Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (2024)

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (1)

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This sauerkraut soup is a most unusual and delicious soup. It’s also the perfect example of how the farmers and common folks of Ukraine made delicious foods with simple basic ingredients. My husband’s grandparents stored sauerkraut inbarrels for winter. The sauerkraut wasone of their primaryvegetable sources during the cold months, so they got creative with it and made Kapustnyak (sauerkraut soup).

Can you evenimagine not being able to go to the grocery store and buybroccolior lettuce in the winter? We are truly blessed tolive in the US! #sothankful ?

Back to this soup, the sauerkraut gives ita lovely texture and zing and the bacon provides a subtle smokiness. ?Excellent with fresh crusty bread. It’s hearty, filling and will warm your belly. My husband and I enjoyed leftovers for several days.

This recipe was inspired by one of my readers, Oksana, who shared herrecipe for sauerkraut soup and bean soup with me. It was also inspired by Rachel Ray’s Ham, Bean and Bacon Soup. Thank you ladies for generously sharing your delicious recipes! 🙂

Ingredients for Sauerkraut Soup:

1 Tbsp olive oil
8 ozbacon, chopped
1 stick celery, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
3 medium (1 lb) potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/3″ thick pieces
1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed, optional
2-3 cupssauerkraut, triple rinsed & drained (weuse 3 cups or about2 lbs)
8 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups water, or to taste
1 (15 oz can) white beans (click to learn how to cookyour own beans)
Salt, Pepper and Mrs. Dash seasoning, to taste

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (2)

How to Make Sauerkraut Soup (Kapustnyak):

1.Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven (here’s the one I use). Add chopped bacon and sautee until browned then remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (3)

2. Add finely chopped celery and onion. Saute until softened and golden (5 min).

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (4)

3. Add sliced carrots, potatoes, 1/4 cup quinoa (if using), 8 cups broth and 2cups water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 15 min.

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (5)

4. Add 2-3 cups of well rinsed and drained sauerkraut and half of cooked bacon (I keep some for garnish), white beans with their juice, and 1 bay leaf and continue to cook until potatoes are tender(about 10min). Season soup to taste (I added 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp Mrs Dash). Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (6)

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (7)

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak)

4.99 from 185 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (9)

This sauerkraut soup is a most unusual and delicious soup. The sauerkraut gives it a lovely texture and zing and the bacon provides a subtle smokiness. It's hearty, filling and will warm your belly.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 50 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 8 large bowls of soup

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 8 oz bacon, chopped
  • 1 stick celery, finely diced
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
  • 3 medium, 1 lb potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/3" thick pieces
  • 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed, optional
  • 2-3 cups sauerkraut, triple rinsed & drained (we use 3 cups or about 2 lbs)
  • 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water, or to taste
  • 1 15 oz can white beans (click to learn how to cook your own beans)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt, Pepper and Mrs. Dash seasoning, to taste

Instructions

  • Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add chopped bacon and sautee until browned then remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.

  • Add finely chopped celery and onion. Saute until softened and golden (5 min).

  • Add sliced carrots, potatoes, 1/4 cup quinoa (if using), 8 cups broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 15 min.

  • Add 2-3 cups of well rinsed and drained sauerkraut and half of cooked bacon (I keep some for garnish), white beans with their juice, and 1 bay leaf and continue to cook until potatoes are tender (about 10 min). Season soup to taste (I added 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp Mrs Dash). Serve with fresh crusty bread.

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Russian

Keyword: Sauerkraut Soup

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $$

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (10)

All that coziness in a bowl ?. What’s your favorite “weird” soup? Maybe you fancy yourself a bowl of pickle soup orgreen borsch?

Natasha Kravchuk

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (11)

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapustnyak) (2024)

FAQs

What is Kapusniak soup? ›

Kapusniak (Polish Potato, Kielbasa, and Cabbage Soup) Simple, delicious, and deeply nourishing. Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site.

What is the difference between German and Polish sauerkraut? ›

In Poland, the typical kraut gets made with shredded cabbage and shredded carrots. Another variety uses beets with the cabbage. This also gives it a very cool color as well I might add. In Germany, caraway seeds and juniper berries often get added to cooked sauerkraut.

How do you make sauerkraut less sour? ›

A couple. tablespoons of brown sugar and a can of beer.

How do you eat sauerkraut everyday? ›

Therefore, we curated a list of 33 delectable ways to eat sauerkraut.
  1. Make a Sauerkraut Avocado Boat. ...
  2. Use It as a Topping for Cheese Spread. ...
  3. Add It to a Smoothie. ...
  4. Layer Sauerkraut In a Sandwich. ...
  5. Toss It In Your Green Salad. ...
  6. Egg Salad. ...
  7. Add Sauerkraut to Your Mashed Potatoes. ...
  8. Potato Salad.
Jul 28, 2022

What are the benefits of eating sauerkraut soup? ›

Sauerkraut is a source of probiotics and nutrients that support your immune system . For starters, the bacteria that populate your gut can have a strong influence on your immune system. The probiotics found in sauerkraut may help improve the balance of bacteria in your gut, which helps keep your gut lining healthy.

Which country eats the most sauerkraut? ›

Germany is considered a sauerkraut nation - especially in international perception. During world war, English and American opponents even called Germans "Krauts". And the term is still used today. As a side note, however, the per capita consumption of sauerkraut is higher in the US and France than in Germany.

Why do Germans eat so much sauerkraut? ›

Generations ago, the Germans likely felt better after eating their beloved fermented cabbage and recognized sauerkraut's digestive and immune-boosting properties.

What do Germans call sauerkraut? ›

What does sauerkraut mean? Sauerkraut is the German language equivalent of “sour cabbage.” In reality though, it can mean different things to different people. To busy home chefs, sauerkraut, or fermented cabbage, is a fast, easy way to liven up their families' favorite meals.

Should I add vinegar to my sauerkraut? ›

No need to add any vinegar! Salt alone preserves sour cabbage very well. I add 1/4 cup of shredded carrot for colour. Sometimes, I add a laurel leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of caraway seeds.

What happens if you add vinegar to sauerkraut? ›

By adding vinegar, even raw apple cider vinegar, you stunt the growth of the lactic-acid bacteria resulting in off-texture and flavor and a decrease in the natural preservative qualities of lacto-fermentation.

What happens if you use too much salt when making sauerkraut? ›

Too much salt delays the natural fermentation process.

What pairs well with sauerkraut? ›

As a Side Dish: Serve it as a side with pork dishes, sausages, or roasted meats. The tanginess of sauerkraut complements rich, fatty meats wonderfully. In Salads: Mix it into salads for an extra crunch and flavor. It pairs well with leafy greens, apples, carrots, and a light vinaigrette.

Should I eat sauerkraut in the morning or at night? ›

The best time to eat sauerkraut for gut health is during or before a meal since stomach acid, and enzymes can aid in breaking down food and killing harmful bacteria. Incorporating sauerkraut into your diet regularly can be beneficial, aiming for at least 1-2 servings per day.

Does sauerkraut flatten stomach? ›

Sauerkraut. This delicacy, with its distinctive sour, briny taste, is basically shredded cabbage left to ferment in its own juice. Besides its high belly-slimming properties, sauerkraut also contains a good amount of cancer-fighting compounds (glucosinolates) and the gut-friendly probiotic bacteria – Lactobacillus.

What is the national soup of Kazakhstan? ›

Sorpo (also called shorpo or shurpa), a flavorful broth created with leftover meat from the national dish besbarmak, is the most common soup in Kazakhstan. After a lamb has cooked, the broth is poured into large bowls and some of the chopped meat is then added.

What is the national soup of Chile? ›

Cazuela. This soup is made with chicken, beef or lamb, and you may also find squash, corn cob or potatoes in it. It's as hearty as it sounds, a good, warming dish, flavored with peppers, chili, and corn. Made with chicken, it's called cazuela de ave and is Chile's national dish.

What is the national soup of Azerbaijan? ›

Soup piti is a national dish of Azerbaijan cuisine. This soup has several important features. I Firstly, traditionally such soup is prepared exclusively from lamb with the addition of chickpeas. These components are often unchanged and they give the dish a rich, unique taste.

What is the national soup of Slovenia? ›

Prežganka ("browned" soup with eggs) is Slovenian national soup made of flour, caraway seeds and beaten eggs. The brown color comes from browning the flour in oil or butter.

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