Czech Caraway Potato Soup with Root Vegetables

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Bramboračka is a humble Czech farmhouse soup built on starchy potatoes, sweet root vegetables, and the warm anise note of caraway seeds. A butter-flour roux gives the broth its velvety body, while a splash of vinegar at the end lifts all the earthy flavors. Serve it as a satisfying lunch with crusty rye bread on the side.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 285 kcalCalories
• 11 gFat
• 6 gSaturated Fat
• 42 gCarbs
• 5 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 6 gProtein
• 780 mgSodium
• 920 mgPotassium
• 75 mgCalcium
• 2.5 mgIron
• 28 mgVitamin C
• 4200 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the soup base

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 small parsley root, peeled and diced
• 1 small celery root, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon whole caraway seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 2 allspice berries, lightly crushed
• 6 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the roux and finish

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1.5 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and lightly golden at the edges, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the garlic, carrot, parsley root, celery root, caraway seeds, bay leaves, marjoram, and allspice berries. Cook for 3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and the spices become fragrant.
3. Pour in the broth and bring to a gentle boil. Add the diced potatoes and salt, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a knife.
4. Make the roux: in a small skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat, sprinkle in the flour, and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes until the mixture turns a pale sand color and smells nutty.
5. Whisk the roux into the simmering soup and cook another 3 to 4 minutes to thicken the broth slightly and cook out the raw flour taste.
6. Stir in the vinegar and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves, ladle the soup into warm bowls, and finish with a generous shower of fresh parsley.

Cook’s Notes

• For a heartier version, stir in 4 ounces of diced smoked ham or kielbasa along with the root vegetables in step 2.
• Toast the caraway seeds dry in the pot for 30 seconds before adding the onion to deepen their flavor.
• Use starchy potatoes like Russets if you prefer a creamier, more broken-down soup; Yukon Golds hold their shape better.
• The vinegar is essential: it adds the bright, slightly tangy note that distinguishes bramboračka from plain potato soup.
• This soup tastes even better the next day once the caraway has time to perfume the broth, so consider making it a few hours ahead.

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