Slovak recipe
How to make Kapustnica (sauerkraut soup)
kapustnica
Across Slovakia, above all at Christmas
A thick, sour soup of fermented cabbage, usually with smoked meat, sausage and dried mushrooms. Every region, valley and village cooks it a little differently.
Ingredients
- 800 g sauerkraut with its juice
- 300 g smoked pork (ribs or shoulder)
- 200 g smoked sausage, sliced
- 20 g dried mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
- 1 onion, chopped, and 1 tablespoon lard or oil
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 2 bay leaves, a few peppercorns and allspice berries
- 2 litres water
- 150 ml sour cream (optional)
Method
- Put the smoked pork in a large pot with the water, bay leaves, peppercorns and allspice. Simmer for about 1 hour, until tender. Take out the meat, cut it into pieces and keep the stock.
- Soften the onion in the lard, take the pan off the heat and stir in the paprika.
- Add the onion, sauerkraut with its juice and the soaked mushrooms with their water to the stock. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add the sausage and the pork pieces and cook for 15 minutes more. Taste for salt: the sauerkraut is already salty.
- Serve hot with bread. Stir in a little sour cream if you like it milder.
Made it at home? Tick it off and it goes into your kitchen passport.
Catholic families traditionally make a meatless version for Christmas Eve, while the festive version is rich with smoked meat and sausage.
Take the trip to Slovakia
