Authentic Polish Sauerkraut Soup (Kapusniak) Recipe | Hearty & Comforting
If you’re looking for a hearty and flavorful soup to warm you up, Polish sauerkraut soup, known as Kapusniak, is the perfect choice! 🇵🇱🍲 This traditional dish is packed with rich, tangy flavors from fermented cabbage, smoky meats, and aromatic herbs, making it a beloved comfort food in Polish cuisine. Whether you’re craving a taste of home or trying it for the first time, this easy Kapusniak recipe will bring warmth and deliciousness to your table. Let’s dive into this authentic and satisfying soup!
Polish sauerkraut soup is a simple yet hearty recipe that’s just perfect to enjoy on a cold day. Also known as kapusniak, this sauerkraut soup is naturally vegan and can be easily customized to your liking.
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Why you’ll love this Polish sauerkraut soup?
- It has such interesting flavours! Kapusniak soup is all about that sauerkraut zing that works great with the other ingredients, which include onion, leek, carrot, parsnip and potatoes.
- It’s easy to customize. You can make this soup vegan or add some type of smoked meat for extra flavour.
- It’s just the perfect soup for hangovers. If you’ve been looking for the perfect hangover soup recipe, you’ve just found it!
Ingredients for your sauerkraut soup
- beef broth 64 oz or you can make your own
- 3 grated carrots
- 4 bay leaves
- sauerkraut 2lbs
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 bacon strip
- 4 chopped potatoes
How to make Polish sauerkraut soup with potatoes
Let the cooking begin
As with any soups you do need to have a meat broth that brings extra flavor . You could use store bought but I like to make it myself
Beef broth is super easy. Grab couple bones .. my choice is usually couple ribs, cover it with water. Add couple carrots , celery root and green part , salt and pepper and cook all on a small heat till meat is soft. Remove all and you got yourself broth. I like to cut my meat small and return to my broth
Add your sauerkraut, couple of bay leaves, grated carrots to your broth and cook on a low medium heat for 15 min
Juice from sauerkraut will not let you cook anything soft so I like to grate carrots and add to my soup
In the meantime in a separate small pot cook your chopped small potatoes in a salty water . Cook them all dente
At the same time in your frying pan saute your one onion on a piece of chopped bacon. This part is OPTIONAL but that is how my mama was doing
Add all to your sauerkraut and boil for few minutes so all flavor combine together
Love sauerkraut soup my mama was making
Some of my family friends add a bit of heavy cream to finish all off but I keep it out as my mama did
This kapusniak recipe could be vegan, but you’ll find that in Poland people typically make it with a ham bone, smoked ham hocks or bacon.
Sauerkraut — The best sauerkraut to use in this soup is the one you can get in a Polish deli. I drain it well without rinsing, but you can rinse it if you want.
Potatoes — Any kind of boiling potatoes work great in this soup.
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Leftovers and storage
- Just like in the case of most soups, kapusniak tastes better the next day. You can make it ahead or double up the recipe to enjoy it for a couple of lunches.
- Sauerkraut soup will keep well in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container.
- Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until piping hot.
- The soup will freeze well for up to three months.
If you love Sauerkraut like me you may need to try this salad HERE
