Nyponsoppa is a Swedish rosehip soup, a seasonal delicacy often served as a dessert with vanilla ice cream. Packed with vitamin C, this rose hip soup recipe is a shame to miss.
When most people think of “soup,” They envision a hot, savory dish intended to warm and satisfy, served as a main course or a side. However, Nyponsoppa is quite the opposite. Though it’s nutritious, it doesn’t warm you up. In fact, it’s often enjoyed with ice cream as a dessert.
What is Nyponsoppa?
Nyponsoppa is a traditional Swedish food made of rosehps – rosehip soup. It is typically consumed in the autumn when fresh rosehips are in season. The good news is that the rosehip season is quite extended—depending on your location, you can gather them from September all the way through December.
Today’s Nyponsoppa is usually served as a dessert, often topped with whipped cream or ice cream. But it wasn’t always this way. In the 18th century, people used bread or breadcrumbs to thicken the soup. Later, potato starch and even oat flakes. Similarly, while some recipes recommended adding wine or raisins for flavor, others suggested gooseberry cordial instead.
In the 19th century, Nyponsoppa was traditionally served during Easter as a dessert after the main course of salmon on Good Friday supper.
Nyponsoppa has evolved over time with different garnish ideas. These range from lemon peel, vanilla, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon to additions like dried cherries or pear slices.
People in Nordic countries consume it throughout the long winter months because of its high levels of vitamin C.
Additionally, if you don’t have access to fresh rosehips, you can still prepare this soup using dried rose hips. Thus eat it a year round.
Why you will love this recipe?
- traditional – this soup has been enjoyed by Swedes for generations
- seasonal – made with rosehips, nyponsoppa is a seasonal delicacy that is a shame to miss
- nutritious – Rosehips are naturally high in vitamin C, which is great for boosting your immune system.
Ingredients
Fresh Rosehips (Nypon)
When foraging rose hips, look for fully ripen and avoid places that has been treated with pesticides.
There are over 300 species of rose bushes in the Rosacea family, but all are edible. However, the best wild roses for this recipe are dog rose (Rosa canina), sweet briar (Rosa rubiginosa), field rose (Rosa arvensis), downy rose (Rosa villosa), Rosa rugosa and burnet rose (Rosa spinosissima).
The outer red pulp has a sweet and tangy flavor, but the fruit has seeds inside that can irritate. Fortunately, you don’t have to remove the seeds for this recipe! After cooking, you can strain them out with a sieve, saving time.
Rosehips are beneficial and packed with plenty of antioxidants and vitamin C.
Raw Sugar
You can also use honey or apple juice as a sweetener.
How to make Swedish Rose hip soup Nyponsoppa
First step: Prepare the rosehips
Gather the rosehips, remove the stems and stalks, and wash them thoroughly with cold water. Cut the hard rosehips in half, but leave the soft ones whole.
Second step: Soak the rosehips
In a saucepan, pour five cups of lukewarm water and add three cups of rosehips. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let them sit overnight or for at least five hours. This not only makes the soup darker and more flavorful, but it also helps soften dried rosehips.
Third step: Cook the rosehips
The following day, bring to a boil and cook under medium heat and stir, until the rosehips are soft. Depending on how ripe the rosehips are, this process can take up to 20 minutes.
Fourth step: Blend the mixture
Use a hand or immersion blender to turn the mixture into a creamy purée. You can also run the pulp through a food mill.
Fifth step: Strain the mixture
Strain the mixture using a muslin cloth or a fine sieve.
Check the consistency of the soup: if it’s too thin, you can thicken it by adding potato starch. If it’s too thick, add water to achieve the desired texture. The consistency will vary based on the amount of pulp removed during the straining process.
Sixth step: add a sweetener
Depending of the sweetness of rosehips you want to add honey, raw sugar, white sugar, or another sweetener until you have the right level of sweetness. Yu will need to warm it up to dissolve the sugar.
No need for the honey.
How to serve Nyponsoppa
Nyponsoppa can be served either warm or cold. In Sweden, people traditionally serve it cold with almond macaroons and whipped cream or crème fraîche.
Serve the soup as a dessert-like experience; serve Nyponsoppa with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Serve with almond cookies, Swedish “mandelbiskvier,” or these