Recipe
Cheesy Potato Kraut Chowder
If you’re looking for delicious, you’ve come to the right place! This cheesy potato soup recipe is made with…wait for it…sauerkraut.
I know it sounds strange. It sounded strange to me, too. I found a recipe for Sweet Potato, Kraut & Bacon Chowder in Vivian Howard’s much-loved-by-me cookbook, This Will Make it Taste Good, and I really had to think about it. As in, Hmmm…
But given that I had a cup and a half of homemade kraut, a bit of rendered bacon fat, an onion, some garlic, fresh ginger, and some little potatoes—some of the ingredients at least—and no plans for dinner, I thought I would try it.
It was delicious.
This is my version of Vivian’s recipe using what I had on hand. Make it with store-bought kraut if you don’t have homemade. Use bacon fat if you like, or sub butter or olive oil with paprika and onion powder to give it a smoky flavor. The kraut gives it a little crunch and a lovely brightness.
This is a new favorite! As in, Mmmmm!
Overview
You won’t believe how delicous this is until you try it. Just do it!
Ingredients
¾ cup onion, finely diced
½ t red pepper flakes
¾ cup celery, diced
1 ½ lbs. potatoes, diced (I used little potatoes and left the peels on)
2 T bacon fat OR butter or olive oil with ½ t smoked paprika & ¼ t onion powder
1 ½ cups kraut, with most of the liquid drained
1 T minced fresh ginger
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups half and half
1 t kosher salt
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar
Instructions
Step 1
Melt the fat over medium heat. If using butter or oil instead of bacon fat, add the paprika and the onion powder to give your fat a smoky flavor. Add the onions, celery, salt, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
Step 2
Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Step 3
Turn up the heat and add the potatoes, the broth, and the kraut. Stir it all together and bring it to a hard boil. Turn down the heat and put a top on it and simmer it for 30 minutes or so, until the potatoes are quite soft and falling apart.
Step 4
Turn off the heat. Using a potato masher, mash everything up so it is thick but still a bit chunky. Add the cheddar and stir until it melts, then turn the heat back on and add the half and half. Stir to combine.
Step 5
Continue to heat and stir until it is good and hot, but don’t boil it.
Cheesy Potato Kraut Chowder
Ingredients
- ¾ cup onion finely diced
- ¾ cup celery diced
- 2 T bacon fat OR butter or olive oil with ½ t smoked paprika & ¼ t onion powder
- 1 T minced fresh ginger
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 t kosher salt
- ½ t red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ lbs. potatoes diced (I leave the peels on)
- 1 ½ cups kraut with most of the liquid drained
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Melt the fat over medium heat. If using butter or oil instead of bacon fat, add the paprika and the onion powder to give your fat a smoky flavor. Add the onions, celery, salt, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Turn up the heat and add the potatoes, the broth, and the kraut. Stir it all together and bring it to a hard boil. Turn down the heat and put a top on it and simmer it for 30 minutes or so, until the potatoes are quite soft and falling apart.
- Turn off the heat. Using a potato masher, mash everything up so it is thick but still a bit chunky. Add the cheddar and stir until it melts, then turn the heat back on and add the half and half. Stir to combine.
- Continue to heat and stir until it is good and hot, but don’t boil it.