Quick and easy to make, this Croatian roux soup – ajnpren (read: eye-n-pren) supa, is a simple comfort dish that uses just a few staple ingredients but is packed with flavor.
Roux is a classic thickening agent for sauces and soups with roots dating more than 300 years. This inexpensive dish also known as poor man’s soup was usually served to soldiers and prisoners but it has become a part of traditional Croatian cuisine, as well as its neighboring countries that once were a part of Yugoslavia.
When I was growing up in Bosnia, I have shed many, many…..MANY tears over this soup. For every spoon of soup that I ate, I refilled two with my tears. In my despair, I dubbed it ‘cream of tears soup’. Might as well be called ‘poor Jas’ soup’, ha!
Granted, the anorexic picky eater that I was, I have cried over almost every meal. But this soup was the worst! Way too often on our menu (every meal starts with some kind of soup in my homeland), I despised the roux soup and ignored it for decades. Yet this very dish makes me more nostalgic than any other from my childhood. Aren’t we humans such complex beings?
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it has become my favorite, but it did get on the “soups I like” list. My hubby had two servings and he is usually reluctant to try new things. Actually, he will try everything once. If he doesn’t like it he’ll say: “it is pretty good” and then ignore it for the rest of his life. Ha.
This roux soup is known under different names, depending on the region: prezgana juha, anpren corba, ajpren supa, and in Germany it’s called Einbrennsuppe. 🥣Some versions use an egg which makes it an egg drop soup. Either way, it’s a tasty, frugal winter dish with silky, nutty flavor.
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How to Make Croatian Roux Soup
This #frugal Croatian roux #soup packed with flavor is #quick and #easy to make. #comfortfood Click To Tweet
INGREDIENTS:
Serves 4
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
- 4 cups water (can be substituted with vegetable stock but omit next ingredient!)
- 3 teaspoons Vegeta* (substitute with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes)
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
To serve: croutons and sour cream (optional)
*Vegeta – a Croatian condiment (much like bouillon in powder form) which is a mixture of spices and various dry vegetables. We like to season everything with Vegeta and use it instead of salt.
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat the oil in a medium-size pot. Stir in the flour. With a wooden spoon or a whisk, continue to stir flour over low heat until flour is golden in color. Do not burn it!
- Mix in paprika, cayenne pepper, and caraway seeds, if using. Slowly add water or broth continuing to stir as it thickens.
- Season the soup with Vegeta or bouillon if you’re cooking with water. Simmer the soup, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve soup in bowls topped with croutons and sour cream if you’d like. They lift this soup from “poor man’s” level to fancy.
P. S. If you fancy, sprinkle with crispy bacon pieces before serving. Where was the 🥓 when I was forced to eat this soup?😂
How to Make Croatian Roux Soup
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- Cayenne pepper to taste optional
- 4 cups water can be substituted with vegetable stock but omit next ingredient!
- 3 teaspoons Vegeta* substitute with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
- To serve: croutons and sour cream optional
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat the oil in a medium-size pot. Stir in the flour. With a wooden spoon or a whisk, continue to stir flour over low heat until flour is golden in color. Do not burn it!
- Mix in paprika, cayenne pepper, and caraway seeds, if using. Slowly add water or broth continuing to stir as it thickens.
- Season the soup with Vegeta or bouillon if you’re cooking with water. Simmer the soup, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve soup in bowls topped with croutons and sour cream if you’d like. They lift this soup from “poor man’s” level to fancy.
RECIPE NOTES:
I have put together an ebook with my favorite foods from the Balkan region, jut like this soup. You can download my free excerpt or order the full version so you can whip up those exclusive recipes too. 50 absolutely delicious dishes that warm the heart and soul!
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2014 and has been completely revamped and updated.
O T H E R S O U P R E C I P E S Y O U M I G H T E N J O Y:
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Jas
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Your daughter
September 14, 2014 at 12:54 pmWanna make this for me?!
allthatsjas
September 20, 2014 at 8:39 amOf course!
Baked Fruit and a TV show - All that's Jas
February 5, 2016 at 3:50 pm[…] dishes we prepared are typical Bosnian dishes: roux soup, spinach and cheese Phyllo pie (also mentioned in the book), Sopska salad and for dessert, baked […]
Antonia
October 27, 2018 at 9:42 amI didn’t know that about roux, how interesting! This soup looks so delicious and different. I am going to try this out this winter. Thank you for sharing this wonderful soup with us over at Fiesta Friday! 😀
Jas
October 27, 2018 at 11:51 amThanks, Antonia! I hope you like it 🙂
passion fruit, paws and peonies
October 29, 2018 at 10:16 amI’ve never heard of roux! Love paprika so I’ll pin this, it sounds so delicious xx Maria
Jas
October 31, 2018 at 9:42 pmRoux is the base for many sauces and gravies. If you’ve ever made the bechamel sauce, you’ve started it with a roux. 🙂 Thanks for visiting, Maria!
Katrina Hamel
November 1, 2018 at 11:45 amIt looks simple but flavorful! I’ll have to give this a try.
Jas
November 3, 2018 at 9:43 pmIt is, Katrina! Hope you will try it 🙂
Nina
November 4, 2018 at 12:55 amIt’s so sad that you shed many tears over this soup recipe! I’ve never heard of it but it sounds yummy! Thanks so much for sharing at our Party in Your PJs link party!
Jas
November 5, 2018 at 4:36 pmIt kinda is, Nina! But even so, it connects me to my childhood and it has a special place in my heart. 🙂 Thanks for stopping in!
Ron
November 8, 2018 at 10:10 amWhat an interesting soup. I use a roux base for a seafood gumbo recipe that I make. I love the taste that a well browned roux gives a gumbo, so I know I’ll like this soup. As for turkeys, we’re a turkey free house. Too many bad childhood memories of turkeys.
Jas
November 9, 2018 at 9:45 pmRoux has a nutty flavor and it’s definitely a fall and winter comfort dish. Sorry about your bad memories with turkeys. My mom sometimes made duck or a goose instead of the turkey, although for Christmas as we Europeans don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, which you know. 🙂 Have a great weekend, Ron!