Raise your hand if you want a bowl of the real, nourishing Czech soup! Such is the sauerkraut soup with sausage, so thick that a spoon stands in it. We Czechs call the soup cooked with sauerkraut "Zelňačka," and it's a perfect dish to warm you up on cold days.
➜ What is zelnacka sauerkraut soup
Zelňačka is a traditional Czech soup made from fermented cabbage, called Sauerkraut (kysane zeli). The base consists of onions sautéed in lard, seasoned with sweet paprika, and crushed caraway seeds. Potatoes are added to the soup, followed by pieces of klobasa (sausage), pan-fried in a bit of fat.
This spicy sauerkraut soup is very dense, packed with vitamins and minerals. The soup helped people survive the long and cold winters typical in the Czech Republic back in the day.
MY TIP: Try also a recipe for Czech-style braised sauerkraut (a perfect side for pork roast!)
➜ Ingredients
To make Czech sauerkraut soup, you will need:
- Sauerkraut; white, try looking for German or Polish Sauerkraut in the supermarket or local European deli shops, which has an authentic taste similar to Czech Sauerkraut
- Potatoes; any all-purpose yellow/brown potatoes with a medium starch content, such as Yukon Gold
- Onions
- All-purpose flour; to thicken the soup (not much is needed – see the recipe below)
- Granulated sugar; to sweeten the sour Sauerkraut for a nice taste contrast. Do not skip the sugar, please!
- Chicken or vegetable broth; optionally, use water
- Pork lard; or vegetable oil: sunflower, canola (not olive oil)
- Sweet ground paprika; look for Hungarian sweet paprika
- Bay leaves
- Crushed caraway seeds; learn, how to grind spices by hand
- Pepper; black, ground
- Salt
- Sausage; Polish kielbasa is a perfect choice if you can find it
✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.
Quick instructions:
- Melt the lard in a saucepan and sauté the chopped onion in it.
- Add the caraway seeds, paprika, and flour. Stir and fry briefly.
- Pour in the stock and bring to a boil.
- Add the bay leaves, Sauerkraut, and peeled potatoes cut into cubes.
- Cook for 20 minutes over low heat.
- Season with salt, pepper, and sugar.
- Finally, add the fried sausage slices to the sauerkraut soup.
➜ Detailed instructions with photos
STEP 1: Peel the onions and chop them finely. Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan on the stove on medium heat. Heat the fat in it, carefully throw in the onions, and let them turn translucent. It takes about five minutes. Do not forget to stir.
STEP 2: Reduce the temperature a little. Add the flour, sweet paprika, and caraway seeds to the onions (photo 1). Sauté for about half a minute to a minute, keep stirring.
STEP 3: Start adding the chicken or vegetable broth in batches (photo 2) and gradually whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a boil.
STEP 4: Meanwhile, prepare the Sauerkraut and potatoes.
Drain the Sauerkraut, but keep some brine aside for possible soup acidification later. Do not rinse the kraut—if it has long fibers, cut it into smaller pieces.
Peel and cut the potatoes into small cubes about ½ inch in size.
STEP 5: Put the Sauerkraut and potatoes in the soup. Add the bay leaves. Turn down the heat, cover the pot and let it bubble for about 20 minutes.
STEP 6: Season with salt, pepper, and sugar. If the soup is not acidic enough, add the brine you reserved from the Sauerkraut at the beginning of cooking.
STEP 7: Cut the sausage into rounds and pan-fry them in a teaspoon of lard. Throw fried sausage into the soup and stir.
➜ Serving ideas
Serve the sauerkraut soup warm with a slice of fresh rye bread. If you want to smooth the soup, garnish it with a dollop of sour cream when serving.
Sprinkle the soup with a little chopped green parsley for a nicer presentation.
➜ Pronunciation
I recorded a short audio clip on pronouncing the Czech word zelňačka. The first word you hear is "zelňačka," the last is "zelná polévka." Both words mean sauerkraut soup.
➜ Sauerkraut soup at our neighbors
Sauerkraut is a typical food in Central and East Europe. Our neighboring countries also have "zelňačka "soup on their menu.
- Slovakia: kapustnica – Slovaks cook kapustnica as their Christmas soup
- Germany: Kohlsuppe, Krautsuppe, Sauerkrautsuppe
- Ukraine: kapustnyak
- Poland: kapuśniak, kwaśnica
➜ Interesting fact
The word Sauerkraut is German in origin. Kraut means cabbage, Sauer is sour. The word Sauerkraut was spread to English-speaking countries by the German soldiers marching through Europe in both World Wars.
MY TIP: Try these zelnicky crackers, made with sauerkraut!
➜ Useful tips
- Potatoes in acidic environments could have trouble cooking completely tenderly. Therefore, it is essential to cut the potatoes into small cubes of about ½ inch (1.2 cm) - no larger - before adding them to the soup.
- The exact amount of sugar and salt depends on how seasoned the used sauerkraut is and the same for the chicken or vegetable broth used.
- It's true: The sauerkraut soup tastes even better the next day! It may thicken a little, so add a little water when heating up and stir it into the soup.
More Czech soups:
- Cesnecka garlic soup
- Bramboracka potato soup
- White cauliflower soup
- Drztkova tripe soup
- Wallachian Kyselica soup
Tried this recipe?
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Zelňačka – Czech Sauerkraut Soup
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 14 ounces sauerkraut German or Polish style
- 2 Tablespoons frying fat (preferably lard or sunflower/canola oil)
- 3 medium onions
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour to thicken the soup
- 1 Tablespoon sweet paprika powder Hungarian-style
- ½ teaspoon crushed caraway seeds
- 5 cups vegetable broth or water
- 4 medium potatoes all-purpose such as Yukon Gold
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup granulated sugar the exact amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of used sauerkraut
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ Tablespoon salt
- 7 ounces sausage e.g. Polish kielbasa
Instructions
- Peel 3 medium onions and chop them finely. Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan on the stove on medium heat. Heat 2 Tablespoons frying fat in it. Carefully throw in the onions, and let them turn translucent. It takes about five minutes. Stir frequently.
- Reduce the temperature a little. Add ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon sweet paprika powder, and ½ teaspoon crushed caraway seeds to the onions. Sauté for about half a minute to a minute, keep stirring.
- Start adding the 5 cups vegetable broth in batches and gradually whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauerkraut and potatoes. Drain 14 ounces sauerkraut, but keep some brine aside for possible soup acidification later. Do not rinse the kraut—if it has long fibers, cut it into smaller pieces. Peel and cut 4 medium potatoes into small cubes about ½ inch in size.
- Put the sauerkraut and potatoes in the soup. Add 2 bay leaves. Turn down the heat, cover the pot, and let it bubble for about 20 minutes.
- Season with ½ Tablespoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and ¼ cup granulated sugar. If the soup is not acidic enough, add the brine you reserved from the sauerkraut at the beginning of cooking.
- Cut 7 ounces sausage into round pieces and pan-fry them in a teaspoon of lard. Throw fried sausage into the soup and stir.
Notes
- The basic recipe makes around 4-5 portions.
- SERVING: Serve the sauerkraut soup warm with a slice of fresh rye bread. If you want to smooth the soup, garnish it with a dollop of sour cream when serving. Sprinkle the soup with a bit of chopped green parsley for a more excellent presentation.
- Potatoes in acidic environments could have trouble cooking completely soft. Therefore, it is essential to cut the potatoes into small cubes of about ½ inch (1.2 cm) - no larger - before adding them to the soup.
- Attention: The exact amount of sugar and salt depends on how seasoned the sauerkraut is and the same for the vegetable broth used.
- It's true: The sauerkraut soup tastes even better the next day! It may thicken a little, so add a little water when heating up and stir it into the soup.
Zach says
So good! Perfect soup for the winter!
Petra | Cook Like Czechs says
Exactly! Sauerkraut is packed with plenty of vitamins, also ideal for cold months. Back in the old days, head cabbage was one of the vegetables doing well in the Czech fields. Czechs used to make sauerkraut for long winters, especially in the foothills. Thank you for your comment and Merry Christmas (Veselé Vánoce!) from the Czech Republic 🙂
Zach says
Thank you for sharing the recipe! My wife and I had this soup when we visited Czech Republic a few years ago, and we loved it. We have made it several times since, and this is the best recipe we've found! We made it for Christmas this year, and are planning to make it an annual tradition. Thanks again!
Jana says
Thank you for this lovely dish
Petra Kupská says
My pleasure!
Gabriella Pasek says
This hit the spot on a cold, wet winter day - I was so glad I had all of the ingredients at home already. Everyone in our family enjoyed it - reminded me of the soups that my mom made. Cant wait to cook more of your recipes - please keep them coming!!!!
Petra says
Thank you Gabriella for your nice comment, I’m happy you enjoyed the zelňačka soup! 🙂
Ali Krivanek says
I haven't been able to visit my family in CZ since the pandemic so I have been cooking a lot of food that remind me of being there. This hearty soup will make your soul smile. Best recipe for zelnacka that I have found. All of her recipes are wonderful!
Petra Kupská says
Oh, the Covid situation in the Czech Republic is thankfully good at the moment. All of us here in the Czech Republic very much wish that the conflict in the East would calm down and that tourists and visitors from abroad would return to Czech cities. I am very glad that at least Czech food brings back good memories and that you enjoy Czech cuisine! Thank you and stay safe, Petra
Ali says
An absolutely delicious zelnacka recipe! Thank you for sharing it 🙂
Petra says
Thank you very much for your comment, Ali 🙂
kristena says
I'm ditching my old recipe for this. We had this yesterday for dinner and absolutely fell in love with the rich broth. Crushing the caraway makes so much sense too! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Petra Kupská says
Thank you for your kind words, and so true: this Czech sauerkraut soup is one of the tastiest I know!
Emily says
Thank you so much for sharing these recipes! We live in the States and hosted an international dinner today. We had everyone bring food from their heritage. Since my husband's great grandmother was from Czechoslovakia, I wanted to include something from there. I was very happy to find this website with clear instructions, and explanations of the ingredients and what could be substituted. The pronunciation is a bonus! This soup is delicious, the guests really liked it, and I plan to make it often in the future. Now I want to try more of your recipes. Thanks again!
Petra Kupská says
Ahoj Emily, thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad the sauerkraut soup was a success and that you enjoyed it. This is a classic Czech recipe, and I dare say this soup is one of the best cabbage soups that exist! Best wishes, Petra
Dave says
I’m bringing this for Czech fest at a friends house. It’s going to be a hit! Next time I’d do a little less sugar as I find it a bit bit sweet but that’s just my preference. Will add some hot paprika to my bowl to give it a little kick ????. Thanks for the recipe!!
Petra Kupská says
Ahoj Dave, thanks a lot for your nice comment with feedback! I believe you had success with the Czech sauerkraut soup; it's delicious! As for the amount of sugar, you are right; some people prefer sweeter, others less. It's better to put less sugar first and then sweeten if necessary than the other way around. The idea of adding hot paprika is a good tip ????
Wayne Turner says
You are now my go to recipe site for foods from your region having made your garlic soup, and Czech gulas a few times. Today I will cook this for tomorrow's evening meal. I have made sauerkraut stew many times from other recipes but thought I will follow yours this time. I usually use sausage and some pork shoulder too. Am slow roasting pork belly today and will remove the darkened meat from the outsides and add that the the stew.
Next week I'd like to attempt for my first time Svičková.
Petra Kupská says
Oh, thank you so much for your lovely comment! Let me know how the sauerkraut soup turned out. There are more variations on how to prepare Czech zelnacka, but adding pork is never a bad idea.
Sarah says
Delicious and so easy! My mother (1st generation American) brought me a jar of homemade sauerkraut, and I decided to make this with the leftovers. Fantastic! Thank you for your recipes and for helping me to explore my Czech heritage.
Petra Kupská says
You are very welcome 🙂 Czechs love sauerkraut and dishes made with it. I've heard that German sauerkraut, which can be bought in European deli shops in the USA, has a very similar taste to the Czech one. Czech sauerkraut soup is a great choice, full of flavor and very tasty.
DavidH says
Sauerkraut is known since Roman legions that ate saeurkraut und kidney-bones during their invasions 😉
Everything what is known in Europe, is mostly Roman origin 😉
Petra Kupská says
You're right, David 🙂 History is long and what appears on the table of the Czechs today is influenced by earlier events. Otherwise, sauerkraut has a great tradition in the part of Bohemia where I come from - Podkrkonoší, the area below the Krkonoše Mountains. Here the people were quite poor, but the cabbage fields thrived. Wise men pickled the cabbage for long winters, so that they would have plenty of vitamins and minerals and at the same time process the harvest well 🙂
Wayne says
I prepared this dish yesterday and had tonight. I have made to other recipes many times and loosely to yours once before, but on this occasion I stuck closely to your recipe and method. This is the best! My wife said please make it this way next time. Other recipes I have tried suggest rinsing the cabbage then adding sharpness back in with vinegar or lemon juice, I now know this is not the best method. I just drained and added the cabbage from the jar as per your instructions. My sausage was not smoked so I topped with sour cream and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
Petra Kupská says
Thanks for your nice comment, and I'm glad to hear the soup was tasty! A dollop of sour cream in the soup is always great for smoothing out the flavor.
Diane Kirchner says
Petra
Thank you for this delicious soup recipe. My daughter and I made it together and had lots of fun doing it.
It brought back so many memories of time spent with my Czeck grandparents.
Petra Kupská says
Diane, glad to hear you liked the sauerkraut soup. By the way, this is one of the most classic Czech soups! We love it in our family too.
William Milan Uhlarik says
Petra, this dish was another one of my family's favorites. In Slovak we call it "Kapustnica." It's delicious. Kapustnica is a soup served as one of the dishes moja matka and babka would make on Christmas Eve as part of celebrating the traditional Slovenská Vilija dinner. However, it did not include meat or dairy because for us Christmas was a day of fast because our family and relatives were Roman and Ruthenian Rite Catholics. 7 ounces sausage e.g. "Polish kielbasa," 2 pieces each about 3.5 oz in weight? Hey, Petra, you know for centuries our people have been making and using our own delicious údené klobásy (uzené klobásy) to make this dish and many others. LOL....... So, if we want to educate people about our cuisine and culture, you might want to use smoked "klobasa(y)" as the name of the ingredient instead of the Polish term "kielbasa." I think a lot of us Czechoslovaks in the U.S. would know and still use that term for the smoked sausage that we bought, made, and sold used to make our dishes. Because Polish smoked kielbasa is almost similar in taste and primarily sold in U.S. groceries, I would just say Polish smoked kielbasa can be substituted. Just my humble suggestion. Keep on doing the magnificent work of promoting our cuisine and cultural traditions. Dovidenia!
Petra Kupská says
Milan, thank you for your kind words and of course I take your reprimand about the Polish sausage to heart! You're right, and it would be appropriate to feel me a little ashamed. But it's true that when I posted the recipe for "Zelnacka", I got a few questions about the type of sausage. I did some research and found that Polish sausage is similar to the Czech one, and that it should be available in the U.S. in stores specializing in European foods. I would like to try making my own smoked sausages someday. My father would make them; I recall him smoking klobásy for two days and taking turns putting wood on the smoker at night with my brother so the fire didn't go out. See, it's not so bad with me! P. S. Don't you have a good recipe for Slovak "Kyselica" from your mom or grandma? I would love to cook this soup, as I have heard a lot of good things about it! Krasny vikend, Petra
Wayne says
William. Thanks for the lesson in nothing. Probably best to not comment anymore, for the greater good of anyone reading.
Petra, great recipe for Zelňačka. Czech sauerkraut soup. The Czech version of soup containing sauerkraut, not a soup from multiple other countries or America, but the Czech version.
Lana Corty says
Can you use ground caraway in sauerkraut soup instead of crushed caraway? If so, would it be the same amount?
Petra Kupská says
Hi Lana, you can use ground caraway seeds instead of crushed ones. In terms of quantity, I would use slightly less ground caraway than crushed caraway seeds.
Tereza says
Just made it yesterday in Vancouver, Canada! Delicious 🙂
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Hi Tereza, I am really glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for your feedback!
Ken says
I made this on the weekend with smoked deer sausage ... lovely. I'm from Northern Ontario, but the taste took me right back to winter evenings in the pub in Olomouc, with a big mug of Litovelsky pivo and some tvaruzky cheese on the side... diky Petra. Love your recipes.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Ahoj Ken, thank you for your comment and sharing your memories from the Czech Republic! Happy to hear the recipe was a success!
Big Al says
WAY too much sugar in this recipe. Maybe start by adding 1/16 of a cup or less. 1/4 cup is so much sugar it actually hurts to eat it. This was my first time making it and will give it another shot after I can pawn off what is alredy in the pot.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Dobry den, you can definitely reduce the sugar in the recipe to your liking. However, keep in mind that the taste will be more sour.
Amy Jaros says
Petra,
My husband is from the Czech Republic and his family still lives there. He and my children miss the wonderful food we have when we visit every summer. They all loved this soup and said it was "as good as Babi makes it". Thank you for bringing delicious Czech food to my kitchen and family!
Petra Kupská says
Aww, thank you, Amy, for your kind words! I am happy that my sauerkraut soup recipe was a hit with your family.
Jan Tanner says
This recipe is similar to one I make, but I also use pork, canned tomatoes and add some pearled barley. Everyone seems to really like it.
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Thank you for the feedback, Jan!
Tina says
Fantastic recipe! I went to Prag for a weekend ( from Berlin). I had this soup in the restaurant and I wanted to cook it at home. I used this recipe and it tasted identical to the one in restaurant in Prag. Thank you so much for sharing!!!