Top dishes of the Gastronomic Rows at the National Centre RUSSIA: shurpa

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The "Journey Across Russia. Food" Gastronomic Rows at the National Centre RUSSIA, divided into four thematic zones — "South", "North", "West", and "East" — invite guests to discover the popular dishes and culinary traditions of the entire country.

Soups are traditionally among the bestsellers at the Gastronomic Rows, and one of the most popular is shurpa, featured in the "South" menu. Rich, hearty, with a hint of smoke and spice, this soup embodies a special atmosphere — warm, generous, and hospitable. Across Russia, shurpa is often cooked outdoors, during hunting trips or festive gatherings. A large pot, a shared meal, and the customary story about how to make it properly are all part of the local flavor and a powerful symbol of generosity and unity.

Shurpa consists of a fatty broth, an abundance of meat (typically lamb), and vegetables (bell pepper, onion, carrot, and potato). One of the distinctive features of this dish is that all the vegetables are added to the pot without being sautéed beforehand — they are either coarsely chopped or placed whole into the soup.

This hearty, flavorful, and warming dish of the Turkic peoples became widespread during the Soviet period in the history of our country.

"In the beginning, the meat along with the bones is boiled for about two hours — this gives the dish its richness and aroma. Then we add onions and carrots, and finally — sweet bell peppers. We serve the finished dish with toasted bread and adjika, and sprinkle it with fresh herbs. The shurpa turns out very rich and delicious — all our guests are happy," said Sergei Melnikov, deputy chef of the "South" gastronomic zone.

Anyone who has often visited the southern regions of Russia has surely come across the most authentic versions of shurpa in guest houses, at markets, local fairs and festivals, or in roadside cafes.

"In Gorno-Altaisk, at the 'Mother Earth' festival, we were served 'sorpo', and we tried 'Tatar-style' and 'Bashkir-style' shurpa at local celebrations — made with goose meat or with lamb and chickpeas. In Dagestan, this hearty soup is called churpa, and its varieties can include lentils and sorrel. In Chechen cuisine, there is nokhchi chorp. The traditional Karachay soup of freshly butchered lamb, k’oy shorpa, is often cooked in cast iron cauldrons over open fire in roadside eateries. There are dozens, if not hundreds of variations! Every cook has their own recipe, and you can’t really claim to know the 'correct' version of this dish. Even now, I’m trying to recall all the kinds of shurpa our team has tasted at festivals across different parts of the country — and I’m sure there are as many ways to pronounce its name as there are recipes," shared Yekaterina Shapovalova, curator of the "Journey Across Russia. Food" project at the National Centre RUSSIA.

The Gastronomic Rows at the National Centre RUSSIA are open every day except Monday, from 10:00 to 21:00.