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Overview

Zeamă

Zeama, Moldovan Zeama, Moldovan Chicken Noodle Soup

This zeama recipe simmers chicken gently with carrot, onion and celery into a clear, golden broth, then adds thin homemade noodles and sours the whole pot with bors — a fermented wheat-bran liquid that gives the soup its signature gentle tang. Dill and a spoonful of sour cream finish each bowl. One serving is about 490 g.

Zeama is Moldova’s everyday chicken soup, and the bors is what makes it Moldovan rather than just any chicken soup. Bors is a sour liquid made by fermenting wheat bran, kept in jars in Moldovan kitchens for generations, and a ladle of it gives the clear broth its gentle, refreshing tang. The soup is a fixture of Sunday lunches and family gatherings across the country.

Pairs well with: Sour cream, dill & crusty bread

Provenance

Moldova flag Moldova

Moldovan Heritage

Nordic & European

Time Dedication

1h 35m

25m prep • 70m cook

Batch Yield

8 Servings

315 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 490 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Homemade Noodles)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Soups & Broths Occasions: Sunday lunches, family gatherings, cold-weather meals, everyday Moldovan tables Cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home
Tags: Chicken Savory Herby Soup
A clay bowl of golden zeama chicken soup with carrot and dill, with sour cream beside it

Moldovan Heritage

Photo: Superraptor123, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

Made the Moldovan way: chicken simmered gently into a clear broth, thin homemade noodles cooked in the soup, soured at the end with bors and finished with dill and sour cream.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 35m
P

Prep Stage: Noodles & Vegetables

25 Mins • Dough & Chopping

Make the noodle dough first — flour, egg and a pinch of salt kneaded until smooth, rested, rolled thin and cut into fine strips. While it rests, cut the carrot, onion and celery and get the chicken into the pot.

Maestro Tip: Roll the noodles as thin as you can — thick noodles turn the clear broth cloudy and doughy.

  1. 1

    Make the Noodle Dough

    15 Mins Room temperature

    Mix the flour, egg and a pinch of salt into a firm dough, knead for 5 minutes until smooth, then cover and rest for 15 minutes.

    A rested dough rolls out without springing back.

    Done when: A smooth, firm ball of dough.

  2. 2

    Start the Broth

    10 Mins High heat, 100°C (212°F)

    Put the chicken, onion and celery in a large pot with the water, bring to the boil and skim off the foam that rises.

    Skimming keeps the broth clear and golden instead of grey.

    Done when: A clear broth with no foam on the surface.

  3. 3

    Simmer the Chicken

    45 Mins Gentle simmer, 90°C (194°F)

    Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for about 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through to 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part.

    A gentle simmer, never a hard boil, is what keeps a chicken broth clear.

    Done when: Chicken that falls easily from the bone.

  4. 4

    Roll & Cut the Noodles

    10 Mins Room temperature

    While the chicken simmers, roll the dough out thin on a floured board and cut it into fine strips about 3 mm wide. Leave them to dry for a few minutes.

    Dust the strips with a little flour so they do not stick together in the pot.

    Done when: Thin, even noodle strips.

  5. 5

    Add Carrot & Noodles

    10 Mins Gentle simmer, 90°C (194°F)

    Lift the chicken out, shred the meat and set it aside. Add the carrot to the broth and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the noodles and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until just tender.

    Cook the noodles in the broth itself — they drink up the chicken flavour.

    Done when: Tender noodles and soft carrot in a clear broth.

  6. 6

    Sour with Bors & Serve

    5 Mins Low heat, 80°C (175°F)

    Return the shredded chicken to the pot, pour in the bors and heat through for 2 minutes without boiling. Season with salt, then ladle into bowls with dill and a spoonful of sour cream.

    Bors goes in last and must not boil hard, or its fresh tang turns flat.

    Done when: A clear, golden soup with chicken, noodles, carrot and dill, gently soured.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the zeama steaming hot in deep bowls, with dill scattered on top and sour cream on the side — the broth should be clear and golden, the noodles tender, and the sourness gentle rather than sharp.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

315

kcal / serving

Protein

39g

Complete AA

Carbs

20g

Complex

Fats

8g

Healthy

Per serving (8 servings · 1 serving ≈ 490 g)
Energy315 kcal
Protein39 g
Carbohydrates20 g
Fat8 g
Fibre1.8 g
Sugar2.9 g
Sodium420 mg
Per 100g
Energy64 kcal
Protein7.9 g
Carbohydrates4.1 g
Fat1.6 g
Fibre0.4 g
Sugar0.6 g
Sodium86 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Chicken supplies protein, niacin and vitamin B6, carrots add vitamin A, and the dill and parsley add vitamin C and folate. All nutrition values are estimated.

Light but Filling

About 315 kcal a serving with 38.6 g of protein makes a lunch that fills you up without heaviness.

Protein for Recovery

The chicken supplies the protein that makes a simple soup a proper meal.

Vitamin A & B Vitamins

Carrots add vitamin A, chicken adds niacin and vitamin B6, and the herbs add vitamin C.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sauces

Sour Cream

A spoonful of sour cream softens the tang of the bors and makes the clear broth feel rounder.

Sides

Fresh Dill

Dill is the herb of zeama — its fresh, grassy flavour is part of the soup, not a garnish.

Crusty Bread

Crusty bread is for dipping into the golden broth and catching the last noodles.

Drinks

Herbal Tea or Kvass

A mild herbal tea or a small glass of kvass suits the gentle sourness of the soup.

Complete menu

Serve the zeama hot with sour cream and dill, crusty bread on the side, and herbal tea to finish.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Boiling the Bors Hard

Bors added to a rolling boil loses its fresh tang and can turn the broth cloudy — heat it through gently at the end. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Very Spicy Additions

Hot chilli sauce fights the delicate, sour flavour of zeama; keep the soup mild and let the bors do the work. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA light, comforting lunch — about 315 kcal a serving, best eaten hot.
  • ChildrenMild and friendly, with soft noodles and shredded chicken; hold back the bors a little for small children.
  • ElderlyWarm, soft and easy to eat; the clear broth is gentle and hydrating.
  • Pregnant womenFine as a lunch; make sure the chicken is cooked right through to 74°C (165°F). Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Breastfeeding womenA warming, hydrating lunch with good protein from the chicken.
  • AthletesA good lighter meal — about 38.6 g of protein per serving; add bread for more carbohydrate after training.
  • Weight gainA second bowl with bread and sour cream adds energy easily.
  • Weight lossA good choice — filling and high in protein for about 315 kcal; keep the bread to one slice.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesLow in carbohydrate for a noodle soup, but keep the noodles to the stated amount and skip extra bread. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • High blood pressureModest in sodium as written; skip added salt and go easy on salty accompaniments. Ask your clinician.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein from the chicken; ask your clinician about portions.
  • GoutChicken and bors are moderate in purines; keep to one bowl. Ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesA clear, gentle soup that is usually well tolerated; the bors adds mild acidity, so go easy if your stomach is sensitive. Ask your clinician.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseLow in fat and rich in protein — a sensible choice in a modest portion. Ask your clinician.
  • Fatty liverLight and low in fat; a good choice as written. Ask your clinician.
  • Food allergiesContains wheat (noodles), egg and milk (sour cream). Naturally free of pork and fish.
  • Special therapeutic dietsFor gluten-free, use rice noodles instead of wheat noodles and check the bors label.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store the soup in airtight containers; keep the sour cream separate.
In the fridge
Keeps 3 days in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below.
In the freezer
Up to 3 months; freeze the broth and chicken without the noodles, and cook fresh noodles when reheating.
How to reheat
Reheat gently in a pan until steaming hot throughout, to 74°C (165°F); do not boil hard.
Freezing recommended
Yes — without the noodles, which go soft in the freezer.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell beyond the normal bors tang, slimy chicken, or a cloudy, off broth.

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