Tangy Sauerkraut Soup with Probiotics (Printable Version)

Tangy fermented cabbage soup with smoked meats, vegetables, and natural probiotics for digestive wellness.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 5.3 oz smoked bacon or kielbasa sausage, diced (optional for vegetarian version)

→ Vegetables

02 - 17.6 oz sauerkraut, drained and roughly chopped
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
08 - 1 cup water

→ Spices & Seasonings

09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked
13 - Salt to taste

→ Finishing Touches

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
15 - 4 tablespoons sour cream for serving, optional

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - In a large soup pot over medium heat, sauté smoked bacon or sausage until browned and fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. For a vegetarian version, skip this step or sauté smoked tofu in 1 tablespoon of oil.
02 - Add onion, garlic, and carrots to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in sauerkraut and potatoes. Sauté for 3 minutes to allow flavors to blend and meld together.
04 - Add broth, water, bay leaf, caraway seeds, black pepper, and paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until potatoes are tender and flavors are well developed.
05 - Taste the soup and adjust salt as needed to achieve desired seasoning balance.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with fresh parsley and a dollop of sour cream if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauerkraut does the heavy lifting for tang and probiotic magic, so you barely have to think about seasoning.
  • It's the kind of soup that actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep without any fussy reheating.
  • One bowl with sour cream and rye bread feels like a complete meal that somehow costs almost nothing to make.
02 -
  • Raw, unpasteurized sauerkraut is the whole point here—pasteurized versions taste fine but lose the living probiotics that make this soup actually good for your gut, so check the label and choose wisely.
  • Caraway seeds seem weird until you taste them, and then you realize they're the thing that separates this from just-another-vegetable-soup; don't leave them out even if you're suspicious.
03 -
  • Buy sauerkraut from the refrigerated section of the store, not the shelf-stable jars—those living cultures matter and they live in cold.
  • Make a double batch because soup is always better when there's enough to give to someone else, and this one is definitely the kind you'll want to share.
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