
My sauerkraut soup is not what you may expect, but a delicious meatless version that is also good for you. This soup is a meal in itself and packed with the wholesome goodness of tomatoes, white beans, onions, celery, potatoes with a Bavarian flavor twist of caraway seeds, and paprika in a thicker soup base.
If you appreciate the warmth of a great tasting soup on cold winter days, then this sauerkraut soup is a must for your table. Think of all the health benefits in a bowl of this soup. You get the protein from the beans without all the saturated fat that meat has besides nutrients such as folate as well as fiber.
The tomatoes are another valuable source of lycopene, vitamin C and K, folate, and potassium to guard the cells from damage.
Onions offer another contribution with all their nutrients and antibacterial properties to reinforce health due to their organic sulfur compounds that protect against cancer and help stabilize blood sugar, improve digestion and bone density.
Yet, how can I forget to mention what the presence of celery can provide to benefit health? Being a member of the apiaceae family such as carrots and parsley, it has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties that have been used for healing since ancient times. It can accomplish all of that because of its powerful apigenin antioxidants that can remove free radicals to help in healing a variety of ailments from liver disease, hormone imbalances and anemia just to name a few.
Potatoes are also wonderful in this soup for all the fiber and its antioxidants. Fiber not only helps clear out the digestive system, but it is also important for lowering blood sugar levels.
Though my sauerkraut soup may involve a few extra steps to prepare, it is well worth it. Once you sample its amazing flavor, I think you will be pleased that you made my recipe.
If you enjoy bean soups as much as we do, then I have a fabulous lentil soup recipe I hope you’ll also want to try.
Sauerkraut Soup
2 cups diced petite tomatoes
1 can (27-oz.) sauerkraut
4 tablespoons sugar
1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
1 large onion, diced
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
3 teaspoons salt
6 cups water
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup olive oil
½ teaspoons black pepper
½ teaspoons paprika
2 large potatoes, cubed
1 cup dried elbow macaroni
2 cups dried Northern beans
Soak about two cups of dried white beans (Northern beans) overnight. The next day, rinse and put on the stove to cook until tender.
Brown the diced onion and celery in the olive oil until golden and the celery is tender.
On another burner, cook the sauerkraut first before draining and rinsing.
Remove the pot with the browning onions and celery from the heat and stir in the flour to coat.
Return to the burner and cook for about half a minute to take the rawness away.
Add the six of water, the beans, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, cubed potatoes, paprika, undrained tomatoes, sauerkraut, and sugar to your stock pot or other large pot. Allow the soup to cook until thickened before stirring in the uncooked dry macaroni to finish cooking until it is done.
ENJOY!

- 2 cups diced petite tomatoes
- 1 can 27-oz. sauerkraut
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup diced celery about 2 stalks
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 6 cups water
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoons black pepper
- ½ teaspoons paprika
- 2 large potatoes cubed
- 1 cup dried elbow macaroni
- 2 cups dried Northern beans
-
Soak about two cups of dried white beans (Northern beans) overnight. The next day, rinse and put on the stove to cook until tender.
-
Brown the diced onion and celery in the olive oil until golden and the celery is tender.
-
On another burner, cook the sauerkraut first before draining and rinsing.
-
Remove the pot with the browning onions and celery from the heat and stir in the flour to coat.
-
Return to the burner and cook for about half a minute to take the rawness away.
-
Add the six of water, the beans, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, cubed potatoes, paprika, tomatoes, and sugar to your stock pot or other large pot. Allow the soup to cook until thickened before stirring in the uncooked dry macaroni to finish cooking until it is done.
ENJOY!
Sounds REALLY tasty. Just 2 questions (so far). Should the tomatoes be drained?? When should the sauerkraut be added back in–before the macaroni so everything steeps together–or just before serving so the sauerkraut keeps its distinctive flavor?
Author
Hi Janet,
I don’t drain the tomatoes. You can add the drained, cooked sauerkraut when you add the water, beans, potatoes, etc. and all the other ingredients.
After the beans are drained and then cooked do you rain them again before using the stock pot w. added water?
Author
Hi Steve,
I just drain them once after they are cooked before throwing them in the soup. I hope you enjoy it. In fact, I have some in my refrigerator right now.