Svartsoppa ("black soup") is a
soup
Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot – though it is sometimes served chilled – made by cooking or otherwise combining meat or vegetables with Stock (food), stock, milk, or water. According to ''The Oxford Compan ...
consumed traditionally and mostly in the province of
Skåne
Scania ( ), also known by its native name of Skåne (), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces () of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous w ...
in southern
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
. The main ingredient is
goose
A goose (: geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera '' Anser'' (grey geese and white geese) and '' Branta'' (black geese). Some members of the Tadorninae subfamily (e.g., Egy ...
blood (or sometimes
pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), also called swine (: swine) or hog, is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is named the domestic pig when distinguishing it from other members of the genus '' Sus''. Some authorities cons ...
blood). It is often eaten before the
goose dish at the ''
Mårtens gås'' or ''Mårten gås'' dinner
[''A Book of Feasts and Seasons'' by Joanna Bogle, page 183, ] on the 10 November, the eve of Saint Martin (11 November), a surviving remnant of the
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
feast dedicated to
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours (; 316/3368 November 397) was the third bishop of Tours. He is the patron saint of many communities and organizations across Europe, including France's Third French Republic, Third Republic. A native of Pannonia (present-day Hung ...
. Goose is traditionally eaten at this feast over large parts of Europe, with associations to
the folklore surrounding Saint Martin.
Black soup has existed in some form almost everywhere in the world, limited only by religious beliefs. Today the dish has left most localities' cuisines.
See also
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Black soup
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Blood as food
Blood as food is the usage of blood in Human food, food, Religion, religiously and Culture, culturally. Many cultures consume blood, often in combination with meat. The blood may be in the form of blood sausage, as a thickener for sauces, a Curi ...
*
Czernina
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List of soups
This is a list of notable soups. Soups have been made since ancient times.
Some soups are served with large chunks of meat or vegetables left in the liquid, while others are served as a broth. A broth is a flavored liquid usually derived from ...
References
{{Soups
Swedish soups
Blood soups
Scania