the Pasta. While the soup simmers, bring a separate pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the Fusilli Pasta until al dente (usually 9-11 minutes). Drain.
  9. Serve. Place a mound of cooked Fusilli in a deep bowl. Ladle the hot, clear red soup over the pasta. Scatter generously with fresh Flat-leaf Parsley.
Chef's Note & Storage
Fridge for 3 days. Vital: Store pasta separately. If left in this clear broth, the pasta will degrade into sludge rapidly.

The "Czysta" Standard

While the creamy version of Pomidorowa is a comfort blanket, the clear version (Czysta) is a wake-up call. Without the sour cream to blunt the edges, the acidity of the tomatoes shines through, cutting straight through the richness of the meat stock. It is lighter, sharper, and traditionally considered more elegant.

Serving this with Fusilli makes it a substantial meal, but because we've skipped the dairy, the pasta doesn't get bogged down in heavy sauce. It remains slick and distinct. This is the version you want when you need clarity and warmth without the "food coma" heaviness of a cream-based soup.

CHEF'S SECRET: The Acid Adjustment. Without fat (cream) to coat the tongue, the acidity of the tomatoes will feel sharper. You must balance this. Taste the soup just before serving. If it bites too hard, a teaspoon of sugar isn't a cheat—it's a necessary counterbalance to the acidity of the passata.

❖

The Stock is Everything

In a clear soup, you cannot hide a weak broth. The colour should be a deep, vibrant red, not watery or dull. By charring the onion and using beef short rib alongside the turkey, we ensure a base that has enough gelatin and depth to stand up to the tomatoes on its own.

Back to blog
Pomidorowa Czysta (Clear Tomato Soup)
Cuisine: Polish
Course: Soup, Main Course
Diet: Dairy-Free

Pomidorowa Czysta (Clear Tomato Soup)

By Razziel

A sharp, clear Polish tomato soup built on a rich meat stock, served dairy-free over al dente fusilli.

Prep 20m
Temp 100°C
Cook 3h 30m
Total 3h 50m
Yield 6
Recipe from Cook & Keeper - www.cookandkeeper.com

Kitchen Kit

  • •Large Stock Pot
  • •Sieve
  • •Pasta Pot
  • •Ladle

Ingredients

  • 2500 ml Water
  • 500 g Turkey Neck
  • 500 g Beef Short Rib
  • 200 g Carrots
  • 100 g Parsley Root
  • 100 g Celeriac
  • 100 g Leek
  • 100 g Onion
  • 4 pcs Allspice Berries
  • 3 pcs Bay Leaves
  • 6 pcs Black Peppercorns
  • 500 ml Tomato Passata
  • 30 g Tomato Puree
  • 300 g Fusilli Pasta
  • 13 g Salt
  • 10 g Flat-leaf Parsley
Recipe from Cook & Keeper - www.cookandkeeper.com

Method

Step-by-step instructions.

Chef's Note:
Fridge for 3 days. Vital: Store pasta separately. If left in this clear broth, the pasta will degrade into sludge rapidly.
  1. Start the Stock. Grab a large stockpot. Chuck in the Turkey Neck, Beef Short Rib, and 2.5 litres of cold Water. Bring this to a boil over high heat. As soon as it boils, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Skim off the grey scum that floats to the top—absolute clarity is essential for this version.
  2. Add the Roots. Once the scum is gone (about 15 mins), tip in the Carrots, Parsley Root, Celeriac, and Leek.
  3. The Burned Onion. Peel your Onion. Use a blowtorch or a dry frying pan to char the cut side until it’s properly black. This adds the signature golden colour and depth. Drop it into the pot along with the Allspice Berries, Bay Leaves, and Black Peppercorns.
  4. The Long Simmer. Cover the pot loosely and let it bubble gently for at least 2.5 hours. You want the meat falling off the bone and the liquid reduced by about 20%. Do not let it boil rapidly, or the stock will turn cloudy.
  5. Strain & Rinse. Pour the stock through a fine sieve into a large clean bowl. Crucial Step: Rinse out your stockpot to remove any dried scum rings or debris before pouring the clear golden base back in. Discard the bones and mushy veg (keep the carrots to slice back in if you wish).
  6. Tomato Phase. Pour the Tomato Passata and Tomato Puree into the hot, clear stock. Bring it back to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes to let the flavours marry.
  7. Season with Caution. Taste it first. Because there is no cream, the saltiness hits the palate faster, and the reduction has already concentrated the flavours. Add the Salt gradually, tasting as you go. If the acidity bites too hard, add a pinch of sugar to balance it.
  8. Cook the Pasta. While the soup simmers, bring a separate pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the Fusilli Pasta until al dente (usually 9-11 minutes). Drain.
  9. Serve. Place a mound of cooked Fusilli in a deep bowl. Ladle the hot, clear red soup over the pasta. Scatter generously with fresh Flat-leaf Parsley.
Recipe from Cook & Keeper - www.cookandkeeper.com

Chef's Notes & History

The "Czysta" Standard

While the creamy version of Pomidorowa is a comfort blanket, the clear version (Czysta) is a wake-up call. Without the sour cream to blunt the edges, the acidity of the tomatoes shines through, cutting straight through the richness of the meat stock. It is lighter, sharper, and traditionally considered more elegant.

Serving this with Fusilli makes it a substantial meal, but because we've skipped the dairy, the pasta doesn't get bogged down in heavy sauce. It remains slick and distinct. This is the version you want when you need clarity and warmth without the "food coma" heaviness of a cream-based soup.

CHEF'S SECRET: The Acid Adjustment. Without fat (cream) to coat the tongue, the acidity of the tomatoes will feel sharper. You must balance this. Taste the soup just before serving. If it bites too hard, a teaspoon of sugar isn't a cheat—it's a necessary counterbalance to the acidity of the passata.

❖

The Stock is Everything

In a clear soup, you cannot hide a weak broth. The colour should be a deep, vibrant red, not watery or dull. By charring the onion and using beef short rib alongside the turkey, we ensure a base that has enough gelatin and depth to stand up to the tomatoes on its own.

Recipe from Cook & Keeper - www.cookandkeeper.com