This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Every Sunday, as a child growing up, we spent the afternoon visiting my Babci. Babci means grandmother in Polish,* and she was my mother’s mother. Like most women of her generation, she often made dishes that originated from the ‘old country’ and the distinctive tastes and flavors of those dishes are hardwired in my memory.
Even today, I can immediately go back in time whenever I smell certain foods or certain dishes cooking. One of those dishes is Kapusta**, a traditional Polish cabbage soup. We were always really psyched when Babci made her delicious Kapusta for us for dinner.
Years later, I discovered that my husband Jack – who pretty much loves all-things cabbage – had never eaten Kapusta!
Since I didn’t have my Babci’s actual recipe (it was one of those recipes that was cooked from memory and never written down), I’ve done my best to recreate it from my own memory, and I think I’ve gotten it pretty close with this version.
Although not traditionally a Polish ingredient, my Babci added canned stewed tomatoes to her Kapusta which gives it an additional layer of flavor and really enhances the other ingredients in this dish. Served with rye bread and butter, Kapusta is one of those dishes that just sends me back in time. And Jack, who can’t get enough of this, wonders how on earth he missed out on this terrific Polish classic until he met me!
This post was originally published on A Family Feast in November 2012.
*Since originally publishing this recipe, several comments below have let me know that “Babcia” is the correct word for grandmother in Polish. In my family, we simply called her Babci.
**Since originally publishing this recipe, a reader has let us know that this soup is also known as Kapusniak, or according to Wikipedia, Kapusta kiszona duszona. Kapusta is the name that many Polish-American families like mine have given this soup.
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Kapusta (Polish Cabbage Soup)
A traditional Polish cabbage soup made with pork, cabbage, sauerkraut, onion, carraway seed and my Babci’s secret ingredient…stewed tomatoes to really enhance the flavors in this soup.
Ingredients
- 3–4 pounds of meaty pork ribs such as country style ribs
- 6 ounces diced salt pork (4 ounces after removing skin. The fatty type not the meaty type)
- 1 1/2 cups onion, about one large onion
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pound fresh sauerkraut with juice (found in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets)
- 1 medium head of cabbage, shredded (about 1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
- 2 14 1/2–ounce cans of stewed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 pounds all-purpose potatoes
- Rye bread and butter
Instructions
- Place pork ribs in a large 8 quart heavy pot and cover the ribs with water almost to the top. Bring to a boil uncovered, lower to a fast simmer (low boil) and cook for 45 minutes, skimming off foam as they start to boil. Shut off burner and let them sit in the water for 15 minutes.
- While the pork is cooking, in a medium frying pan, cook the diced salt pork on a medium high flame for 2-3 minutes or until just starting to brown. Add onion to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes until just starting to get tender. Reduce to medium heat, stir in the flour and sauté for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Once cooked, remove ribs from the pot and let cool. Save the liquid in the pot.
- To the pot of liquid, add the sauerkraut and juice, shredded cabbage, stewed tomatoes, caraway seeds and salt as well as the cooked salt pork and onion mixture.
- Cook over medium high heat until cabbage is cooked, approximately 30-35 minutes. While the cabbage mixture is cooking, remove the meat from the bones, shredding the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return the cooked pork to the pot once the cabbage is tender and heat to serving temperature.
- Peel and quarter potatoes and place in cold sated water while cabbage mixture is cooking. Bring to a boil and over a medium boil, cook potatoes for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Drain water and cool potatoes to room temperature. Once the cabbage mixture has finished cooking, cut cooked potatoes into bite sized pieces and either add to the finished cabbage dish or serve on the side. (cooking in quarters and cutting after the fact will make them more firm and less mushy since less of the surface touched the boiling water.
- Serve with rye bread and butter for a traditional Polish meal.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
You may also like:
Nancy Piotrowski says
Actually, kapusta is a braised sauerkraut dish. The soup is called kapusniak.
karen l obrien says
What can I use instead of salt pork?
Martha says
Hi Karen – The salt pork adds flavor and saltiness. You can use bacon (which will give the finished dish a little more of a smoky flavor) or just olive oil, then adjust the seasonings later on in the cooking process.
Lee says
Made this last night- a great comfort food. Just like my Busia used to make. I am planning to try more of your recipes. Thank you.
Martha says
You’re welcome Lee – so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Pepper says
2/26/2020. By far the best thing I have ever eaten. I mean it. I don’t know why none of my family made this for us. Love it!!
Martha says
Thanks Pepper – My husband Jack said the exact same thing the first time he ate this soup. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
frank Bojda says
Kapusta means cabbage, cabbage soup is Kapusniak. Grandmother is Bapca! great recipe by the way.
Martha says
Thanks Frank!
Ginny Pokoj says
Good Morning – was reading with interest your recipe for Kapusta. It is so totally different from the one my husband’s mother made (and I have been making it now for almost 49 years). Would love to share our recipe with you if you would like to see it. Time to make some as well as getting my freezer stocked with pierogi and kiska. Have a blessed weekend.
Martha says
Hi Ginny – I’d love to see your recipe! My email is [email protected] – thank you! (Agree…it’s time to make it again!) 🙂
sharon A ritzert says
It sounds like my mother receipe, except she would alway add a lg can of saurkraut that she drained the liquid off. I remember one day I was weeding my Mothers flower bed and thought the glass of liquid was lemonade. It instantly was spit out of my mouth. ZDon’t think I ever saw her laugh so hard.
Martha says
LOL – oh my goodness Sharon! (Bleh – that must have tasted horrible!)
David Siemens says
A late Polish friend taught me how to make this delicious dish. He got the recipe from his Polish grandma. Mike used pork ribs but added chunks of kielbasa and copious amounts of caraway seeds to the mix. It stewed for hours. When served with rye bread, it was heaven. Even better next day.
Martha says
Sounds delicious David! You might like our Bigos recipe too: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/bigos-polish-hunters-stew/
David says
Love it
Martha says
Thank you!
J.B. Bulharowski says
Martha: How good of you to take all the “corrections,” so gracefully. My background is Slovak, and we called my grandmother Baba. Everybody had a version, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, etc. of Cabbage Soup. Whatever you remember works as long as some traditions from “the old country,” are remembered. In my 54 years of home-keeping, I have revised, refined and made my own riffs based on what my mom and grandmother made from memory. I have a Slovak cookbook given to me as a bride and even those recipes are different with regard to ingredients and reminiscences. This Christmas since there is only two of us I’m in the process of making my different version of Kapustnica in my Instant Pot; which should be a revelation. Wish me luck, and thank you for helping me relive some ethnic memories.
Martha says
Thank you for your note J.B! I guess I can understand the passion behind some of the other comments – and I think you are 100% correct – as long as the traditions are remembered, it’s all good! Merry Christmas – I hope your recipe is delicious!