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    Home » Soups

    Czech Zelnacka Sauerkraut Soup Recipe

    Published: May 5, 2020 · Modified: May 18, 2022 by Petra Kupská

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    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 "zelnacka," and it's a perfect dish to warm you up on cold days.

    Zelnacka Czech sauerkraut soup with sausage.
    Table of Contents show
    ➜ What is zelnacka sauerkraut soup
    ➜ Ingredients
    ➜ Detailed instructions with photos
    ➜ Serving ideas
    ➜ Pronunciation
    ➜ Sauerkraut soup at our neighbors
    ➜ Interesting fact
    ➜ Useful tips
    Zelňačka – Czech Sauerkraut Soup

    ➜ 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

    Ingredients for sauerkraut soup with description.

    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 stock; 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
    • 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:

    1. Melt the lard in a saucepan and sauté the chopped onion in it.
    2. Add the caraway seeds, paprika, and flour. Stir and fry briefly.
    3. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil.
    4. Add the bay leaves, Sauerkraut, and peeled potatoes cut into cubes.
    5. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat.
    6. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar.
    7. 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.

    Frying chopped onions in a pot until translucent.

    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 stock in batches (photo 2) and gradually whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a boil.

    Making sauerkraut soup.

    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.

    Making Czech sauerkraut soup.

    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.

    Klobása (kielbasa) fried in a pan.
    Cooked sauerkraut soup with fried sausage.

    ➜ 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.

    Czech sauerkraut soup with fried sausage served in a bowl.

    ➜ 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 salt depends on how salty the Sauerkraut is and the same for the chicken stock 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
    Zelnacka Czech sauerkraut soup with klobasa recipe.

    Zelňačka – Czech Sauerkraut Soup

    Raise your hand if you want a bowl of nice 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 "zelnacka," and it's a perfect dish to warm you up on cold days.
    5 from 10 votes
    Print Pin
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 536kcal
    Author: Petra Kupská
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: Sauerkraut Soup, Zelná polévka, Zelňačka

    Ingredients

    • 14 ounces sauerkraut (400 g) German or Polish sauerkraut
    • 2 Tablespoons pork lard or sunflower/Canola oil
    • 3 onions
    • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40 g) to thicken the soup
    • 1 Tablespoon sweet ground paprika Hungarian-style
    • ½ teaspoon caraway seeds crushed
    • 5 cups chicken broth (1.2 liter) or water
    • 4 potatoes all-purpose such as Yukon Gold
    • 2 bay leaves
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper ground
    • ½ Tablespoon salt
    • 7 ounces sausage e.g. Polish kielbasa, 2 pieces each about 3.5 oz in weight

    Instructions

    • 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.
    • Reduce the temperature a little. Add the flour, sweet paprika, and caraway seeds to the onions. Sauté for about half a minute to a minute, keep stirring.
    • Start adding the chicken stock in batches and gradually whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a boil.
    • 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. 
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Cut the sausage into rounds and pan-fry them in a teaspoon of lard. Throw fried sausage into the soup and stir.

    Notes

    • 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.
    • The exact amount of salt depends on how salty the Sauerkraut is and the same for the chicken stock 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.

    DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:

    Conversion chart

    Nutritional Estimate pro portion

    Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 2936mg | Potassium: 1601mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 933IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 5mg
    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Zach

      December 23, 2020 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      So good! Perfect soup for the winter!

      Reply
      • Petra | Cook Like Czechs

        December 23, 2020 at 4:37 pm

        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 🙂

        Reply
        • Zach

          December 28, 2020 at 11:12 am

          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!

          Reply
          • Jana

            May 03, 2021 at 3:18 pm

            5 stars
            Thank you for this lovely dish

            Reply
            • Petra Kupská

              May 03, 2021 at 4:05 pm

              My pleasure!

        • Gabriella Pasek

          February 22, 2021 at 10:07 pm

          5 stars
          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!!!!

          Reply
          • Petra

            February 23, 2021 at 5:25 am

            Thank you Gabriella for your nice comment, I’m happy you enjoyed the zelňačka soup! 🙂

            Reply
          • Ali Krivanek

            April 26, 2022 at 2:55 pm

            5 stars
            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!

            Reply
            • Petra Kupská

              April 26, 2022 at 3:49 pm

              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

        February 15, 2021 at 6:31 pm

        5 stars
        An absolutely delicious zelnacka recipe! Thank you for sharing it 🙂

        Reply
        • Petra

          February 16, 2021 at 3:20 am

          Thank you very much for your comment, Ali 🙂

          Reply
    2. kristena

      August 29, 2021 at 10:26 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        August 29, 2021 at 3:11 pm

        Thank you for your kind words, and so true: this Czech sauerkraut soup is one of the tastiest I know!

        Reply
    3. Emily

      September 04, 2021 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        September 09, 2021 at 8:42 am

        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

        Reply
    4. Dave

      October 23, 2021 at 3:33 pm

      5 stars
      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!!

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        October 24, 2021 at 1:29 pm

        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 ????

        Reply
    5. Wayne Turner

      March 06, 2022 at 7:04 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        March 16, 2022 at 5:20 am

        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.

        Reply
    6. Sarah

      April 20, 2022 at 9:21 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská

        April 21, 2022 at 4:05 am

        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.

        Reply

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    Hi there, I’m Petra, a Czech mom of two teen boys with more than 20 years of cooking experience. I am here to share traditional recipes from the Czech Republic, a small country in the very heart of Europe.

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