Kwaśnica góralska

Name: Kwaśnica góralska
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 1000 g Sauerkraut, with juice; 700 g Pork rib, cut into sections; 500 g Smoked pork rib, cut into sections; 150 g Smoked bacon, diced; 600 g Potato, diced; 3 clove Garlic, crushed; 2 Bay leaf; 6 Allspice berry; 2 tsp Marjoram, dried; 1 tsp Caraway seed; 20 g Dried mushroom, rinsed; 2 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Black pepper, ground; 2500 ml Water, cold

Kwaśnica góralska · ready in 2 h 20 min · 6 servings · 602 kcal per serving · medium · 14 ingredients

A sharp, smoky Highland sauerkraut soup from the Tatra region, built on raw and smoked pork ribs and naturally fermented cabbage.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 2 h
Total: 2 h 20 min
Serves: 6
kcal: 602
Difficulty: medium

Polish Soups Gluten-free Dairy-free High-protein (25 g+)

A QiMeal recipe · Updated 3 October 2026

Ingredients · 6 servings

1000 gSauerkraut, with juice
700 gPork rib, cut into sections
500 gSmoked pork rib, cut into sections
150 gSmoked bacon, diced
600 gPotato, diced
3 cloveGarlic, crushed
2Bay leaf
6Allspice berry
2 tspMarjoram, dried
1 tspCaraway seed
20 gDried mushroom, rinsed
2 tspSalt
1 tspBlack pepper, ground
2500 mlWater, cold

Equipment

stovetop, large pot, skimmer, knife, cutting board, bowl, ladle, tongs, spoon, measuring spoon, serving bowl

Instructions

Mise En Place
Gather all ingredients and set out a large pot, skimmer, knife, board, bowl, ladle, tongs, spoon, and measuring spoons. · 10 min
What to look for: Ingredients and tools are ready beside the stove.
Start Broth
Place pork ribs and smoked pork ribs in cold water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and skim foam until the broth clears. · 20 min
What to look for: Foam rises, then the surface becomes cleaner and lightly smoky.
Simmer Sauerkraut
Add sauerkraut with juice, dried mushroom, bay leaf, allspice berry, and caraway seed; lower heat and simmer gently for 60 minutes. · 1 h
What to look for: The broth turns cloudy-gold, sour, and aromatic with slow bubbles.
Add Potato
Add diced potato and smoked bacon, then simmer for 30 minutes until the potato is tender and the broth smells smoky and sour. · 30 min
When it is done: Pork should be tender and at least 63°C / 145°F near the bone before serving.
Season Garlic
Crush garlic with salt, stir it into the soup with marjoram and black pepper, then simmer for 5 minutes to meld the aromas. · 5 min
What to look for: Garlic softens into the broth and marjoram flecks the surface.
Adjust Sourness
Taste the soup and adjust salt or black pepper, keeping the flavor distinctly sour with a smoky pork backbone. · 5 min
What to look for: The soup tastes bright, salty enough, and firmly fermented.
Remove Bones
Lift out ribs and bay leaf, pull tender meat from the bones back into the pot, and discard bones carefully with tongs. · 5 min
When it is done: Meat should pull freely from the bone and show no raw pink areas.
Serve Hot
Ladle hot kwaśnica into bowls and serve immediately, giving each portion potato, sauerkraut, smoked bacon, and tender pork. · 5 min
What to look for: Each bowl is steaming, chunky, smoky, and visibly rich with sauerkraut.

Nutrition (per serving)

kcal	602
Protein	28 g
Carbohydrates	29 g
of which sugars	4 g
Fat	42 g
of which saturated	15 g
Fibre	8 g
Sodium	2738 mg

Nutri-ScoreC

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens, per our data.

Ingredient substitutions

Pork rib

Smoked pork rib: Keeps the pork-bone base but makes the soup smokier.

Smoked pork rib

Smoked bacon: Adds smoke and pork fat, though the broth will be less bone-rich.

Smoked bacon

Smoked pork rib: Use extra smoked rib for smoke and pork depth, with less bacon fat.

Bay leaf

Allspice berry: Use only if bay leaf is unavailable; the soup will taste warmer and less herbal.

Allspice berry

Bay leaf: Use only if allspice is unavailable; the broth will be less rounded and peppery.

Marjoram

Caraway seed: Use sparingly; caraway is stronger and more anise-like than marjoram.