This hearty and warming Polish sauerkraut soup recipe is a nutritious simple dish perfect to enjoy on a cold day. The post includes both vegetarian and meat sauerkraut soup options.
Polish sauerkraut soup recipe
This sauerkraut soup recipe, 'kapusniak' in Polish, is one of the heartiest soups I know. Sharp, peppery and warming, it is a great dish to make during colder months. It is one of the most popular soups in Poland, where cabbage, whether fresh or fermented (i.e. sauerkraut), is inexpensive, available all year round and valued for its nutrition and fabulous flavour.
Vegetarian vs meat sauerkraut soup
Polish sauerkraut soup is typically made with meat, such as Polish sausage, pieces of ham, pork ribs, often smoked.
This vegetarian sauerkraut soup is equally delicious especially if you garnish it with fresh herbs and sprinkle with a bit of smoked paprika. (See more serving suggestions below).
If, however, you would like to make meat based kapusniak soup simply add the meat (chopped Polish sausage, smoked ham, ribs or chicken drumsticks etc) into the pot right at the start and cook along with the other ingredients. Once the soup is ready you can take the meat out, remove the bones, if present, chop the meat and place back into the pot.
Sauerkraut
This fermented cabbage product has a distinct sharp, sour taste. It also has a pungent smell. Both in its raw as well as cooked form. Which in my view is the only downside to sauerkraut. Everything else is fabulous. For me sauerkraut is the savoury equivalent to chocolate. It will satisfy your savoury cravings better than crisps (chips), pretzels or crackers. And it's so much better for you!
Another big plus is that sauerkraut has a long shelf life, it's full of natural preservatives so it won't spoil quickly. So you can enjoy it in not one but several recipes! See more sauerkraut recipe ideas below.
Where to buy sauerkraut
I recommend buying sauerkraut in a Polish delicatessen. Look for sauerkraut with no preservatives in it (other than salt), yellow rather than grey in colour.
Other easy sauerkraut recipes
If you are wondering what to do with leftover sauerkraut you might like these ideas:
- Polish Sauerkraut Dumplings (Pierogi z Kapusta)
- Sauerkraut Salad with Spiralized Carrot and Apple
- Sauerkraut Casserole with Chicken
- Authentic Polish Bigos Stew Recipe
Check out also my tips on how to cook sauerkraut.
Equipment you'll need
- Kitchen scale and measuring cup
- Cutting board and knife
- Large pot and spoon
How to make Polish sauerkraut soup
1.Start by briefly frying the onion and bay leaf in a little oil, then add the sauerkraut and continue cooking for another minute or so.
2. Pour in half of the vegetable stock (and add the meat if using), cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients including the rest of the stock, bring to the boil again, then simmer gently for 50 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning and/or add a little more water if needed and serve.
Consistency of Polish kapusniak soup
You can adjust the amount of water to add according to your preference. I like this soup quite thick, almost stew-like, but you can simply add a bit more water if you prefer. (Don't forget to adjust the seasoning too). Sometimes sauerkraut comes with a bit of grated carrot - it's perfectly alright to use this instead of just sauerkraut.
Seasoning
Be careful with adding salt to this soup as sauerkraut is quite salty. Once the soup is cooked taste it to determine the amount of salt it needs, if any. Be generous, however, with the pepper (use either black or cayenne) as this soup tastes best with a bit of bite.
Top tips
- I recommend buying sauerkraut in a Polish delicatessen. Look for sauerkraut with no preservatives in it (other than salt), yellow rather than grey in colour.
- Do not add any salt until the soup is ready and you can taste it to decide how much salt, if any, is needed.
- To make meat kapusniak soup add the meat to the sauerkraut and cook for about 20 minutes, then continue cooking the soup according to the Instructions.
- If you make this sauerkraut soup with meat add water rather than stock (both the meat as well as stock are salty). Adjust the amounts to suit your preference.
- Spices: use cayenne or lots of black pepper for a bit of bite and smoked paprika (unless you are adding smoked meats to the soup). Some kapusniak recipes call for marjoram and caraway seeds. Use 1 teaspoon of each if you like.
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
Garnish with fresh dill or parsley, sprinkle with smoked paprika, add a knob of butter, bacon bits or sausage chunks (for a non-vegetarian option). You can also enjoy this vegetarian sauerkraut recipe with a thick slice of pumpernickel or rye bread.
Allergy Advice
Sauerkraut should be gluten free but always read the label before making a purchase.
More Polish soup recipes
- Simple Borscht Recipe (Vegetarian Polish Barszcz)
- Polish Dill Pickle Soup (Ogorkowa)
- Beet Greens Vegetable Soup
- Polish Sorrel Soup (Zupa Szczawiowa)
Check out also this collection of over 12 creamy vegan soups.
Keep in touch!
How did your kapusniak soup turn out for you? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Recipe
Polish Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapusniak)
Ingredients
- 9.88 ounces (280 g) sauerkraut chopped
- 1.1 pounds (500 g) potatoes peeled, cubed
- 1 medium carrot peeled, finely diced
- 1.76 ounces (50 g) celeriac small piece, peeled, finely diced
- ½ small leek thinly sliced
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- ⅓ teaspoon allspice powder
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 cups (1420 ml) vegetable or chicken stock adjust the amount to your preference
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot heat up the oil, add the bay leaf, onion and fry for a couple of minutes over a medium heat stirring occasionally.
- Add the sauerkraut (and meat if using, see *Notes below), stir and continue frying for another minute or so. Add ½ the amount of stock, cover and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add the rest of the ingredients (NOT the salt), including the remaining stock, stir, cover, bring to boil again and continue cooking over a low heat for 50 minutes. DO NOT add salt until the soup is fully cooked as the sauerkraut is salty so taste the soup to decide how much salt it needs.
Notes
- I recommend buying sauerkraut in a Polish delicatessen. Look for sauerkraut with no preservatives in it (other than salt), yellow rather than grey in colour.
- Do not add any salt until the soup is ready and you can taste it to decide how much salt, if any, is needed.
- *To make meat kapusniak soup add the meat along with the sauerkraut and cook for about 20 minutes, then continue cooking the soup according to the Instructions.
- If you make this sauerkraut soup with smoked meat add water rather than stock (both the meat as well as stock are salty). Adjust the amounts to suit your preference.
- Spices: use cayenne or lots of black pepper for a bit of bite and smoked paprika (unless you are adding smoked meats to the soup). Some kapusniak recipes call for marjoram and caraway seeds. Use 1 teaspoon of each if you like.
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.
- To save time making this soup prepare the vegetables while the sauerkraut and onion are cooking.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
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Dionne says
Looks amazing! Can I substitute olive oil for vegetable oil?
Monika says
Yes, you can:)
Michael says
When cooking any sour polish soup you should:
1) cook potatoes separately and then add them to the soup,
or
2) cook potatoes in the soup and any sour ingredient once the potatoes are cooked.
The point is in acidic environment potatoes might be difficult to cook, and stay too firm and kind of half-cooked, what is not pleasant when eating.
When it comes to spices, carraway seeds are the number one choice. A dash of paprika and pepper is welcome as well.
Finally, most Polish people probably will say, that 'kapusniak' not cooked on any smoked meat is not real 'kapusniak', so I highly advise anybody willing to try the recipe, add some fried polish sausage 'kielbasa' or some smoked ribs or even fried smoked bacon.
Take care 😉
Monika says
Thank you for your feedback! Cooking potatoes separately for soup is not something I am familiar with, so I've learned something new today:) I completely agree with you regarding spices and smoked sausage - see Top tips and Serving suggestions in the post.
Judy M says
On this cold blustery day I had a craving for kapusta as my mother called it and came across your recipe. Made mine with riblets and chicken broth, caraway, marjoram and bay leaf. The aroma is like my grandma’s kitchen out in Kamsack, Saskatchewan and the flavour is perfect. Thanks for turning a miserable day into a happy one!
Monika says
You are welcome! So glad it brought back good memories! Thank you for letting me know:)
Mårten says
Hello
Thank you for your recipe. I love sauerkraut. And i buy Kielbasa Mysliwska because i like how it all taste together
Monika says
You are welcome! This type of kielbasa is perfect to use in sauerkraut soup.
Kristi says
This was sooo yummy! I had to substitute the potatoes for parsnips due to diet restrictions. I topped my bowl of soup with diced deli style pickles before eating. Turned out delicious. I will be making again. Thank you for recipe
Monika says
Parsnips would have added sweetness which makes for a great contrast with the sauerkraut. I must try that next time I make this soup. Thank you for your feedback:)
Denikah83 says
Just busy cooking this soup. My concern is that the vegetables are still not getting soft and its been cooking 50 min. I did cut the veggies in to small cubes... could that be a fault? Or is the sourness preventing them from getting soft?
Monika says
Both are correct! The sourness does affect cooking time and your vegetables need a little longer to become tender than normally (in a recipe with no acidic ingredient). Especially if you don't chop them fine enough. I hope it turned out ok in the end.
Beverly Smith says
Outstanding flavorful and my family loved it! I used smoked beef sausage which is similar to Kielbasa and substituted scallions for leeks. This has been added to my personal recipe collection. I’m sure we will be eating it again soon. Thank you for sharing this recipe. My husband is Polish and really enjoyed this soup.
Monika says
Thank you for letting me know, Beverly, kielbasa is great in this recipe so I am sure your version was delicious:)
Kathleen says
I wasn't sure about this but....Wow was it good! Thanks for introducing me to sauerkraut cooking 🙂
Monika says
So happy you enjoyed this! And thanks for letting me know:)
Kerstin Lampert says
A great recipe for using up leftover veggies on clean put the fridge day! Thanks!
Monika says
Glad you liked it:)
Donna Nygaard says
We loved this soup. Never had made a sauerkraut soup before.My husband said to be sure and make that soup again.
Monika says
Thanks for making my recipe! Glad you enjoyed it:)
Christina Muscat says
I made this for Christmas eve dinner with ham on the bone and it was fantastic. I am going to make it again today without any meat. This recipe is simple tasty hearty filling and comforting. Thanks for including lots of tips too. Greetings from the island of Malta 🙂
Monika says
Thank you for letting me know, Christina! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, making it with ham is a great idea. Hope the vegetarian version turns out just as tasty. Thank you for visiting my blog:)
Christina Muscat says
You know Monika, I realised that the key for success in this soup is having good sauerkraut for this recipe. I bought a different brand with better results than last time, even though they're both organic and clean ingredients. I added a teaspoon of each marjoram and caraway seeds to the onions, and also 2 heaped teaspoons of smoked paprika. My family loved it also. Will be making this regularly now, sometimes with meat and other times without.
Monika says
Thanks for letting me know! So glad to hear the vegetarian version turned out well too! It's true that good sauerkraut is the key to success in this recipe. After all sauerkraut has such an intense flavour the results can range from being fantastic to really not good at all. Glad that you are able to get good quality sauerkraut where you live:)
Kathy says
Just wondering I’m from canada and our sauerkraut is vinegary is this the same as u use?
Monika says
When you say vinegary do you mean sour? Because sauerkraut shouldn't contain vinegar though it should be quite sour. It's hard for me to say if we are using the same type of sauerkraut. If there is a Polish store in your area I strongly recommend you get your sauerkraut there. The bottom line is if you feel it's too sour give it a quick rinse before making the soup. Or use a little less. Good luck!
Sam says
This looks lovely, definitely going to be a full meal! What kind of potatoes do you recommend I use, I was thinking red? Thanks for sharing!
Monika says
You don't need any special kind of potatoes, I use whatever I happen to have, red will do just fine. Hope you enjoy this recipe:)
Peace & Tomatoes (@poegtm062117) says
I just made this and it was fantastic! I tweeked it a bit with some veggies I had in the freezer, but the cayanne and the leeks made this soup superb. I had 3 bowls, even in August! I was looking for a vegetarian sauerkraut soup recipe and found yours. Thanks!
Monika says
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and trying out one of my recipes! So glad to hear you enjoyed it:)
Susan says
I’ve added kielbasa’s and it’s great !
Monika says
Fantastic! Thank you for making my recipe!
Monique says
That's what I was thinking of adding
Sauerkraut Billy says
This looks delicious Monika! This reminds me almost exactly of a recipe my Grandpa used to make our family when I was super young! Can't wait to try this and revisit that nostalgia. Thanks so much for sharing!
Monika says
Thank you! Glad you like it. We all need nostalgic food every once in a while:)
Andrea Giang | Cooking with a Wallflower says
I have never had sauerkraut in soup before, but it looks and sounds so hearty and perfect for the winter. Thanks for sharing on FF!
Monika says
Thanks! It is exactly that. Always happy to share with FF:)
Sherry E says
Making this today =)
Monika says
Great! Let me know how it turns out:)
Sherry E says
It was great! I seasoned with cilantro, cayenne and smoked paprika like you suggested... I also used my immersion blender to chop it up a bit. I found my sauerkraut lost a bit of its zing so I added a little vinegar to get it back! Excellent recipe thanks ☺
Monika says
I am so glad it turned out alright! If you make it again reserve some of the sauerkraut juice and add it later on to your soup if it's not sour enough:)
Colleen says
Oh my goodness, does this every look delicious! I need to make an international soup this month and I think I may have to try something like this!
Monika says
Thanks! Let me know how it turned out if you did decide to make it:)
SandyZ says
Hi Monika,
I want to make this soup. It sounds delicious! Two questions---1. Should it be made with raw or (cooked?) sauerkraut. 2. Can it be made with store-bought sauerkraut (canned, jarred, etc.). Thanks so much.
Monika says
Hi Sandy, the sauerkraut has to be raw so jarred, etc can all be used. Good luck:)