Kapustnica

About This Recipe

Kapustnica is the centrepiece of the Slovak Christmas Eve table and one of the most cherished soups in Central European cuisine. Its base is tangy fermented sauerkraut, enriched with dried porcini mushrooms, smoked sausage, and a generous hand with paprika and caraway. Different regions have their own variations — some add cream, others tomatoes — but all versions share a deeply savoury, slightly sour character that makes them ideal for cold weather. The soup is traditionally prepared on Christmas Eve when meat is technically abstained from, though smoked sausage is considered a grey area in many Slovak households.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500 gsauerkraut, roughly chopped
• 200 gsmoked kielbasa or Slovak klobása, sliced
• 30 gdried porcini mushrooms
• 1 mediumonion, finely diced
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 2 tspsweet paprika
• ½ tspcaraway seeds
• 2 bayleaves
• 4 allspiceberries
• 1.5 litrespork or vegetable stock
• 3 tbsplard or vegetable oil
• 1 tbspplain flour
• 100 mlsour cream
• 1 tspsalt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak mushrooms

   Soak the dried porcini in 300 ml of warm water for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid, then roughly chop the mushrooms.

2. 2

   Sauté base

   Melt lard in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Stir in garlic, paprika, and caraway seeds and cook for 1 minute.

3. 3

   Build the soup

   Add sauerkraut, sausage, mushrooms, and the strained mushroom liquid. Pour in the stock. Add bay leaves and allspice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Thicken

   Mix flour with a little cold water to make a slurry. Stir into the soup and simmer for a further 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Remove bay leaves and allspice. Stir in sour cream. Season to taste. Serve with crusty rye bread.

Variations

• •

  Add diced potato for a more filling soup.

• •

  Use cream instead of sour cream for a richer finish.

• •

  Omit sausage and add smoked tofu for a vegetarian version.

Storage

Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezes well for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions