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Kielbasa Potato Soup

Kielbasa potato soup is a Polish-American comfort bowl made with caramelized kielbasa, tender Yukon gold potatoes, and shredded cabbage in a smoky broth. Butter-browned sausage, a quick mash for creaminess, then a final simmer with cream and dill gives it a hearty, thick texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Polish-American
Calories: 570
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Kielbasa potato soup base
  • 1 lb kielbasa Slice into rounds.
  • 3 lb Yukon gold potatoes Peel and cube.
  • 2 cup cabbage Shred.
  • 1 onion Dice.
  • 3 carrot carrots Dice (about 3 carrots).
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
  • 5 cup chicken or beef broth Use enough to cover the pot as needed.
  • 1 cup heavy cream For a creamy finish.
  • 2 tbsp butter For browning and sautéing.
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill Chop for serving.
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste Season to preference.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the kielbasa
  1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Brown the kielbasa rounds until caramelized, then remove and set aside.
Sauté aromatics
  1. In the same pot, add the diced onion and diced carrots. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, then add the minced garlic, caraway seeds, and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer potatoes
  1. Pour in the chicken or beef broth and add the cubed Yukon gold potatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Build the creamy cabbage soup
  1. Mash some of the potatoes in the pot to thicken the soup. Stir in the shredded cabbage and the heavy cream.
Finish and season
  1. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the cabbage is tender. Return the browned kielbasa to the pot.
Serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the fresh dill before serving.

Notes

For a thicker texture, mash more of the potatoes once they’re tender before adding cabbage and cream. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop until hot (do not boil hard). Freezing is not recommended because the cream can separate after thawing. Dietary swap: use lactose-free cream or half-and-half in place of heavy cream if needed.