Vegan Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (oil free, wfpb) (2024)

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Modified: by Jasmin Hackmann · This post may contain affiliate links*. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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If you're looking to get more creative with sauerkraut, why not try out this flavorful and surprisingly easy-to-make vegan sauerkraut soup? With only a few simple ingredients - likely already stashed away in your pantry at home - you can whip up an amazing vegan dish.

Just 30 minutes of cooking will give you a delicious taste experience that is perfect for lunch or as a light dinner. So make yourself some tasty sauerkraut soup tonight!

Vegan Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (oil free, wfpb) (1)

This sauerkraut soup is inspired by my other German recipes like onion tart. It pairs well with crusty bread like homemade baguette.

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Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Substitutions
  • Variations
  • Equipment:
  • Serving Options
  • Storage
  • Tips
  • 📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Before we go straight to the vegetarian sauerkraut soup recipe, I would like to show you what's in this vegan sauerkraut soup.

You can find the ingredients with quantities and the recipe to print out on the recipe card below.

  • Onion
  • Garlic Cloves
  • Celery
  • Sauerkraut
  • Vegetable Broth
  • Paprika Powder
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Tomato Paste
  • Marjoram
  • Chicken Broth Powder (vegan)
  • Raw Cashews
  • White Beans, canned
  • Water
  • Sea Salt
  • Black Pepper

Topping

  • Fresh Parsley
  • Roasted Sweet Potato
  • Fresh Dill or other Fresh Herbs
Vegan Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (oil free, wfpb) (2)

Instructions

Finely dice the onions and garlic cloves. Sauté them in a large enough pot with a little water on a medium-high heat. Add a sip of water occasionally if you notice the bottom is turning a little brown or onions are starting to stick to the pot.

In the meantime, dice the celery finely and add them to the onions.

While you are sautéing the celery with the onions, blend the cashews, drained white beans and water in a high-speed blender until they are creamy.

Now add the sauerkraut and vegetable broth to the onions and stir it vigorously. Now season with paprika powder, tomato paste, pepper, marjoram, chicken stock powder, caraway seeds. Vigorously stir the soup and let it simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

Now add the cream and stir the soup. Season the soup to your own taste buds.

Hint: You can easily make this soup in an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker. I would cook the soup in the slow cooker for 3 hours on low heat.

Make this soup, check out my other favorite vegan soup recipes like tomato soup, potato soup, dal with red lentils, lentil soup and my other vegan soup recipes.

Substitutions

Let's take a look at what we can replace in the sauerkraut soup. Here I would like to give you options to adapt the soup to your diet.

  • Tomato Paste: If you can't eat tomatoes, you can also try to replace the tomato paste with e.g. paprika paste or pumpkin purée. I haven't tried it myself, but I can well imagine that it tastes very good.
  • Vegan Chicken Stock Powder: You can find the recipe for the powdered chicken stock on my blog. You can also use a purchased one or leave it out. In my opinion, it gives the sauerkraut soup a special taste.
  • Cashews: The cashews make the sauerkraut soup nice and creamy. However, if you don't want to use cashews, you can use sunflower seeds. You do this in the same way as with the cashews. Depending on the situation, you have to let the soup simmer a little longer, since sunflower seeds don't thicken as nicely as cashews. You can also use coconut milk instead.
  • White Beans: Do you want to prepare the sauerkraut soup without legumes? No problem. Instead of the white beans, just use more cashews or sunflower seeds. I like to use the white beans to integrate more nutrients and so that the soup is not too high in fat.
  • Sauerkraut: Use store-bought sauerkraut or homemade. You could easily use some green cabbage. Sauerkraut is made from green cabbage. It will not have the classic sauerkraut taste, though.
Vegan Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (oil free, wfpb) (3)

Variations

  • Italian Seasoning: Add some Italian herb seasoning.
  • Spicy: Fire-roasted tomatoes with chilies, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes will add a nice kick.
  • Beans: You want to add more plant-based protein, add some kidney beans, green beans or black beans for a sauerkraut black bean soup.
  • Potatoes: I love the sauerkraut potato combo. Add some diced Yukon gold potatoes to this creamy cabbage soup.
  • Citrus: Add some lime juice or lemon juice. This will add some more vitamins c.
  • Umami: You want to add more umami flavor, add some soy sauce or coconut aminos to this delicious soup.
Vegan Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (oil free, wfpb) (4)

Serving Options

You can serve this sauerkraut soup as a starter or as a light main course. You can either serve rolls or bread with it. Serve some brown rice with this easy soup recipe. I think the sour cabbage soup is a full meal and doesn't need any side dishes. However, if you are missing carbs, you can make the soup with a few potatoes.

Storage

Do you have some leftovers from the soup and don't really know what to do with them? Here I'll show you how to store it.

  • How to Refrigerate It? You can store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 4-5 days. To warm up, simply heat the soup in a pot over medium heat or briefly put in the microwave. I love to use glass container.
  • How to Freeze It? This vegan sauerkraut soup can also be frozen and prepared in large quantities. Simply freeze the sauerkraut soup in portions in freezer-safe containers. Take them out the night before and thaw them in the refrigerator.

Meal Prep

This healthy soup is great as a meal prep, and you can prepare it 2-3 days in advance and then all you have to do is heat it up.

Vegan Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (oil free, wfpb) (5)

Tips

Add variety to the soup and add a few carrots or other vegetables.

Make sure that you caramelize the onions properly, they give the soup a wonderful note.

📖 Recipe

Vegan Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (oil free, wfpb) (6)

Vegan Sauerkraut Soup

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Spice up your dinner tonight with this tasty sauerkraut soup! With a few items from the pantry, you can create an amazing vegan feast - featuring spicy sauerkraut, savory onions and paprika. Enjoy in just 30 minutes as either lunch or dinner. Bon appétit!

Ingredients

  • 2 onions
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 28 oz (810 g) Sauerkraut
  • 3 cups (750 ml) vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon paprika powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika smoked
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1 teaspoon marjoram
  • 3 teaspoon vegan chicken broth powder (opt)
  • ¼ cup (40 g) raw cashews
  • 1 15 oz- can (300 g) of white beans, drained
  • ½ cup (120 ml) water

Instructions

Finely dice the onions and garlic cloves. Fry them in a large enough pot with a little water. Add a sip of water every now and then if you notice the bottom is turning a little brown or onions are starting to stick to the pot.

In the meantime, dice the celery finely and add them to the onions.

While you are sautéing the celery with the onions, blend the cashews, white beans and water in a high-speed blender until they are creamy.

Now add the sauerkraut and vegetable broth to the onions and stir it vigorously. Now season with paprika, tomato paste, pepper, marjoram, chicken stock powder, caraway seeds. Vigorously stir the soup and let it simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

Now add the cream and stir the soup. Season the soup to your own taste buds.

Notes

More Tips and Tricks in the Post!

Recommended Products

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Did you make this recipe?

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More Vegan Soups

  • Vegan Hungarian Goulash Recipe with Jackfruit
  • Vegan Red Cabbage Soup (wfpb, oil free, gluten free)
  • Vegan Split Pea Soup Recipe
  • Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe (oil free)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shi says

    Good evening Jasmin!
    Grüße aus Berlin! Ich hoffe, Dir geht es gut! I am a very very biiiiiiiig fan of yours and your recipes! They are healthy AND tasty which shows that these two attributes are not contradictory which is something many people sadly believe.
    But back to my question:) Do you think it is possible to make this soup with kimchi instead of Sauerkraut. I know unlike both being products of fermenting cabbage the taste is very different but I have kimchi in my fridge and for me the taste of kimchi itself is too strong so I was looking for a recipe to tone it down a bit.
    What do you think?
    Thanks again and have a great week!
    Your super fan

    Reply

    • Jasmin says

      Hi Shi, thank you so much for your amazing feedback. I am really happy you like my recipes. I do think it will work just fine. Kimchi is kind of sauerkraut. But it will be more spicy than the recipe with sauerkraut. It is a try worth. And I'd like to hear from you back how it turned out. 🙂

      Reply

      • Linda says

        Hello! Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I am making it right now! Wondering how much of the brine should go into the soup. I have about 2 cups drained off of the sauerkraut. I'm considering just using a little and then water with no-chicken bullion concentrate.
        Linda

        Reply

        • Jasmin Hackmann says

          The sauerkraut I am using has almost now brine. Add it after you added all the other ingredients and add as much as you want to to get your preferet constistency.

          Reply

Leave a Reply

Vegan Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (oil free, wfpb) (2024)

FAQs

Is sauerkraut good for vegans? ›

As long as the initial ingredients, such as cabbage and salt, and any additional components used during fermentation are vegan, the sauerkraut remains vegan-friendly. So, whether you're a vegan or simply a sauerkraut enthusiast, you can enjoy this fermented delight without any concerns about its vegan status.

What is sauerkraut good with? ›

Sauerkraut can be added to soups and stews; cooked with stock, beer or wine; served with sausages or salted meats, and is especially good with smoked fish, like hot-smoked salmon.

How long should you cook sauerkraut? ›

Empty the contents of a bag of sauerkraut into a large skillet (include sauerkraut juice). Add spices or seasonings, as desired. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately!

What is the liquid in sauerkraut called? ›

Kraut juice (called Sauerkrautsaft in German, Zeamă de varză/Moare in Romanian, rasol, rasoj or rasuluk in the Balkans) is a beverage that consists of the liquid in which sauerkraut is cured. It is the juice of the vegetable itself and the pickling brine.

What bacteria is in homemade sauerkraut? ›

Sauerkraut production typically relies on a sequential microbial process that involves hetero- and hom*ofermentative lactic acid bacteria, such as Leuconostoc spp. and Weissella spp. in the early phase and Lactobacillus spp., Lactococcus lactis, and Pediococcus spp. in the subsequent phases.

What happens to your gut when you eat sauerkraut? ›

Sauerkraut contains probiotics, which can help support digestion by improving your gut flora, or the bacteria that live in your gut. Sauerkraut also contains fiber, which can help reduce your risk of constipation and have more regular bowel movements.

Should I eat sauerkraut in the morning or at night? ›

The best time to eat sauerkraut for gut health is during or before a meal since stomach acid, and enzymes can aid in breaking down food and killing harmful bacteria. Incorporating sauerkraut into your diet regularly can be beneficial, aiming for at least 1-2 servings per day.

Does sauerkraut flatten stomach? ›

Sauerkraut/KimChi (and other probiotic-rich foods)

They reduce bloating and help you digest the food you eat. Sauerkraut and other fermented foods like kimchi are chock full of probiotics, so add them to your diet to protect your gut from being overtaken by bad bacteria that can wreak havoc on the system.

Should you eat sauerkraut on an empty stomach? ›

Generally speaking, if your gut is in good shape and your body typically responds well to fermented foods, eating them on an empty stomach should be completely fine. “Fermented foods are typically fine to eat on an empty stomach since they help to support digestion,” Greenfield says.

Can you overdo sauerkraut? ›

Sudden intake or excess consumption of sauerkraut may lead to diarrhea. However, with daily consumption, your body gets accustomed to it and gradually diarrhea is prevented.

Does cooking sauerkraut destroy its benefits? ›

One important issue to remember is that cooking sauerkraut will kill off the probiotic bacteria that we want to consume. Even after cooking, sauerkraut is a healthy, cabbage-based dish, but it will be missing out on that probiotic boost. So, when possible, try to add your sauerkraut to your dishes uncooked.

Is sauerkraut better warm or cold? ›

Cold sauerkraut is the best bet to reap all the natural health benefits. Sauerkraut should be kept in the fridge, even if you bought it off the shelf. Take the jar out of the fridge early if you want to have your sauerkraut at room temperature with your meal.

Is sauerkraut good or bad for you? ›

Sauerkraut is a versatile food full of essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Live sauerkraut can also contain probiotic bacteria, which are good for your gut. Some nutrients in sauerkraut may contribute to improved heart health, bone health, immune function, and inflammation.

What is the origin of sauerkraut soup? ›

Sauerkraut soup traces its origins to two countries: Poland and Ukraine. It must have spread to other Soviet Union countries and that's how it ended up on my Lithuanian table. Well, thanks to Ukrainians and Poles then!

What does sauerkraut taste like? ›

The taste is in the name, even if it's spelled the German way. Good sauerkraut has a sour punch, backed by acidic and salty notes. It's not sour like Sour Patch Kids or Warheads; it has a far more natural taste (close to the flavor of a pickle) that is quite delicious in big heaping doses.

Where did sauerkraut soup originate? ›

Although "sauerkraut" is from a German word (Sauerkraut), the dish did not originate in Germany. Some claim fermenting cabbage suan cai was already practised in the days of the building of the Great Wall of China.

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