Name: Kapusta z grochem: Polish sauerkraut and peas
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 580 min
Yield: 8 side-dish servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 300 g dried peas, sorted and rinsed; 1.8 L cold water for soaking the peas, discarded after soaking; 2 L fresh water for cooking the peas; 700 g naturally fermented sauerkraut, drained and coarsely chopped; 500 mL water for cooking the sauerkraut; 400 g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks; 1 L water for cooking the potatoes; 200 g yellow onion, peeled and finely diced; 50 g unsalted butter; 2 g fine salt; 2 g ground black pepper; 2 g dried marjoram

A wide view of „Kapusta z grochem: Polish sauerkraut and peas“ arranged on a table for serving.

Yield 8 side-dish servings

Serving size about 250 g cooked

Difficulty easy to moderate

Category Polish sauerkraut and peas; contains milk

Ingredients ↓

At a glance

Kapusta z grochem: Polish sauerkraut and peas

A thick Polish dish of tender fermented cabbage, dried peas, potatoes and onion, seasoned with butter, marjoram and black pepper.

Kapusta z grochem means cabbage with peas. It is a Polish dish with regional and household variations, often made with fermented cabbage and dried peas. This practical meatless version combines sauerkraut, peas and potatoes with onion softened in butter, then mashes some of the peas to thicken the mixture.

The name does not point to one fixed formula. A recorded Mazovian version from Radziwiłłów cooks the fermented cabbage, peas and potatoes separately, then combines them with mashed peas and onion fried in clarified butter. A Kujavian record describes soaked peas seasoned with butter, marjoram, pepper and garlic, and also cites a 19th-century reference to sour cabbage with mashed peas. This recipe is a home-style adaptation; it is not presented as either registered product.

Depending on the region, cabbage with peas may appear among the foods served for Wigilia, the Polish Christmas Eve meal. The dish is also filling as a winter side throughout the season. Cook the components separately so each becomes tender without turning the cabbage to mush, then fold them together and keep some whole peas and cabbage pieces visible.

Tips for a good result

Soak the dried peas in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours, then drain and rinse them before cooking in fresh water.
Simmer the peas until fully tender; older peas can take longer, so use tenderness rather than the clock alone.
Taste the sauerkraut before cooking. If it is unusually salty or sharp, rinse it once and drain well.
Cook the cabbage and potatoes in separate pots, then drain them thoroughly so the finished dish is thick rather than watery.
Mash about half the peas coarsely and leave the rest whole; this thickens the mixture while preserving texture.
Fold the components together gently and add reserved pea cooking water only as needed to keep the dish moist.

Ingredients

300 g dried peas, sorted and rinsed
1.8 L cold water for soaking the peas, discarded after soaking
2 L fresh water for cooking the peas
700 g naturally fermented sauerkraut, drained and coarsely chopped
500 mL water for cooking the sauerkraut
400 g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks
1 L water for cooking the potatoes
200 g yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
50 g unsalted butter
2 g fine salt
2 g ground black pepper
2 g dried marjoram

Method

Directions

Soak the peasSort through the dried peas and rinse them under cool water. Put them in a large bowl, cover with the measured cold soak water and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse before cooking.
Cook the peas until tenderTransfer the soaked peas to a 2.5 L saucepan and add the measured fresh water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming any foam, then lower the heat and simmer partly covered for 55–70 minutes, until the peas are fully tender. Drain them over a bowl and reserve 250 mL of the cooking water.
Simmer the sauerkrautWhile the peas simmer, taste the sauerkraut. If it is unusually salty or sharp, rinse it once and drain. Put it in a 4 L pot with the measured water and simmer over medium-low heat for 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain well.
Boil the potatoesWhile the sauerkraut simmers, put the potato chunks in a 2 L saucepan with the measured water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15–20 minutes, until a knife slips into a piece easily. Drain.
Soften the onion in butterWhile the potatoes cook, melt the butter in a 30 cm skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent but not deeply browned.
Mash some of the peasTransfer the cooked peas to a large mixing bowl. Mash about half of them coarsely with a potato masher, leaving the remaining peas whole.
Combine and seasonAdd the drained sauerkraut, potatoes and onion with all the butter to the peas. Sprinkle in the salt, black pepper and marjoram. Fold gently so the ingredients are evenly mixed while some cabbage pieces and whole peas remain intact.
Simmer to a thick, moist textureAdd reserved pea cooking water a little at a time only if the mixture seems dry. Transfer the mixture to a pot and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring carefully so it does not catch on the bottom. The finished dish should be moist and thick, not soupy.
Rest and serveLet the dish rest for 10 minutes, then serve hot as a side or meatless main.

Nutrition per serving

Serving sizeabout 250 g cooked
Caloriesabout 240 kcal
Carbohydratesabout 37 g
Proteinabout 11 g
Fatabout 6 g
Fibreabout 13 g
Sodiumabout 775 mg

Estimate for one eighth of the recipe using generic ingredient-composition data, drained sauerkraut, measured salt and unsalted butter. Sauerkraut varies considerably in sodium, and rinsing changes the final amount. Values are rounded and are not a laboratory analysis.

Allergens and food safety

Serving, storage, reheating and make-ahead: Serve hot. For advance preparation, soak the peas overnight in the refrigerator; cooked peas can be cooled promptly and refrigerated a day ahead. Cook the cabbage and potatoes and combine the components close to serving for the best texture.

Serving, storage, reheating and make-ahead: Divide leftovers among shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at or below 4 °C. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat on the stovetop, stirring gently and adding a little water if needed, until the centre reaches 74 °C. The saltiness of the sauerkraut varies, so taste before reheating and adjust only with ingredients already listed.

Contains milk from butter. Check ingredient labels for other declared allergens. Soak peas in the refrigerator, not at room temperature. Keep cooked components protected from raw foods and use clean hands, utensils and surfaces. Cook peas until fully tender. Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at or below 4 °C. Use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74 °C.

Rinse the sauerkraut only if it tastes unusually salty or sharp; otherwise, drain it well to retain its tang.

Mash only about half the peas so the dish thickens while keeping some soft whole peas.

Kapusta z grochem: Polish sauerkraut and peas

Tips for a good result

Ingredients

Method

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

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