Discover the magic of handful soup, which warms and satisfies

Hrstková Soup - A Hearty Classic That Doesn't Disappoint Even in a Modern Kitchen

When the mercury drops outside and dreary days take over cities and villages, most of us start craving something warm, filling, and homemade. Hrstková soup is exactly the type of dish that embraces you from the inside. Yet it’s so simple, accessible, and nourishing that it deserves an honorable place in every kitchen—whether you cook according to traditional recipes or aim to eat modern, healthy, and sustainable.

What’s the Magic of Hrstková?

When you mention hrstková soup, many recall childhood days at grandma's, where various legumes, vegetables, and sometimes a piece of meat were tossed into a big pot. It’s the "handful of each" that gives the soup its name—you don’t need to weigh anything precisely, just take a handful of lentils, a handful of peas, a handful of barley or other grains, and you have a nutritious dinner.

One of the main charms of this soup is its variability. It can be vegan, vegetarian, with smoked meat or sausage. You can make it as thick as goulash or thinner—it’s up to you and the current contents of your pantry. That’s its strength and beauty: hrstková is never exactly the same, but always equally good.

A Tradition Making a Comeback

In recent years, hrstková soup has been experiencing a small renaissance. More and more people are turning to traditional recipes that meet today’s demands for healthy eating, sustainability, and low environmental impact. Legumes like lentils, peas, or beans are rich in proteins, fiber, and minerals, yet they have a lower ecological footprint compared to animal products.

According to data from Greenpeace or the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the cultivation of legumes is not only more planet-friendly but also supports soil health due to their nitrogen-fixing abilities. This makes them an ideal part of a diet for those aiming to eat responsibly.

Moreover, hrstková soup is a great way to efficiently use ingredients we often overlook. Stored legumes, leftover root vegetables, a piece of parsley, older potatoes, or a bit of celery—all these "ordinary" ingredients turn into a hearty and tasty meal in the pot.

How to Make Quick Hrstková Soup?

Many people believe that making traditional hrstková soup is time-consuming. Long soaking of legumes, hours of cooking... In reality, there’s a quick version of hrstková soup that can be on the table in an hour—including preparation.

How to do it? The key is using pre-cooked or canned legumes, which are now commonly available in organic stores and supermarkets. This eliminates the need for long soaking and cooking. Just prepare the basics—onion, garlic, carrot, parsley, a bit of savory or marjoram—and within minutes, you have the base ready. Then add a handful of various legumes, some potatoes or barley, pour in broth or water, and let it simmer.

For speed, you can also use a pressure cooker or slow cooker, where the ingredients cook themselves while you attend to other things. The result is a fragrant, thick soup that not only satisfies but also delights.

Hrstková Soup Recipe That Always Works

There are many versions of how hrstková soup can be prepared. Here is a tried-and-true recipe that is simple, quick, yet nutritious—ideal even for those just starting with cooking.

Ingredients (for about 4 servings):

• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 carrots
• 1 parsley root
• 1/4 small celery
• 1 tablespoon of oil (preferably canola or sunflower)
• 1 handful of lentils
• 1 handful of split peas
• 1 handful of barley or buckwheat
• 2 potatoes
• caraway seeds, marjoram, pepper, salt, bay leaf
• vegetable broth or water

Instructions:

1. First, sauté the onion in oil in a pot, add garlic, and chopped vegetables (carrot, parsley, celery).
2. Briefly sauté, add legumes, barley, and diced potatoes.
3. Pour in hot broth or water, add spices, and let it cook for about 30–40 minutes (until all ingredients are soft).
4. Finally, season with salt, add fresh marjoram, and optionally chopped parsley for freshness.

This version is purely plant-based, but you can easily modify it—add a piece of smoked tofu, tempeh, or sausage to please those who love richer flavors.

A True Story from the Kitchen

One mother of two, who decided to switch to a more sustainable lifestyle, shares: "When I started cooking more at home and looking for recipes that are healthy, inexpensive, and quick, a friend recommended hrstková soup. I didn’t expect it to be so popular with the kids. Today, I make it at least once a week—always a little different—and it always disappears to the last spoonful."

It’s precisely this versatility and simplicity of hrstková soup that makes it an ideal dish for families with children, students, or anyone trying to eat better without unnecessary stress and expense.

Sustainable Yet Delicious

Hrstková soup is a beautiful example of how food can be not only delicious and filling but also ecologically friendly and ethical. Legumes and grains can be stored for a long time, have a low carbon footprint, and are affordable. Moreover, their cultivation does not contribute to deforestation or excessive water use as is the case with many animal products.

It’s no coincidence that such dishes are coming back into the spotlight today. People are looking for a return to simplicity, to recipes that work, aren’t unnecessarily complicated, and make sense in the context of today’s world.

And hrstková soup? It embodies all these values—tasty, filling, healthy, versatile, and inexpensive. As an old French chef once said: “The best meals are not the most expensive, but the ones we love to come back to."

And that makes it an ideal choice not only for winter evenings but also for everyday kitchens aiming to be sustainable, honest, and good.