Kapusniak – Polish Sauerkraut Soup with Pork Ribs and Potatoes

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👉 Kapusniak is the classic Polish sauerkraut soup: a warming, slightly sour broth made with pork ribs, sauerkraut, potatoes and carrots, seasoned with bay leaf, allspice and caraway. It is everyday comfort food in Poland – cheap, filling and even better the next day – and it is made in a similar way across Ukraine (kapusnyak), Slovakia and Belarus. If you love cabbage soup but want more flavour, kapusniak is the one to try.

How to Make Kapusniak

1. Cook the broth. Put the pork ribs in a large pot with the water, bay leaves and allspice. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour until the meat is tender.
2. Prepare the sauerkraut. While the broth cooks, roughly chop the sauerkraut. Taste it – if it is very sour, rinse it briefly in cold water.
3. Add the sauerkraut. Add the sauerkraut and its juice to the pot along with the caraway seeds and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Fry the vegetables. Melt the butter or lard in a pan and fry the onion and carrots for 6–7 minutes. Stir in the paprika and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.
5. Add potatoes and vegetables. Add the potatoes, fried vegetables and sliced kielbasa to the soup. Simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
6. Shred the meat. Take out the ribs, pull the meat off the bones, chop it and return it to the pot. Remove the bay leaves.
7. Season. Season with salt and pepper. The soup should be pleasantly sour, savoury and a little smoky.
8. Serve. Serve hot, sprinkled with dill or parsley, with a spoonful of sour cream and rye bread on the side.

Tips for the Best Kapusniak

• Smoked ribs or a piece of smoked bacon give kapusniak its deep, traditional flavour.
• Don’t rinse the sauerkraut unless it is very sour – its tang is the heart of the soup.
• Like most cabbage soups, kapusniak tastes even better reheated the next day.

FAQ

What is kapusniak?
Kapusniak is a Polish soup made with sauerkraut, pork, potatoes and carrots. The name comes from kapusta, the Polish word for cabbage.

What is the difference between kapusniak and shchi?
Both are sauerkraut or cabbage soups. Polish kapusniak usually has smoked pork, potatoes, allspice and caraway, while Russian shchi is often made with beef and served with sour cream and dill.

Can I use fresh cabbage instead of sauerkraut?
Yes – a mix of half sauerkraut and half fresh cabbage is popular. With only fresh cabbage, add a splash of lemon juice or pickle brine for sourness.

👉 More Polish comfort food: bigos, pierogi ruskie and naleśniki. More soups: Russian solyanka, Ukrainian borscht and our guide to Polish food.

Footnotes:

Vegetarian kapusniak: skip the meat, use vegetable broth and add a handful of dried mushrooms and smoked paprika for depth.
Kapusniak keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well for up to 3 months.