Sauerkraut Potato Mash (Czech Lepenice)

Czech potato sauerkraut mash (Lepenice) served on a plate with fried smoked sausage.

Sauerkraut Potato Mash (Czech Lepenice)

Tired of plain mashed potatoes? Enhance them with sauerkraut and make Czech Lepenice! This side dish comes from Old Bohemian cuisine, which is famous for its great potato recipes.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Czech

Keyword Potato recipes, Recipes with sauerkraut

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 259kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

2 pounds potatoes preferably with a higher starch content
7 ounces sauerkraut Czech, German or Polish style
2 Tablespoons pork lard (or unsalted butter, canola, sunflower oil)
1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon caraway seeds roughly crushed
salt to taste

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Peel 2 pounds potatoes and cut them into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Boil potatoes until tender in salted water to which you have added 1 teaspoon caraway seeds.
Drain 7 ounces sauerkraut and, if it contains long pieces, cut it into small bites. Peel and chop the onion.
Heat 2 Tablespoons pork lard in a frying pan over medium-high heat and sauté 1 medium onion (finely chopped) until golden brown. Add cabbage, reduce heat, and simmer for about ten minutes, stirring.
Drain cooked potatoes, reserving about two tablespoons of water, or leave the potato broth in the pot while draining. Mash the potatoes with two tablespoons of water or use a hand blender to make potato puree.
Add the potatoes to the sauerkraut with onion and mix until combined. Season with salt if necessary and serve.

Notes

The basic recipe makes 4 portions as a side dish.
SERVING: Lepenice mash according to this recipe is served as a potato side dish. The best accompaniment to Lepenice is fried smoked sausage (such as Czech klobása or Polish kielbasa) or a slice of smoked meat.
You can also dice sausage and fry it in lard with onion and sauerkraut. In this case, serve Lepenice as a main dish without any additional meat.
For a nicer presentation, sprinkle the dish with chopped green parsley or scallions.
If you like your mashed potatoes greasier, drizzle the Lepenice with melted butter when serving.
Storing and Reheating: If you have leftover Lepenice, let it cool completely, transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator. It will keep for about four days. Reheat the potato mash in a pan with a knob of butter or in the microwave.

Nutrition