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Ready for a tasty and comforting Polish sauerkraut soup? Ready in under an hour, this Polish sauerkraut soup hits a homerun on flavor with thick chunks of Polish sausage and salty sauerkraut. Follow this delicious recipe and enjoy a hearty meal that everyone will love!
Sauerkraut soup is a hearty, almost stew-like dish. It is generally made with potatoes, sausage, carrots, and of course, sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is one of those ingredients you either love or hate. And if you do love it, this Kapusniak recipe (sauerkraut soup) is a must-try!
Plus, we love to try different ethnic dishes like my stew peas recipe here, and this Polish soup is a family favorite.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This Polish sauerkraut soup is a comforting and delicious meal that is easy to prepare and ready in under an hour.
- Kraut, as well as many fermented vegetables, is very nutritious. Sauerkraut is loaded with vitamins and minerals, and its many probiotics help the body absorb those nutrients.
- The combination of sauerkraut and Polish sausage is a classic in Polish cuisine, and the addition of onions, garlic, potatoes, and carrots makes for a unique and tasty dish full of flavor.
- Having a hot and filling meal on hand, like this sauerkraut soup (or my braised brisket) is a go-to meal for us.
Recipe Ingredients
- Polish Sausage: Go with whatever your favorite brand is.
- Beef Broth: Try my oxtail bone broth! The broth provides a rich, savory base.
- Olive Oil: Any high-quality olive oil will work here. Use your favorite, as the flavor can come through in the final dish.
- Sauerkraut: I took the easy route here and used some premade sauerkraut. It’s not hard to make if you want to try it yourself, but you will have to plan ahead since the fermentation process takes at least a week. Learn how to make sauerkraut here.
Polish Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Dutch Oven)
Before starting, decide whether you’ll be using a dutch oven or a stainless steel pot. Either will work, but I prefer the dutch oven.
Step 1: Begin by sauteing the onion and garlic in olive oil on the stove. While that is sauteing, dice potatoes and carrots and add them, along with the broth, to the pot once the onions are soft and translucent. Season with salt, pepper, some cumin, and caraway seeds. Cover and bring to a boil.
Step 2: While the broth is coming to a boil, now is the perfect time to cut up that delicious Polish sausage. I cut them into about half-inch pieces and sear them over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.
Step 3: Once the broth comes to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes to allow the potatoes and carrots to soften. Then, add in sausage and sauerkraut and let it simmer for an additional 10 minutes so that everything is heated through nicely.
Finally, let your soup rest for a few minutes before serving. This will help all of the flavors combine nicely. On that note, this recipe is actually even better the next day for that same reason!
Expert Tips
- Other proteins can work, too. In a pinch, you can substitute cooked ground pork in place of the Polish sausage. Ground pork goes great in soups and chili recipes, like my ground pork chili!
- Timing is key. Cooking time is the key to getting the most out of your sauerkraut soup. Make sure all the ingredients are soft before adding in the kraut! Cooking it low and slow allows all the ingredients to develop their full flavor.
- Broth makes a big difference. Try this homemade bone broth to make your own chicken broth, or make pork broth from this pork bone soup recipe.
- Keep it simple with the kraut. I personally used store-bought kraut in this recipe. Try to look for sauerkraut with just cabbage, water, and salt as ingredients.
- The variations are endless. By substituting sausage for bacon, boiled chicken, or ribs you can make this recipe brand new every time! It is also delicious with onions, celery, and mushrooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
While most soups, such as venison stew, benefit from a low, slow cook, the flavors from the sauerkraut and sausage absorb quickly into the broth and vegetables for a tasty, harmonious soup.
Swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth and substitute sausage for lightly seared zucchini or acorn squash. Then add it to the soup as you would the sausage.
The polish sausage adds terrific flavor to the soup. Other great options include bacon, ham, and diced chicken.
Add a cup of cooked rice, barley, or quinoa to help stretch this meal even further. You will need to adjust the broth amount, though, to keep the soup consistency.
While the answer is yes, you may want to adjust the cooking time accordingly, as the cabbage will not need much time to cook.
Related Recipes
While this sausage and sauerkraut soup is a hearty meal on its own, it’s best enjoyed with fresh, homemade dutch oven bread.
If you’re looking for more delicious and filling main dishes, check out these recipes next!
- Dutch Oven Stuffed Peppers
- Dutch Oven Round Steak
- Tuscan Chicken
- Southwest Chicken Casserole
- Venison Chili Recipe
- Beef Oxtail Pho
- Pork Cottage Roll
- Dutch Oven Spare Ribs
If you tried this Polish Sauerkraut Soup or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Polish Sauerkraut Soup
Equipment
- 5 qt dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4-5 red potatoes peeled and cut into ½" pieces
- 1 carrot peeled and diced
- 4 ½ cups broth chicken, or beef
- ½ tsp caraway seeds
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 lb Polish sausage pre cooked
- 1 cup sauerkraut
Instructions
- Saute onion and garlic in the dutch oven (or stockpot) until soft.
- Add broth, potatoes, carrots, caraway seeds, cumin, salt, and pepper, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
- When it reaches a rolling boil, cover and reduce the heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
- While the vegetables are cooking, dice the sausage into bite-size pieces and pan-sear in a skillet with the remaining oil until slightly browned and crispy.
- Once the potatoes and carrots are soft, add the sausage and sauerkraut to heat through for 10 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
-
- In a pinch, you can substitute cooked ground pork in place of the Polish sausage. Ground pork goes great in soups and chili recipes, like my ground pork chili!
-
- Cooking time is the key to getting the most out of your sauerkraut soup. Make sure all the ingredients are soft before adding in the kraut! Cooking it low and slow allows all the ingredients to develop their full flavor.
-
- Try this homemade bone broth to make your own chicken broth, or make pork broth from this pork bone soup recipe.
-
- I personally used store-bought kraut in this recipe. Try to look for sauerkraut with just cabbage, water, and salt as ingredients.
-
- By substituting sausage for bacon, chicken, or ribs you can make this recipe brand new every time! It is also delicious with onions, celery, and mushrooms.
GREAT RECIPES
Thank you