Vegan Sauerkraut Soup with Mushrooms inspired by German Sauerkraut Soup

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This vegan sauerkraut soup with mushrooms was inspired by German Sauerkraut Soup recipes with some influence from Ukrainian sauerkraut soup. Top with sour cream and pair with crusty sourdough bread for a perfect fall and winter meal.

What is Sauerkraut Soup?

Sauerkraut soup is a hearty, umami soup packed with flavor and nourishing ingredients. It contains mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, chickpeas, gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, and a broth base of sauerkraut and tomato. The flavor is enhanced with Hungarian smoked paprika and freshly ground caraway seeds.

This is a perfect healing soup for immune system health during cold and flu season, and it will leave you feeling healthy, warm, and nourished.

German Sauerkraut Soup

There are two main types of sauerkraut soup that I’ve read about. The first is Sauerkrautsuppe, a german soup made with pork and sauerkraut in a tomato-based broth. The second is Kapustnyak, a Ukrainian sauerkraut soup made with bacon and sauerkraut in a light meat-based broth. Both of these soups usually include potatoes and some sort of beans. There are other types of Slovak sauerkraut soup recipes too and polish sauerkraut soup.

I was inspired by both of these soups and melded inspiration from both to create my soup recipe. I think since I used a tomato base, my soup is more German in flavor.

What Type of Sauerkraut You Should Use

The best sauerkraut to use is authentic sauerkraut, made with just cabbage, salt, and water then fermented for 4 weeks. I, of course, suggest using our homemade sauerkraut recipe.

Homemade sauerkraut works great! Make sure it’s been fermented long enough, though, for the flavor to be fully developed. You will need 16 ounces of sauerkraut with the brine for this recipe.

Do You Eat Sauerkraut Hot or Cold?

Now, I already know the first question you have—But what about the probiotic bacteria, won’t heat kill them?

Yes, cooking fermented vegetables kill the beneficial bacteria but, that’s no reason to pass on cooking with fermented veggies! Cooking with fermented foods is not an all-or-nothing decision. If you have a big jar of sauerkraut, you can eat some raw and cook with some to experience the best of both worlds.

Think about sourdough, for instance, so many digestive benefits and amazing flavors are derived from loaves of bread made with a sourdough starter… and the bacteria and yeast in sourdough bread are baked in the oven at 450° F, obliterated, dead. Same with miso and tempeh, these fermented foods are great for gut health but are almost always cooked. 

Cooked fermented vegetables are even easier to digest than raw or plain cooked vegetables. Besides the benefit of digestibility, we can also still derive tons of nutrition from cooked fermented vegetables. The best part of cooking with fermented vegetables is the flavor, though. You can cook fermented vegetables in soups, stews, casseroles, braises, and even loaves of bread for big, bold, delicious flavor. 

Vegan Sauerkraut Soup with Mushrooms

The main thing I think I need to elaborate on in this recipe is the mushroom and onion caramelizing step. It is vital to caramelize your onions and mushrooms until they are dark brown. Some pieces may look crispy and darker brown, and everything will absolutely start to stick to the bottom of the pot 30 minutes in. That is what you want! Don’t worry, you will deglaze the pot. This is where a lot of flavors come from. If you really want to take the flavor over the edge, use smoked cold-pressed olive oil for the caramelizing step.

Other Recipes to Try

• Braised Chickpeas with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Kale
• Sourdough Garlic Bread Dinner Rolls
• Easy Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce Dressing

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