This Sausage, Potato, and Sauerkraut Soup includes a hearty combination of bratwurst, gold potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms in a tangy, sauerkraut-packed broth. This cozy soup is topped with crispy dark rye croutons tossed in caraway and dill and an optional, but encouraged, dollop of sour cream.
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What ingredients do you need to make Sausage, Potato, and Sauerkraut Soup with Rye Croutons?
- Bratwurst sausage - I love these Olympia Provisions Bratwurst, but feel free to use your favorite.
- Potatoes - Waxy Yukon Gold potatoes are my preferred potato for this soup because they hold their shape really well when boiled and have a nice, buttery flavor.
- Sauerkraut - You'll use both the sauerkraut and all the juice in the jar to give this soup a tangy bite of flavor.
- Carrots
- Mushrooms - Cremini, also referred to as baby Bella, baby portobello, or common brown are my favorite for this soup.
- Tomato paste - Adds a nice element of savoriness to the tangy broth.
- Dijon mustard
- Chicken broth
- Garlic-infused oil - I love using this to add garlic flavor, but you are welcome to use traditional olive oil and fresh minced garlic cloves (or garlic powder) if you prefer.
- Caraway seeds - These may not be in your spice cabinet, but they're super easy to grab at almost any grocery store in the spice section. They add a nice nuttiness with a hint of citrus and anise to the broth. Do not skip them!
- Thyme - I use dried, but you are welcome to use fresh if you have it.
- Paprika
- Dill - I use dried dill in the soup, but I love garnishing the top of the bowls with fresh dill too.
- Bay leaf
- Kosher salt - This one is a staple in my kitchen.
- Rye Bread - I prefer dark rye bread for these croutons, but you can also use a lighter rye if you prefer. I made my own using this recipe, but you are welcome to buy a loaf from a bakery or grocery store.
- Optional: Sour cream and fresh dill, top top
How to make rye croutons
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F / 205 C. Line a baker's half sheet with parchment paper and reserve to the side.
- Cut rye bread into cubes (about 1-1 ½ inches each). Transfer the rye bread to the reserved sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil, salt, dill, and caraway seeds over top of the cubed bread and toss by hand to combine until evenly coated.
- Transfer the pan to the oven to bake for 14-minutes, tossing halfway through, until evenly toasted. The croutons will continue to firm up slightly as they cool.
Can I make this Sauerkraut soup in advance?
Yes, absolutely! This Sausage, Potato, and Sauerkraut Soup with Rye Croutons is fantastic made in advance and reheated. When stored properly in airtight containers in the refrigerator, this chili should keep for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat in a soup pot on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. For smaller portions, reheat in a microwave-safe dish for 2 minutes, stir, and heat at additional 30-minute intervals as needed.
What tools do you need to make this recipe?
- A dutch oven or large soup pot
- A baker's half sheet lined with parchment paper
- A kitchen scale
- Liquid measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- A cutting board
- A chef's knife
- A wooden spoon or spatula
- Kitchen tongs (nice to have but not essential)
- A soup ladle
Are you looking to upgrade your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.
Looking for more dinner inspiration?
Love this Sausage, Potato, and Sauerkraut Soup with Rye Croutons? Here are some more of my favorite warm and cozy soups, stews, and chili recipes:
- Clam Chowder with Jalapeno and Corn
- Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder
- Chunky Tomato Basil Soup
- Chili with Butternut Squash
- Chicken Poblano Chili
- Roasted Broccoli Cauliflower Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Chorizo
- Cioppino (Fishermans Stew)
- Pressure Cooker Black Bean Soup
- Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock
Sausage, Potato, and Sauerkraut Soup with Rye Croutons
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Mains, Soups & Stews
- Method: Oven / Stovetop
- Cuisine: German-American
Description
This Sausage, Potato, and Sauerkraut Soup includes a hearty combination of bratwurst, gold potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms in a tangy, sauerkraut-packed broth. This cozy soup is topped with crispy dark rye croutons tossed in caraway and dill and an optional, but encouraged, dollop of sour cream.
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil (or 2 tbsp olive oil + 2 cloves minced garlic)
- 12 oz bratwurst (about 3 large)
- 200 g (about 4-5 medium) carrots, peeled and chopped
- 600 g (about 4 medium) waxy gold potatoes, diced
- 8 oz cremini (baby Bella) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 32 oz (4 cups) chicken broth
- 16 oz (1 jar) sauerkraut with liquid
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp dry dill
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp Kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 dried bay leaf
- Optional: sour cream and fresh dill to garnish
For the rye croutons:
- 300 g dark rye bread (I used this recipe, or you can use a bakery loaf)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp dried dill
- ¼-½ teaspoon caraway seeds, as desired
Instructions
For the soup:
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the garlic-infused olive oil. (If using the traditional olive oil and garlic clove substitute, reserve the minced garlic cloves to the side until you add the veggies so they don't burn). Once the oil is shimmering, add the bratwurst. Sear until golden brown on the first side, about 3-4 minutes then flip and sear on the opposite side for 2 minutes. It's not necessary to cook the bratwurst all the way through as they'll finish cooking once they're added to the soup, you just want to get a good sear on the outside. Remove the bratwurst from the pan and reserve to the side.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of garlic-infused olive oil to the pan (or traditional olive oil). Add the carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms to the pan (along with the minced garlic if you are using it) and saute until the potatoes are just beginning to get lightly golden on the edges but aren't fully browned about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and continue to saute for 1-2 minutes or until the tomato paste darkens. Add the chicken broth to the pan to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any tomato paste or crispy bits.
- Add the sauerkraut along with its juice, dijon mustard, dill, caraway seeds, thyme, paprika, salt and bay leaf to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Allow to come to a boil, then reduce the heat until it maintains a steady simmer. While the soup simmers, slice the reserved seared bratwurst into coins and reserve to the side. Once the potatoes are nearly tender, add the bratwurst to the pot to finish cooking. Once the bratwurst is cooked through and the potatoes are tender, taste for salt and adjust if needed. Carefully remove bay leaf.
- Serve warm with rye croutons on top, and optional sour cream and fresh dill to garnish.
For the rye croutons: You can make these first, or dress and bake them while the soup simmers.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F / 205 C. Line a baker's half sheet with parchment paper and reserve to the side.
- Cut rye bread into cubes (about 1-1 ½ inches each). Transfer the rye bread to the reserved sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil, salt, dill, and caraway seeds over top of the cubed bread and toss by hand to combine until evenly coated.
- Transfer the pan to the oven to bake for 14-minutes, tossing halfway through, until evenly toasted. The croutons will continue to firm up slightly as they cool.
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 858
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 2382 mg
- Fat: 47 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 84 g
- Fiber: 14 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
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