Sausage Sauerkraut Soup

bowl of sauerkraut soup with sausages with a spoon in the bowl. Two glass bowls of sauerkraut sit next to the bowl of soup

4.65 from 53 votes

Sausage sauerkraut soup is full of rich, comforting flavors. Potatoes, barley, carrots, onions, and sauerkraut are simmered in bone broth and warm seasonings. Pan-fried sausage is added to make this German-inspired dish.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sauerkraut soup, sausage sauerkraut soup

Servings:

Author: Lisa Bass

Ingredients

1 lb sausage I used mild Italian sausage
1 tablespoon butter
2 small onions or 1 large onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
3-4 small white potatoes peeled and cut into small bite sized cubes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large carrot grated
5 cups beef or chicken stock preferably homemade
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/3 cup pearl barley
8 oz sauerkraut liquid drained off (225 grams)
Salt to taste

Instructions

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and garlic to the melted butter and cook until onions are translucent.
Dice potatoes into bite size pieces and grate carrot.
Add potatoes and carrots to the pot with tomato paste, barley, caraway seeds, and chicken stock.
Cook for 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate frying pan, cook sausages and set aside to cool. You may deglaze the sausage pan with a bit of warm stock to add some extra sausage flavor to the soup. Add the sauerkraut to the soup pot and cook soup for another 15-20 minutes until the barley is tender.
Once the sausage is cool enough to handle, slice it into small rounds and add to the soup. Taste to adjust for salt, then serve.

Notes

This soup freezes well. Allow it to chill completely in the fridge, place in an airtight container, and place in the freezer.
To preserve more of the probiotic benefits, you can add the sauerkraut closer to the end of the cooking time. Or if you want the cabbage to be more tender, cook it for 15-20 minutes.
You can use beef stock and chicken stock. I prefer the heartier flavor of the beef stock.

Nutrition