Polish National Dishes

Szarpak — Borowiacki sauerkraut and potato soup

Szarpak, also called kapuśniak borowiacki, is a hearty soup from the Bory Tucholskie area of Pomorskie. Potatoes, soup vegetables and sauerkraut cook together, then browned smoked bacon and onion add the defining smoky richness.

Polish National Dishes
Share
A full serving of thick but spoonable Szarpak with potato, sauerkraut and browned bacon.
Yield 6 servings
Portion about 600 ml, one-sixth of the soup
Preparation 25 minutes
Cooking about 65 minutes
Ingredients ↓
At a glance

Szarpak — Borowiacki sauerkraut and potato soup

Szarpak, also called kapuśniak borowiacki, is a hearty soup from the Bory Tucholskie area of Pomorskie. Potatoes, soup vegetables and sauerkraut cook together, then browned smoked bacon and onion add the defining smoky richness.

The Polish Traditional Products List distinguishes this sauerkraut soup from parzybroda, which is made with fresh cabbage. Its description highlights a thick but spoonable broth with visible pieces of potato, cabbage, bacon and onion.

This measured home version serves six and follows that regional profile without claiming to be one definitive historic household formula. The sauerkraut is added after the potatoes begin to soften, and the bacon is browned separately before it simmers in the soup.

Tips for success

Tips for success

  • Choose sauerkraut with a clean, pleasantly sour aroma and no off odour.
  • Drain it lightly so it is moist but not dripping; rinse briefly only if it tastes excessively salty or sharp.
  • Cut the potatoes and root vegetables into similar pieces so they cook evenly.
  • Add the sauerkraut after the potatoes have started to soften; acidity can slow the softening of potatoes.
  • Keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil so the potato pieces hold their shape.
  • Dice the smoked bacon evenly so it browns and renders at a similar rate.
  • Cook the onion in the rendered bacon fat until softened and lightly golden, without scorching it.
  • Add the bacon and onion with their rendered fat for the smoky surface droplets described for the soup.
  • Taste before adding salt; both the sauerkraut and bacon may already be salty.
  • Leave the bay leaves whole and remove them before serving; lightly crush the allspice berries for a stronger aroma if desired.
  • Simmer the browned bacon in the soup for at least 10 minutes so it heats through and the flavors mingle.
  • If the soup becomes thicker than you like, loosen it with a little hot water and taste again before seasoning.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Soup

  • 700 g sauerkraut, lightly drained
  • 700 g floury potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 100 g carrot, peeled and diced
  • 80 g parsley root, peeled and diced
  • 80 g celeriac, peeled and diced
  • 80 g leek, cleaned and sliced
  • 2 L water
  • Up to 5 g fine salt, added only after tasting

Smoked bacon and seasoning

  • 200 g smoked bacon, cut into small dice
  • 150 g onion, finely chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 allspice berries
  • 0.5 g ground black pepper
Method

Method

Directions

  1. Prepare the vegetables.Taste the sauerkraut. If it is unusually salty or sharply sour, rinse it briefly and drain well; otherwise, drain it lightly without rinsing. Cut the potatoes, carrot, parsley root and celeriac into similar pieces, and slice the leek.

  2. Start the potato soup.Bring 2 L water to a boil in a heavy soup pot. Add the potatoes, carrot, parsley root, celeriac and leek. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are beginning to soften.

  3. Add the sauerkraut.Stir in the drained sauerkraut with the bay leaves and allspice. Simmer gently for about 25–30 minutes, until the potatoes and cabbage are tender but still show their pieces.

  4. Brown the bacon and onion.While the soup simmers, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and its fat has rendered. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly golden.

  5. Finish the soup.Add the bacon, onion and rendered fat to the pot. Season with black pepper and simmer together for at least 10 minutes. Taste before adding any salt.

  6. Serve.Remove the bay leaves. Ladle the soup into bowls while hot, making sure each serving includes visible potatoes, sauerkraut, vegetables, bacon and onion.

Serving, storage and make-ahead

Practical

Make ahead and leftovers

The soup can be made a day ahead; the potatoes may soften further as it stands. Cool leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate at or below 4°C. Use within 3 days. Reheat to 74°C or until steaming hot throughout, stirring so the soup heats evenly.

Substitutions

The official regional description centres on smoked bacon with onion. This version uses smoked bacon and no cream or flour. If your sauerkraut is especially salty or sour, briefly rinse it and adjust the added salt only after tasting. Changing the bacon or rinsing the cabbage will change the nutrition estimate.

Nutrition and food safety

Nutrition and food safety

  • Serving sizeabout 600 ml, one-sixth of the recipe
  • Energyabout 320 kcal
  • Carbohydrateabout 32 g
  • Proteinabout 11 g
  • Fatabout 18 g
  • Fibreabout 7 g
  • Sodiumabout 1,300 mg

These rounded estimates include the potatoes, sauerkraut, vegetables, smoked bacon and onion; brands, draining or rinsing, rendered bacon fat and salt change the values. Check the bacon label for allergens or additional ingredients. Keep raw bacon separate from ready-to-eat foods and wash hands, knives, boards and surfaces after handling it. Brown the bacon, then simmer it in the soup for at least 10 minutes. Cool leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, refrigerate at or below 4°C, use within 3 days and reheat to 74°C or steaming hot throughout.

Nutrition and food safety

Nutrition and food safety

These rounded estimates include the potatoes, sauerkraut, vegetables, smoked bacon and onion; brands, draining or rinsing, rendered bacon fat and salt change the values. Check the bacon label for allergens or additional ingredients. Keep raw bacon separate from ready-to-eat foods and wash hands, knives, boards and surfaces after handling it. Brown the bacon, then simmer it in the soup for at least 10 minutes. Cool leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, refrigerate at or below 4°C, use within 3 days and reheat to 74°C or steaming hot throughout.

To finish

To finish

  • Potatoes, sauerkraut, vegetables, smoked bacon and onion define this Borowiacki soup.
  • A gentle simmer keeps the broth hearty while leaving visible pieces of cabbage, potato, bacon and onion.
Polish National Dishes

Polish National Dishes

Open →
A bowl of Borowiacki fresh-cabbage soup with visible potato, vegetables, smoked bacon and onion.
Polish National Dishes

Parzybroda — Borowiacki fresh-cabbage and potato soup

Parzybroda is a fresh-cabbage soup associated with the Borowiacy of Pomorskie, in northern Poland. Broad ribbons of white cabbage and pieces of potato simmer in a light broth, then browned smoked bacon and onion add a savoury finish.

Open →
Browned slices of Kashubian potato and buckwheat kiszka with visible groats, bacon and onion.
Polish National Dishes

Kiszka kaszubska — Kashubian potato and buckwheat loaf

Kiszka kaszubska, also called cziszka kaszëbska in Kashubian, is a compact potato-and-groat dish from Kashubia in northern Poland. Grated potato and buckwheat are seasoned with smoked bacon, onion and egg, shaped in a cloth bag, cooked until firm, then sliced and browned.

Open →
A ceramic bowl of Kashubian yellow swede and goose soup, with rutabaga batons, potato, carrot and marjoram visible.
Polish National Dishes

Zupa z żółtej brukwi — Kashubian swede and goose soup

Zupa z żółtej brukwi, called zupa z żôłtich wrëków in Kashubian, is a root-vegetable soup from Kashubia in northern Poland. Yellow swede (rutabaga), potato and carrot simmer with goose in a light broth seasoned with marjoram.

Open →