Summary: Bryndza soup – a creamy Slovak soup made from bryndza (sheep cheese), potatoes and bacon. Lighter than demikát, without a roux. Ready in about 40 minutes, serves 6.
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Category: American Soups, American Slovak Cuisine
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Quick overview
- Dish: Bryndza Soup with Potatoes and Bacon
- Category: American Soups, American Slovak Cuisine
- Cuisine: Slovak
- Main ingredient: Bryndza, 10½ oz, soft and crumbly
- Guide: 12 Most Famous Slovak Dishes: Traditional Recipes from Slovak Cuisine
- Total time: 40 minutes (15 min prep + 25 min cooking)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Servings: 6 (Portion weight: 11 fl oz)
- Key technique: Simmering potatoes, folding bryndza into hot broth
- Preparation types: Boiling, pan-frying (bacon)
- Dietary info & allergens: Contains milk, eggs (if using noodles). Not suitable for lactose-free or vegan diets.
- Suitable for: Weeknight suppers, autumn lunches, light first course
- Nutrition per serving: 296 kcal, Protein: 14 g, Fat: 16 g, Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Storage: 3 days in the fridge, 2 months in the freezer (without dairy)
- Pairing: Dark lager, dry white wine, rye bread
- In short: A lighter bryndza soup – no roux, just potatoes, bacon and tangy sheep cheese.
- Last updated: September 22, 2026
WAGUU says: “Where demikát is thick and serious, this soup is lighter and quicker – the same flavors, half the effort.”
Key facts
| Prep time: | 15 minutes |
| Cook time: | 25 minutes |
| Temperature: | Gentle simmer (about 200 °F) |
| Servings: | 6 |
At a glance
A lighter, faster cousin of demikát. Potatoes cook in a light broth, bacon adds smoke, and bryndza is folded in at the end. No roux, no flour – just the tang of sheep cheese and the sweetness of the potato.
Ingredients
Base servings: 6 servings • Portion weight: 11 fl oz
| Ingredient | Amount | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Bryndza (Slovak sheep cheese) | 10½ oz | Soft, room temperature |
| Yukon Gold or red potatoes | 2 lb | Peeled, cubed ½ inch |
| Thick-cut bacon | 4¼ oz | Cut into ½-inch strips |
| Brown onion | 1 pc | Finely chopped |
| Garlic | 2 cloves | Crushed |
| Water or light vegetable stock | 6⅓ cups | Hot |
| Bay leaf | 1 pc | Dried |
| Dried marjoram | 1 tsp | Rubbed between fingers |
| Fine sea salt | ½ tsp | Adjust to taste |
| Black pepper, freshly ground | ½ tsp | Coarse grind |
| Full-fat sour cream (18–20 %) | 3½ oz | For serving |
| Fresh chives or dill | ⅓ oz | Finely chopped |
Why you will love this recipe
- Faster than demikát: No roux, no flour – just simmer the potatoes and finish with bryndza.
- Lighter: Fewer calories, same tangy, savory flavor.
- Weeknight-friendly: On the table in 40 minutes with almost no attention needed.
Why it works: The absence of a roux makes the broth thinner, but the potatoes release starch as they cook, which naturally thickens it a little. The bacon is fried first, so its fat and smoke form the base of the soup. Bryndza is added off the heat – dairy proteins coagulate at high temperatures, and boiling after adding bryndza would split the broth.
Recipe overview
Prep: 15 min | Cooking: 25 min | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6 | Type: Soup | Origin: Slovak
Detailed method
Total progress: 0 % done
Phase 1: Frying the base – 5 min
Equipment: Large pot (4½ quarts), wooden spoon
1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry for 3 minutes until golden. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
VKB: The bacon is golden and crisp, and the onion is translucent. The pan smells of smoke and garlic.
Phase 2: Simmering the potatoes – 18 min
Equipment: Pot, lid
2. Add the hot water or stock, the cubed potatoes, bay leaf, marjoram, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 18 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Stir once halfway through.
VKB: A knife slides easily into a potato cube. The broth has taken on a slightly cloudy, pale amber color from the potato starch.
Phase 3: Adding bryndza – 3 min
Equipment: Wooden spoon, small bowl
3. Take the pot off the heat. Ladle a cup of hot broth into a small bowl and mix it with the bryndza to loosen it. Pour the bryndza mixture back into the pot and stir gently. Do not boil after adding the bryndza.
VKB: The broth is creamy and slightly grainy from the bryndza. It smells tangy and salty. No lumps of bryndza remain visible.
Before you continue:
Taste before you salt. Bryndza and bacon are both salty. Add salt only if the soup tastes flat.
Phase 4: Resting – 2 min
Equipment: Lid
4. Cover the pot and let it rest off the heat for 2 minutes. This allows the bryndza to melt fully and the broth to settle.
VKB: The broth has settled and tastes balanced – tangy, salty, smoky. No separation.
Phase 5: Serving – 2 min
Equipment: Warm bowls, spoon
5. Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Add a spoon of sour cream to each and sprinkle with chopped chives or dill. Serve with dark rye bread.
VKB: The soup is steaming hot, the sour cream is swirling in, and the chives add a fresh green note.
Phase 6: Finishing – 1 min
Equipment: Pepper mill, spoon
6. Finish with a little freshly ground black pepper over each bowl and serve immediately.
VKB: The pepper is visible on the surface of the sour cream and the soup is ready to eat.
Required equipment
| Item | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy-based pot | 4½ quarts | Enameled cast iron Dutch oven | A thin pot scorches the bacon base |
| Wooden spoon | 12-inch | Silicone spatula | A metal spoon reacts with the acidic bryndza |
| Ladle | 4-oz | Small measuring cup | None – ladle is only used for tempering the bryndza |
Shopping list
Nutritional profile
Values per 1 serving (11 fl oz, includes sour cream). Calculated from average nutritional values of the ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 1 serving | Per 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 92 kcal | 296 kcal | 1776 kcal |
| Fat | 5.0 g | 16 g | 96 g |
| of which saturates | 2.5 g | 8 g | 48 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7.5 g | 24 g | 144 g |
| of which sugars | 1.5 g | 5 g | 30 g |
| Protein | 4.4 g | 14 g | 84 g |
| Salt | 1.0 g | 3.2 g | 19.2 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro level
- Pro standard: Verified recipe with exact proportions and visual checkpoints.
- Tip 1: Bring the bryndza to room temperature at least 30 minutes before cooking. Cold bryndza does not dissolve smoothly.
- Tip 2: Use Yukon Gold or red potatoes that hold their shape. Russet potatoes dissolve and turn the broth cloudy.
- Tip 3: If the soup is too thin, mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot with a fork – this releases starch naturally.
- Tip 4: Add a few dried porcini mushrooms in the last 10 minutes for a deeper, forest-like note.
Scientific background
Bryndza is a lactic-fermented sheep cheese with a pH around 4.5. When it is added to a hot, slightly starchy potato broth, the acid partially curdles the milk proteins into small, soft flakes – this is what gives the soup its characteristic grainy but creamy texture. Adding bryndza off the heat is important: at temperatures above 185 °F, dairy proteins coagulate into large, tough curds and the broth splits. This is also why reheating should be done gently and without boiling.
Fine Dining – Professional techniques
- Plate composition: Serve in a wide, shallow bowl. Arrange the potatoes and bacon in the center and ladle the broth around them.
- Texture contrast: Add a few fried rye bread croutons for a crunchy element.
- Temperature contrast: Serve the soup very hot with a cold quenelle of sour cream on top.
- Aromatic additions: A sprinkle of smoked paprika or a few caraway seeds add depth.
Sensory radar
- Appearance: Pale, creamy broth with visible potato cubes and strips of bacon. A swirl of sour cream on top.
- Aroma: Salty sheep cheese, smoked bacon, garlic, marjoram.
- Taste: Tangy, savory, slightly smoky. The potatoes add gentle sweetness.
- Texture: Smooth broth with soft potato and a slight grainy texture from the bryndza.
Pairing
- BEER: A dark lager or a Vienna-style amber lager.
- WINE: Dry white wine – Riesling or Grüner Veltliner.
- SOFT DRINK: Cold buttermilk or žinčica (sheep whey).
Variations of preparation
- With dried mushrooms: Add ½ oz of soaked dried porcini in the last 10 minutes. The broth becomes deeper and forest-like.
- With egg noodles: Add 3 oz of fine egg noodles 5 minutes before the potatoes finish cooking.
Allergens and dietary information
Contains: Milk (bryndza, sour cream), eggs (if using noodles) • Gluten: No (unless noodles are added) • Not suitable for: Lactose intolerance, vegan diets
Suitable for
Weeknight suppers, autumn lunches, light first course, quick family meals.
Substitution catalogue
- Bryndza: Feta mixed with full-fat ricotta (50:50) – adjust the salt carefully.
- Yukon Gold potatoes: Any yellow-flesh variety works well.
- Thick-cut bacon: Smoked pancetta or diced ham.
FAQ
How is this different from demikát?
Demikát is thickened with a roux and has a heavier, creamier texture. This version skips the roux and is lighter and quicker to make.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Make the potato base in advance, cool, and refrigerate. Add the bryndza when reheating and do not boil.
Why did my soup split?
You boiled it after adding bryndza or sour cream. Keep the soup below a simmer once the dairy is in.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Skip the bacon and use 2 tbsp of butter with a pinch of smoked paprika for depth. The soup will be milder but still tangy.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 6 or more?
6–8 people: Double the recipe and use a 6-quart pot. Add the bryndza in two or three additions, tasting between each. • 10+ people: Prepare the base a day ahead. Reheat gently and finish with bryndza just before serving.
Sides and serving
Storage and reheating
Fridge: 3 days • Freezer: 2 months (base only, without dairy) • Reheating: Gently on the stovetop, without boiling.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 22 Sep 2026
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Most common mistakes
- Boiling after adding bryndza – Dairy proteins coagulate and the soup splits.
- Adding cold bryndza – It will not dissolve smoothly. Bring it to room temperature first.
- Using starchy potatoes – They dissolve and turn the broth gluey.
- Over-salting – Bryndza and bacon are both salty. Taste before seasoning.