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!
I’ve partnered with Aneto to bring you this post.
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 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 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 United States. You can also purchase their chicken broth and other broths here on Amazon. They also make a low-sodium chicken broth.
So without further ado here is a wonderful soup celebrating one of Germany’s most famous “superfoods,” Sauerkraut!
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!
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
- 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
I’ve partnered with Aneto to bring you this post.
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Jessica says
I’ve always wanted to visit Germany! My dad’s side is German, so we picked up some sauerkraut recipes from his side, though we never tried sauerkraut soup before! I’ll have to make it over the holidays!
Alli says
I have never heard of this before. My husband and sons love sauerkraut so this will be perfect for them.
Jessica Burgess says
We have been talking a LOT about German food in our house and I can’t wait to try this!!
Sabrina says
I can’t say that I’ve ever had this soup before but it’s sounds so good! I love authentic dishes and I can’t wait to try it!
Carolyn says
This looks so amazing and I have to try to make a lower carb version! My tummy grumbled when I looked at it.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Carolyn! The good news is it’s already keto/low-carb – just veggies, bacon and a little whole fat dairy.
Rachael Yerkes says
This is fantastic! Love your pictures too!
Rachael Yerkes says
sooooo good!
ruthie says
I love following your blog – your recipes are a learning experience for me – unlike many other blogs that are just a dump and mix recipe. Would you do a blog telling about your spices – what ones you find most important and brands? I just noticed in a couple of your last recipes that you used sweet smoked paprika in one and sweet paprika in another. Could the same paprika be used in both?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Ruthie, I appreciate that :) That’s a great idea, thanks for the suggestion. Paprika: Smoked and unsmoked are very different. The smoky flavor in smoked paprika is very pronounced and not necessarily a flavor you would want in all dishes, so I wouldn’t use them interchangeably. That said, if a recipe calls for smoked paprika you can use regular paprika, but you’ll be missing out on the rich smoky flavor. Paprika is such a wonderful spice, I really recommend getting both kinds to have on hand. Both smoked and unsmoked paprikas come in “mild” (sweet) and “hot.” “Sweet” is what most recipes are referring to unless they specifically say “hot,” and even then you can use “sweet” if you don’t like a lot of heat.
Allyson Zea says
This soup looks so hearty and delicious! I can’t wait to try it this winter!
Kara says
We love experimenting with foods from other countries, and this soup looks delicious!
Anna says
Wow! That first photo of the castle – unreal! Absolutely gorgeous! This soup is perfect for the fall. So delicious!
Andie Thueson says
I’ve never tried anything like this! It looks like a fun thing to try! Pinning for later.
Erin says
I need to try this immediately, it looks so good!
Cathy says
I’d love to try this!
Catalina says
I love soups! This is the perfect season for a hearty soup like this!
Brandy O'Neill says
Love the color of this soup. Looks so flavorful!
Melanie Bauer says
Looks incredibly amazing! Craving for this tasty and flavorful recipe, absolutely a must try!
Irene says
Is the sauerkraut drained before adding to the pot?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Irene, yes, first drain the sauerkraut. Happy cooking! :)
Kyle says
Is the bacon fat drained after?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kyle, you can if you want but I leave it in for the flavor. The bacon fat is also what is used to fry the onions in.
Katie says
Greetings from Norway! My German husband just made a new batch of Sauerkraut which is fermenting on the kitchen counter as we speak! I’ve never heard of this soup, but I might well surprise him with it for dinner one night this week. I’m vegetarian so I will omit the bacon- let me know if you have any suggestions for something to replace it! Thanks for another great recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Katie, friendly greetings to Norway! Well that is perfect timing :) You know, there is already a lot of flavor going on in this soup, I think you can simply omit the bacon and it will still taste excellent. What you can do though if you want to add a little “umami” element that will be missing from the loss of bacon, is add a few shots of Maggi sauce. It’s very popular in Germany and I’m assuming it’s probably used or at least available in Norway as well (just be sure it’s the one made in Germany, there is also a version made in China). It’s the European version of “soy sauce” though significantly different. It adds a nice depth of flavor and is especially great for vegetarian dishes because it adds a kind of “roasted” flavor without the presence of meat or animal fats. If you’re not already familiar with Maggi sauce I’d recommend giving it a try. It’s used as a very versatile, “all-purpose” seasoning and as I mentioned it’s especially great for adding an umami element in vegetarian dishes. Happy cooking! :)
Chrissie Baker says
Previously, I never tried this dish. But now I am delighted with this soup. Wonderful combination of ingredients. Looks very tasty and beautiful. Of course I want to try this recipe.
mimi rippee says
First of all, this soup is so pretty! I just love the ingredients, and the creme fraiche! I’ve been to Germany, mostly in the black forest area. It was so beautiful. And i do remember the bacon from there. I’ve been able to order it online once; I should check again. I remember Burg Elz the most. Just stunning, but not in a fancy way. A beautiful country.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Mimi! YES, Burg Eltz is one of my favorites and it actually looks similar to Schloß Bürresheim. You chose a beautiful area of Germany to visit :)
Mike Keiser says
Easy and tasty. Thank you for posting.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Mike, thank you!
Stephanie says
I made this soup over the weekend – my husband and I both like sauerkraut, but I was a little skeptical. This soup is delicious! I had never had sauerkraut soup, but this recipe is a keeper! We had a cold, rainy weekend here in East Tennessee and this soup was perfect. Thanks for posting this recipe, we will be making it again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Stephanie, I’m so glad you both enjoyed it, thank you!
Lindsay says
Sauerkraut soup was excellent. Do you also have a recipe for making sauerkraut, both raw and canned?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Lindsay, I’m glad you enjoyed it! I do and will be posting both to my blog in the near future :)
Lindsay says
Also Kimberly, I wanted to thank you in general for sharing such an eclectic collection of your recipes. Especial kudos for the niter kibbeh. Well done.
Joanne Moore says
I am of German descent and make some recipes from my grandmother including spetzels and stollen. I had never heard of this soup but love sauerkraut and it sounded good. It is fantastic! It tastes like a Ruben sandwich. I served it with rye bread. It’s a keeper! I’m so impressed. Thanks.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Joanne, I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
Kitten says
This was incredible! It was tangy, rich and filling. The whole family loved it. Also, now that I’ve tried the real stuff I’m never going back to American “sauerkraut”. Thanks Kimberly. I love your recipes!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kitten, thank you!