Sausage and Sauerkraut Soup

I enjoyed this soup more than I thought I was going to. It actually is the kind of soup that gets better the more you eat it. I added a turnip and a rutabaga to the recipe because I was worried that the sauerkraut would be a bit too potent for my tastes and figured they would be a good, neutral veggie to add to help.


This was definitely different, which is nice to have every once in a while (or for Oktoberfest). Also, my nose was pretty conflicted while cooking. The browning of the sausage smelled wonderful but rinsing off the sauerkraut smelled kinda nasty. My dad added some cheese on top but couldn't tell me if it made much difference as he didn't use a particularly sharp cheese.

Not the most beautiful of dishes, but there it is. This is an adaptation from Perry's Plate.


Sausage & Sauerkraut Soup

• 8-10 ounces of sausage (I used a package of breakfast sausage crumbles)
• 1 cup white onion, chopped (about 1/2 large onion)
• 1 turnip, diced
• 1 rutabaga, diced
• 2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
• 4 tsp Dijon mustard

Cook the sausage over medium heat until browned. Remove sausage from the pot and set aside.


Add your turnip and rutabagas to the pot and cook 5 minutes. Add the onion to the pot and cook until the vegetables are soft. Add sauerkraut and 1 cup of chicken stock and boil for about 5 minutes. Turn down heat slightly and add remaining stock. Simmer for 10 minutes.


Remove from heat and stir in cream (if using) and mustard. Puree the soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Return the soup to the pot and add the sausage. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Serve with cheese or croutons, if desired. Serves 5-6.