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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.
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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.
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Steven Kowalewski says
Reminds me of my Grandmother’s
Martha says
Glad you enjoyed it Steven.
Richard Cauffman says
This looks great 👍 👌 😀 😄 👏 😍
Martha says
Thank you!
Mary Beth Drewniany says
This recipe is delicious. The directions are easy to follow. A staple to serve on cold winter nights. Inexpensive as well. I used boneless country style ribs to save time.
Martha says
Glad you enjoyed the soup Mary Beth!
Mark says
you dont have it set up with keilbasa !!!
Martha says
Nope! Not for our family’s kapusta recipe – but you might like our Bigos recipe here: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/bigos-polish-hunters-stew/
Debbie says
Tasty simple delicious! Reminds me of what Baba made for us. Yummy
Martha says
Thanks Debbie!
Jane Cronin says
It was very delicious!
Martha says
Thanks Jane!
Loretta says
Amazing! Soup came out perfect
Martha says
Thanks Loretta!
Fred says
Hi, Do you have any gluten free recipes? My wife has celiac disease and I need to be careful but would love to have her enjoy some polish meals.
Martha says
Hi Fred – We have a handful of gluten free recipes in general (plus some that are naturally gluten free) – but for Polish recipes specifically, you could leave out the flour in this Kapusta recipe and/or use a one-to-one gluten free flour to thicken the soup a bit. We also developed a Whole30 Stuffed Cabbage recipe here: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/whole30-stuffed-cabbage/ – this would also work for someone who is gluten free. And our Bigos recipe (minus the bread) would also work: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/bigos-polish-hunters-stew/ – Hope that helps!
Fred says
1st., Babci is correct. My grandma died before I was born but My godfathers mom was polish and I used to call her that. As for Kapusta, it is the best if made the polish way, I just simply love it and the memories are there with it.
Martha says
Thank you Fred – we receive so many comments about Babci vs Babcia! Hope you enjoy the Kapusta!
Marty says
I made this tonight and it was fantastic, can leftovers be frozen?
Martha says
Hi Marty – Yes! Although I’d leave the potatoes out as they will get mushy when frozen and thawed.