Eastern European · Lunch · Dinner
Kapusniak (Ukrainian Sauerkraut Soup)
Капусняк
A tangy, warming Ukrainian soup of sauerkraut, potatoes and millet simmered in a light pork broth, finished with garlic and fresh dill. Hearty enough for a cold-weather dinner, yet light on fat.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 70 min
- Total
- 90 min
- Serves
- 6
Calories come from: Carbs 48% · Fat 24% · Protein 28%
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Ingredients
For 6 servings- 400 gLean pork loin, trimmed of fat
- 8 1/2 cups (2 litres)2,000 gWater
- 3 1/2 cups500 gSauerkraut, lightly squeezed
- 4 medium500 gPotatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup60 gMillet, rinsed
- 1 large150 gOnion, finely chopped
- 2 medium120 gCarrots, grated
- 1 tbsp14 gSunflower oil
- 1 tbsp16 gTomato paste
- 2 cloves6 gGarlic, minced
- 2 leavesBay leaves
- 1/2 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 1/2 tspSalt
- 1/2 cup loosely packed10 gFresh dill, chopped
- 6 tbsp90 gLight sour cream, to serve (optional)
Steps
- 1
Cut the pork into 2 cm cubes and place in a large pot with the water.
- 2
Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then add the bay leaves and simmer gently, partly covered, for 35 minutes.
- 3
Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft.
- 4
Add the grated carrot to the pan and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring often.
- 5
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then set the pan aside.
- 6
Add the diced potatoes and rinsed millet to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
- 7
Stir in the sauerkraut and the onion-carrot mixture and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes and millet are tender and the pork is cooked through (at least 63 °C / 145 °F).
- 8
Add the garlic, black pepper and salt, taste, and adjust; the sauerkraut is salty, so add salt sparingly.
- 9
Simmer for 2 more minutes, then turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and stir in half the dill.
- 10
Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining dill and a spoonful of light sour cream if using.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use pork shoulder or smoked pork ribs instead of loin for a richer broth, as in the photo, though it will be fattier.
- Replace the pork and water with vegetable broth and add a can of white beans, and use a plant-based sour cream, for a vegan version; check the broth is labelled vegan.
- Swap the millet for pearl barley or rice if that is easier to find; barley contains gluten, so use rice to keep it gluten-free.
- Use plain Greek yogurt instead of light sour cream for a tangy topping.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a covered container and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot. The soup freezes for about 2 to 3 months without the sour cream and dill, though the potatoes may turn slightly grainy.
Make ahead
Cook the pork broth and the onion-carrot mixture a day ahead and chill them separately, or make the whole soup in advance, since it tastes even better the next day. Add fresh dill and sour cream just before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Milk
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (630 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 257 kcal | 41 kcal |
| Protein | 18.6 g | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 30.8 g | 4.9 g |
| of which sugars | 4.5 g | 0.7 g |
| Fiber | 6.2 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 6.8 g | 1.1 g |
| of which saturated | 1.7 g | 0.3 g |
| Sodium | 816 mg | 130 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
