Sauerkraut Soup (Korhelyleves) Offbeat Budapest & Vienna Recipes
This pressure cooker recipe for traditional Hungarian Korhelyleves features sauerkraut, smoked sausage, and paprika for a fast and flavorful winter soup packed with comfort and character.
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 500 g Sauerkraut rinsed and drained
- Sauerkraut juice reserved for liquid
- 225 g Smoked paprika sausage sliced thin
- 2 tablespoon Lard or rendered fatback, pork belly fat, or vegetable oil
- 1 Onion peeled and minced
- 3 cloves Garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon Ground caraway seeds
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 pinches Ground black pepper and salt to taste
- 2 liters Water
- 200 g Sour cream
- 2 tablespoon Flour
- Crusty bread for serving
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat lard in your pressure cooker pot over medium heat. Toss in the minced onion and sauté until it turns translucent, about five minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Make sure not to burn it.
- Add sliced smoked paprika sausage and cook for about five minutes.
- Sprinkle in the paprika and caraway seeds, stir quickly to incorporate.
- Add sauerkraut, bay leaves, black pepper, and enough reserved juice or water to just cover. Do not overfill with liquid.
- Close lid and bring to pressure. Reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes. Let pressure release naturally.
- Open lid, remove bay leaves, taste and adjust seasoning. Mix sour cream and flour, then stir into soup off heat to thicken. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
Rinse sauerkraut in advance to mellow tang. Pre-slice sausage and use pre-minced aromatics for speed. Store up to 4 days in fridge or freeze for 3 months.