Sauerkraut Soup with Pork Ribs Recipe
Sauerkraut soup with pork ribs is one of the most warming Polish soups. Sour cabbage, tender meat and potatoes make a hearty dish that in many homes replaces a full dinner. It’s like a younger, lighter cousin of bigos, but in a spoonable form.
This sauerkraut soup is a classic of Polish cold-weather cooking: simple ingredients turn into a deeply flavoured, filling one-pot meal. The combination of tangy cabbage, rich broth and tender ribs makes it both comforting and satisfying.
Chef's tips
Don’t rush the initial simmering of the ribs – a slow cook gives a clearer, more flavourful broth. Adjust the sourness at the end with sauerkraut brine rather than salt, which keeps the flavour bright without oversalting.
How to serve
Serve in deep bowls with plenty of broth, making sure each portion has meat, potatoes and sauerkraut. Offer extra sour cream and freshly ground black pepper at the table, plus rustic bread for dipping.
Ingredients
- pork ribs cut into pieces - 600 g
- sauerkraut if very sour, you can rinse it - 400 g
- potatoes medium - 4 pieces
- carrot - 2 pieces
- parsley root - 1 piece
- celeriac small piece - 0.25 pieces
- onion - 1 piece
- bay leaf - 3 pieces
- allspice - 5 berries
- dried marjoram - 1 tablespoon
- oil or lard for frying the onion - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- water - 2 l
Preparation
- Rinse the ribs, pat dry with a paper towel and cut into smaller pieces between the bones.
- Put the ribs into a large pot, pour in 2 litres of cold water, add the bay leaves and allspice berries. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam from the surface with a spoon, reduce the heat and simmer on low for about 40 minutes, until the meat is tender.
- In the meantime, peel the carrot, parsley root, celeriac and potatoes. Cut the carrot, parsley root and celeriac into cubes, and the potatoes into larger cubes. Peel the onion and dice it finely.
- Heat the oil or lard in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–5 minutes, stirring, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent, without strong browning.
- Add the diced carrot, parsley root and celeriac to the pot with the ribs. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and fried onion and cook for another 10–15 minutes, until the potatoes are almost tender.
- If the sauerkraut is very sour, squeeze it lightly and optionally rinse with water, then chop into shorter pieces. Add to the soup, stir and cook for another 15–20 minutes, until all the ingredients are soft and the flavours meld.
- Finally, add the marjoram and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer it more sour, you can add a little sauerkraut brine.
- Serve the sauerkraut soup hot, with pieces of ribs in each portion.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This is the kind of soup that tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have had time to blend. It’s perfect for big family lunches and reheats beautifully for quick weekday dinners.
