Kapusniak (sauerkraut soup with mushrooms)

What it is

Kapusniak is a thick first course made from sauerkraut. In the mountains and foothills, it is most often cooked lean, with dried or fresh forest mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, onions, and a handful of millet, which makes the soup thick.

In the book 'Boyko Cuisine', lean kapusniak with mushrooms is listed among the main liquid dishes of the Boykos. Mushrooms with onions and carrots are sautéed in oil, potatoes with millet are boiled separately, and at the end, sauerkraut and herbs are added, allowing the soup to steep under a lid. The Boykos serve kapusniak with sour cream, making it no longer lean.

In Galician cuisine, according to the description by Petro Lehoida, kapusniak is cooked on broth from fresh or smoked pork or beef, while the lean version is made with fir and mushrooms: sour cabbage, dried mushrooms, onions, and potatoes are added to the broth and boiled until the cabbage softens.

History and name

Kapusniak is known throughout Ukraine and among neighbors — the Poles and Slovaks. Sauerkraut and dried porcini mushrooms were a winter reserve for mountain families, so their combination in one pot is natural for the Carpathians.

According to Ukrainian tradition, millet is added to kapusniak: it makes the soup thick.

Ingredients and allergens

Variant: lean, with mushrooms and millet

Sauerkraut200 gShredded cabbage, fermented with salt in a barrel; a winter supply for every mountain family.

Dried porcini200–250 g dried or 500 g freshWinter supply of a mountain family — for soup, machanka, and lean holubtsi.

Potato3–4 pcs.In the mountains, potatoes are called bulba, ripa, bandurky, or kompyr — the basis for riplianka, deruny, and pies.

Millet0.5 cupGrain from millet; in Rakhiv region, they bake Christmas stuffed cabbage with millet and mushrooms.

Onion1 pc.Fried onion in lard or oil is a common seasoning in Carpathian dishes.

Carrot1 pc.Added to mushroom soup.

Also: dill (bunch, to serve), parsley (root and leaves) (bunch, to serve), sunflower oil (3 tbsp.), salt (to taste), black pepper (to taste), water (2–2.5 l)

Contains allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the traditional recipe
Diet: lenten · vegan · gluten-free

Variant: boyko-style, served with sour cream

sauerkraut, dried porcini, potato, millet, onion, carrot, sunflower oil, sour cream, dill, salt, water

Contains allergens: milk
Diet: vegetarian · gluten-free

Variant: galician, on meat broth

pork, sauerkraut, dried porcini, onion, potato, salt, sour cream, water

Contains allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the traditional recipe
Depending on how it is served, may contain: milk
Diet: gluten-free

Ingredients of the traditional recipe; every cook and every place may do it differently — please ask when ordering. We cannot guarantee the absence of allergens or traces.

How it is traditionally made

• Sauerkraut — 200 g
• Dried porcini — 200–250 g dried or 500 g fresh
• Potato — 3–4 pcs.
• Millet — 0.5 cup
• Onion — 1 pc.
• Carrot — 1 pc.
• Sunflower oil — 3 tbsp.
• Dill — bunch
• Parsley (root and leaves) — bunch
• Salt — to taste
• Black pepper — to taste
• Water — 2–2.5 l

1. Rinse the dried mushrooms and pour boiling water over them; clean and chop the fresh ones.
2. Bring water to a boil, add diced potatoes and dried mushrooms.
3. Sauté finely chopped onions, grated carrots, and mushrooms in oil until soft.
4. Ten minutes after adding the potatoes, add the well-rinsed millet.
5. Five minutes later, add the sautéed vegetables with mushrooms and sauerkraut; cook until the cabbage softens.
6. Season with salt and pepper, add chopped dill and parsley, remove from heat, and let steep under a lid.

How it is served

Hot, with bread; outside of fasting — with a spoonful of sour cream.

Variants

Meat-eaters cook kapusniak on broth from pork, smoked meat, or beef. It can also be made with fresh cabbage or a combination of sauerkraut and fresh cabbage.

The traditional method as described by our sources; every family does it its own way. We have not tested this recipe in a professional kitchen.

Where it is eaten

Boykivshchyna and the Galician foothills; kapusniak is cooked throughout Ukraine, so its area is not limited to the mountains.

When it is eaten

Occasions: Everyday food · Lent · Mushroom season

In tradition

Lean kapusniak with mushrooms is a dish of fasting and winter, when there is a barrel of sauerkraut and a supply of dried mushrooms in the pantry.

Safety

Only use purchased or identified mushrooms; do not collect mushrooms relying on photos.

FAQ