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!
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 286kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 10gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 1099mgPotassium: 581mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 515IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 249mgIron: 1mg
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