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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
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.
2. Add finely chopped celery and onion. Saute until softened and golden (5 min).
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.
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)
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
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
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
FAQs
Although "sauerkraut" is from a German word (Sauerkraut), the dish did not originate in Germany. Some claim fermenting cabbage suan cai was already practised in the days of the building of the Great Wall of China.
What can you eat with sauerkraut for dinner? ›
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.
How do you eat sauerkraut? ›
Sauerkraut can be added to soups and stews; cooked with stock, beer or wine; served with sausages or salted meats, and is especially good with smoked fish, like hot-smoked salmon.
Is sauerkraut good or bad for you? ›
Sauerkraut may provide various health benefits, such as effects on immune health and inflammation. It may also contain antioxidants and substances with anticancer properties. Most people can safely consume sauerkraut. However, it may cause people with histamine intolerance to develop allergy-like symptoms.
Is sauerkraut Chinese or German? ›
Sauerkraut has been a staple food in the German diet since it was brought over from China in the 16th century. The Chinese started eating sauerkraut 2,000 years before the Germans.
What 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.
Is sauerkraut Ukrainian or German? ›
Americans most often associate it with German cuisine—and rightfully so, it is a national dish of Germany—but many Central and Eastern European countries have their own sauerkraut varieties, including Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Austria, Slovakia, and Czechia, to name a few.
Is sauerkraut good for your stomach? ›
Sauerkraut is a versatile food full of essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Live sauerkraut can also contain probiotic bacteria, which are good for your gut. Some nutrients in sauerkraut may contribute to improved heart health, bone health, immune function, and inflammation.
Is it OK to eat sauerkraut at night? ›
For a good sleep, you need to be kind to your gut and eating fermented food such as yoghurt, sauerkraut or kimchi before bedtime could help overcome insomnia.
Can you eat sauerkraut every day? ›
You can eat sauerkraut every day. But if you're looking to benefit your gut bacteria, you can also eat other fermented foods and beverages like kimchi and kombucha. Yogurt also contains beneficial probiotics. Each product can contain different strains of bacteria, which may vary in their benefits.
Sauerkraut is eaten both warm and cold as a side dish, often in place of a salad and as the only vegetable served. Sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and some form of meat are the stereotypical serving.
What time of day should you eat sauerkraut? ›
Brimming with beneficial bacteria, sauerkraut may be the secret ingredient to balance your gut microbiota, but only if you consume it at the right time. 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.
What is the healthiest brand of sauerkraut? ›
The healthiest brand of sauerkraut is one that is made with organic cabbage and is unpasteurized. Some popular brands include Wildbrine, Farmhouse Culture, and Bubbies.
Should you drink the liquid in sauerkraut? ›
There are many ways to use this juice, believe it or not, you can even just drink the liquid straight like a tonic! It can be used for a second ferment, throwing a new array of vegetables or cabbage into the brine can be a great kickstart for a second fermentation.
What is in sauerkraut? ›
Sauerkraut typically has just two ingredients: cabbage and salt. Traditionally, the process involves using naturally occurring bacteria to carry out the fermentation of the cabbage. Commercial sauerkraut manufacturers may use their own “starter cultures” of bacteria for fermentation.
What does sauerkraut taste like? ›
The taste is in the name, even if it's spelled the German way. Good sauerkraut has a sour punch, backed by acidic and salty notes. It's not sour like Sour Patch Kids or Warheads; it has a far more natural taste (close to the flavor of a pickle) that is quite delicious in big heaping doses.
Is sauerkraut just fermented cabbage? ›
To make sauerkraut, shredded cabbage is mixed with salt and allowed to ferment. The amount of salt added is critical to assuring food safety, and should not be adjusted. Fermentation takes three to six weeks depending on the air temperature.
What is the liquid in sauerkraut? ›
Kraut juice (called Sauerkrautsaft in German, Zeamă de varză/Moare in Romanian, rasol, rasoj or rasuluk in the Balkans) is a beverage that consists of the liquid in which sauerkraut is cured. It is the juice of the vegetable itself and the pickling brine.
