Slovenian Beef Soup (Goveja Juha) — The Queen of Sunday Lunch

If there’s one dish that feels like home in Slovenia, it’s goveja juha — clear, golden beef soup that opens countless Sunday lunches. As we’ll touch on in Slovenian Cuisine Guide: Beyond Potica – Traditional Food, Wine & Culture, this soup is more than a course; it’s a ritual: a slow pot on the stove, the whole house smelling like comfort, and the promise of a proper feast to follow.

With good beef and bones, fresh vegetables, and a little patience, you’ll get a bright, clear, deeply flavored soup — perfect for Sunday lunch or any time you’re craving a warming bowl of comfort.

Ingredients

Meat & bones

• 1 kg beef bones (rib bones or oxtail)

• 500 g beef (chuck, brisket, or round)

Vegetables

• 3 carrots

• 1 parsley root

• 1/2 celeriac

• 1 leek

• 1 onion

• 2 garlic cloves

Seasoning

• 1 small bunch fresh parsley

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tsp whole peppercorns

• Salt, to taste

To serve (optional)

• Fine egg noodles

Yield: ~6 servings
Prep: 20 min Cook: 2–3 h Total: ~2 h 50 min

Method

1. Prep the meat & bones
   Rinse meat and bones under cold water. For deeper color and flavor, roast them first at 200 °C for about 20 minutes until nicely browned.

2. Start the soup
   Place meat and bones in a large pot and cover with cold water (about 5 cm above). Add the onion (for a warm golden hue, you can use an unpeeled onion, halved) and the garlic.

3. Skim for clarity
   Heat slowly. When it comes to a boil, lower the heat and skim the foam that rises to the top for about 10–15 minutes so the broth stays clear.

4. Add vegetables & seasoning (and salt here)
   Add the cleaned, chopped vegetables, parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Season with salt at this stage. You can fine-tune the salt right at the end.

5. Gentle simmer
   Cook on the lowest heat for 2–3 hours — it should only gently bubble. Top up with cold water if needed to keep the level steady and help control that gentle simmer.

6. Finish & serve
   Strain through a fine sieve for a clear soup. Slice the cooked carrots and beef, cook the noodles separately, then serve the clear broth with noodles, a few carrot cubes and beef pieces. Finish with chopped parsley.

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Tips for a perfect broth

• Ratio matters: Aim for 1 part meat : 2 parts bones for depth and body.

• Always start cold: Cold water helps extract flavor slowly and cleanly.

• Salt timing: Salt when adding vegetables and spices; near the end just adjust to taste for a full, rounded flavor.

• Vegetable variations: Kohlrabi, a wedge of tomato, or a little cabbage add nuance.

• Storage: Keeps up to 4 days in the fridge; up to 3 months frozen.

🍲 Tradition tip: In many Slovenian homes, this soup opens the feast — roast meats, potatoes, salads (and yes, sometimes potica) follow — but that first bowl is what gathers everyone at the table.