German Sauerkraut Soup (Sauerkrautsuppe)
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Celebrating one of Germany’s most famous “superfoods”, Sauerkraut, this wonderful soup is satisfying to both tummy and soul. The combination of tangy sauerkraut, caramelized onions, smoky paprika, savory bacon and earthy caraway is deliciously irresistible!
Each year when Autumn arrives I automatically start to think about my favorite German Fall dishes like Zwiebelkuchen and flavorful soups and stews. My thoughts also turn to sauerkraut. Yes, sauerkraut. Autumn is cabbage harvest time and it’s during the cold months that sauerkraut is traditionally made; the cooler weather allows for a long and slow fermentation process which yields a superior-tasting product. And while I make sauerkraut throughout the year, I always make a big batch in the Fall.
If you’ve ever lived in Germany and spent a good deal of time eating out, you’ll know that sauerkraut is surprisingly versatile. While it most certainly is eaten along with stereotypical foods like Wurst and Schweinehaxen, you’ll also find sauerkraut in things like casseroles, savory pastries, breads, meatballs, pasta, fritters, salads, quiche, sandwiches, pizzas, soups and stews.
Today I’m sharing a German Sauerkraut Soup with you that is similar to how my mom used to make it for us in Germany. There are several variations of Sauerkrautsuppe and this “red” version utilizing paprika is a popular one and my personal favorite.
This soup always takes me back to Germany, to the homes I grew up in and the places I loved to visit.
One of my favorite German castles to visit in the Fall, and any time of the year, is Schloss Bürresheim. It isn’t one of the more widely known or heavily touristed castles like those of King Ludwig. It’s a lesser known gem but well worth the visit. It’s in the northern part of the Eifel mountain range in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany just outside the town of Mayen.
Built in the 12th century, it is one of only a few castles that was never conquered or devastated and has remained largely intact all these centuries. It’s located out in the country, surrounded by a river and hiking trails.
Incidentally, if you’re an Indiana Jones fan, Schloss Bürresheim was one of the filming locations in The Last Crusade. In the film it was called Castle Brunwald, where Indiana’s father is kept prisoner.
Let’s get back to the FOOD.
The combination of tangy sauerkraut, caramelized onions, smoky paprika, savory bacon and earthy caraway is simply irresistible! Stir in some crème fraîche or sour cream, serve the soup hot with some crusty bread and a leafy green salad, and you’ll have yourself a truly satisfying meal!
In Germany I would normally use something very flavorful like speck, pancetta or a heavily smoked bacon from the Black Forest, close to where I grew up, but regular bacon will do as a substitute.
For this soup I’m enlisting our favorite brand of broth, Aneto, made in Barcelona, Spain. Aneto makes their 100% All-Natural Chicken Broth like we make it in our kitchen: They select the freshest vegetables and chicken, put them in large pot, and let them slow-simmer for hours. They don’t use any powders, extracts, concentrates, additives, flavor enhancers or anything else. They only use real, whole ingredients. We took a tour of their factory in Barcelona a few years ago and saw the entire process from start to finish. It was incredibly inspiring.
Aneto’s broths and paella cooking bases can be found in store locations across the U.S.. You can also purchase their chicken broth and other broths here on Amazon.
So without further ado here is a wonderful soup celebrating one of Germany’s most famous “superfoods,” Sauerkraut!
German Sauerkraut Soup Recipe
Let’s get started!
In a soup pot, fry the bacon until done. Add the onions and fry until lightly caramelized, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Stir in the tomato paste and spices and cook another minute.
Pour in the chicken broth.
Stir in the drained sauerkraut and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche or sour cream and heat through (do not boil).
Serve hot with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream.
Crusty bread and a leafy green salad make perfect accompaniments.
Enjoy!
For more delicious German recipes be sure to try our:
- Gaisburger Marsch
- Flädlesuppe
- Rouladen
- German Goulash
- Rotkohl
- German Potato Dumplings
- Sauerbraten
- Schnitzel
- Spätzle
- Maultaschen
- Semmelknödel
- German Potato Dumplings
- German Potato Salad
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German Sauerkraut Soup (Sauerkrautsuppe)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces flavorful smoked bacon or speck , diced
- 2 medium to large yellow onions , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon quality smoked Hungarian paprika (preferably Kalosca or Szeged) (mild, not hot)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram (very traditional herb in German cooking)
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds , lightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- 4 cups quality chicken broth (we recommend Aneto 100% All-Natural Chicken Broth)
- or Aneto low-sodium chicken broth
- 18 ounces German Sauerkraut, drained (about 3 1/2 heaping cups) Do NOT substitute with American sauerkraut **see Note below
- How to Make Sauerkraut (it's easy! Click link for recipe tutorial)
- 1/3 cup crème fraîche (can substitute full-fat sour cream)
Instructions
- In a soup pot fry the bacon until done. Add the onions and cook until lightly caramelized, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the tomato paste and spices and cook another minute. Add the chicken broth and sauerkraut and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche or sour cream and heat through (do not boil).
- Serve hot with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream. Crusty bread and a leafy green salad make great accompaniments.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This is one of my favorite recipes. I think I’ve been making it since it was first posted. I make quite a bit of traditionally fermented sauerkraut with cabbage from my garden and get tired of eating it as a side dish or on brats.One day I thought, “I wonder what Germans do with all that sauerkraut” and the resulting search led me to this recipe. The part of Southern Indiana I live in was heavily settled by German immigrants. This is not my heritage, but it is my wife’s. Hearing her family talk about growing cabbage and making sauerkraut is what got me interested in the first place. Her family only remembered the ancestors eating it as a snack, but now I have this recipe and a very enjoyable way to use our preserved cabbage.
Thank you so much for that feedback, Hugh, I really appreciate it. Like you I grow my own cabbage and make fermented sauerkraut. I broke my record this season with over 50 pounds of cabbages turned into sauerkraut! You’ve got me really in the mood for some of this soup too – thanks for helping me fill in my meal plan for this week! :)
Made this soup yesterday evening, with leftover homemade choucroute (french (alsacian) version of sauerkraut, cooked with wine).
This was delicious and will certainly be done again with leftover choucroute. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you Martine!
looking forward to trying this! I will say that good sauerkraut is widely available in the US(at least in California!). I generally tell people “real sauerkraut comes from the cold case, not from shelf-stable cans or jars.”
Thanks, Corey, I hope you enjoy it! Yes, that’s definitely true that raw refrigerated sauerkraut has become far more widely available throughout the U.S. in recent years, at least in health food stores or large grocery stores with a good health food selection. What you can’t find though is good canned/jarred sauerkraut, known as Weinsauerkraut, or sauerkraut made with wine. It’s made by cooking properly fermented sauerkraut with wine, as opposed to American canned/jarred sauerkraut which generally isn’t fermented prior to cooking and is simply pickled in vinegar so it’s very acidic and lacks nuance.
I found your website searching for a sauerkraut soup recipe. We did a river boat cruise down the Danube River last May and had a wonderful sauerkraut soup that we have been talking about ever since. Your recipe is so delicious. I found German sauerkraut at a local European specialty store. Definitely better than our sauerkraut here in the states. Thank you again for a truly wonderful recipe. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
I’m so glad you made and enjoyed this, Susan, thank you! And I’m delighted that you had the opportunity to experience that Danube River boat cruise! <3
growing up, mom served her regular sauerkraut and a “red” sauerkraut dish ,,,thanks to you I finally have the “red” recipe that tastes as good as hers,,,thanx for the taste and mental hugs from the soup
Oh I’m so glad, Claire – mystery solved! :) I’m thrilled that you enjoyed this, thank you! <3
I cannot even begin to describe how amazing this soup is – I love it! I’ve been making t about 2x a month since the weather has cooled off here. So comforting and yummy on a cold night. But I am sure I will make it in the summer too!
Oh I’m so glad you enjoy this as much as I do, Jean, thank you so much for the feedback! <3
Thanks for the recipe but find but found measurements confusing. Would like to see measurements in metric as well as imperial
Hi Colin, there are metric measurements – if you look to the right of the ingredients list you’ll see two buttons, one for “US Customary” and one for “Metric.” Just click on “Metric” and it will make those conversions for you. Happy cooking!
I used the hand blender n leftover Sauer kraut from New years I used annis seeds since I had no caraway n cooked my onions with the saur kraut n added a fresh apple I wish I could take a pic an added smoked cheddar wurst deitz n Watson product was on sale. Still simmering n can’t wait 2 taste