Hungarian Chilled Cherry Soup (Meggyleves) is a classic, unique, and refreshing summer dish that beautifully balances sweet and tangy flavors. It’s a beloved tradition in Hungary, often served as a starter or even as a light dessert.
🍒 Hungarian Chilled Cherry Soup (Meggyleves)
A stunningly beautiful, sweet-and-tangy chilled soup that is surprisingly simple to make. Perfect for a hot summer day.
Prep time: 15 mins (+ 4 hours chilling) | Cook time: 15 mins | Serves: 4-6
📝 Ingredients
-
1 lb (450g) fresh sour cherries, pitted (or frozen pitted sour cherries)
-
4 cups (1 liter) water
-
1 cup (240ml) dry red wine (such as Pinot Noir or Merlot) – optional, but traditional
-
1 cinnamon stick
-
3-4 whole cloves
-
Zest of 1 lemon
-
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar (adjust to taste and tartness of cherries)
-
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
-
1 cup (240ml) full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
-
1 tsp vanilla extract
For Serving:
-
Additional sour cream for dolloping
-
Toasted silvered almonds or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Cook the Cherry Base
-
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, wine (if using), pitted cherries, cinnamon stick, cloves, lemon zest, and sugar.
-
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the cherries are soft.
-
Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves with a slotted spoon.
2. Thicken the Soup
-
In a small bowl, whisk the flour into ½ cup of the sour cream until a smooth paste forms.
-
Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot cherry liquid into the sour cream mixture, whisking constantly to temper it and prevent curdling.
-
Pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the cherries, stirring continuously.
-
Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until the soup thickens slightly. Do not boil.
3. Chill Thoroughly
-
Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the remaining ½ cup of sour cream and the vanilla extract.
-
Let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. The flavors meld and improve dramatically when chilled.
4. Serve
-
Ladle the cold soup into bowls.
-
Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of toasted almonds or cinnamon.
💡 Pro Tips & Variations
-
Sour Cherries are Key: True Meggyleves is made with sour cherries (like Morello). If you can only find sweet cherries, reduce the sugar to 2-3 tablespoons and add a tablespoon of lemon juice for tang.
-
No Wine? No problem. Simply replace it with an extra cup of water or a light fruit juice like cherry or cranberry.
-
Texture Preference: For a smoother soup, you can blend it briefly with an immersion blender before chilling, leaving some cherry pieces for texture.
-
The Tempering Step: This is crucial! Slowly adding the hot liquid to the sour cream-flour mixture prevents it from curdling.
This soup is a true Hungarian treasure—elegant, unique, and incredibly refreshing. Enjoy a taste of Central European summer! ❄️🇭🇺