What is kapusta, and how is it different from sauerkraut?
Kapusta is a Slavic word for cabbage. In Polish it means cabbage, and in Ukrainian and some other Slavic languages the same word or a close variant is used. In English-language cooking, “kapusta” usually refers to a cooked cabbage dish, often made from sauerkraut, sometimes from fresh cabbage, or a mix of both. Names and recipes vary by region and family, and you may also see spellings such as kapuska or kapusta kiszona (soured cabbage).
The difference in short:
- Sauerkraut is raw cabbage that has been fermented in salt until it is sour. You can eat it cold, straight from the jar.
- Kapusta is a dish made by cooking cabbage or sauerkraut, usually with onions and fat, until it is soft and mellow. It tastes less sharp than plain kraut.
This article gives you a stovetop version with bacon, a vegetarian mushroom version, and tips for adjusting the sourness. For a related soup, see our vegetarian sauerkraut soup.
Ingredients
For about 4 to 6 servings as a side dish:
- 1 quart (about 32 ounces) sauerkraut, drained. Homemade, refrigerated deli kraut, or jarred kraut all work.
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 slices smoked bacon, chopped (or 3 tablespoons butter or neutral oil for a non-bacon version)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons brown sugar, or to taste
- Black pepper
- Optional: 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, 1 or 2 bay leaves, a few dried or fresh mushrooms, a grated carrot, or a peeled, grated apple
Stovetop kapusta with bacon
- Taste your sauerkraut. If it is very sour or salty, rinse it briefly in a colander. Rinsing mellows the dish but reduces the tang and washes away some of the brine’s flavor. Squeeze out excess liquid.
- Render the bacon. Cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Cook the onion. Add the onion to the fat and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add the kraut. Stir in the sauerkraut, brown sugar, and any caraway or bay leaf.
- Simmer gently. Add a splash of water if the pan looks dry, cover, and cook on low for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Longer cooking makes it softer and milder.
- Finish. Stir the bacon back in, taste, and adjust with a little more sugar or pepper. Remove bay leaves before serving. Salt is rarely needed because sauerkraut is already salty.
Note that cooking sauerkraut heats and destroys the live cultures in it. If live cultures matter to you, serve plain, uncooked kraut separately.
Vegetarian mushroom kapusta
This is inspired by a baked kapusta recipe on Allrecipes that uses cabbage, onions, mushrooms, and sauerkraut, and works as either a side or a vegetarian main.
- Heat 3 tablespoons butter or oil in a large skillet. Add 2 chopped onions and about 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (or rehydrated dried black trumpet mushrooms) and cook until tender and lightly browned.
- Stir in 1 quart drained sauerkraut, a small amount of shredded fresh cabbage if you like, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and pepper.
- Cook on the stovetop over low heat, covered, for 30 to 45 minutes, or transfer to a covered baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour, stirring now and then.
- Taste, season, and serve.
Tips for balancing the flavor
- Too sour? Rinse the kraut, add a little more sugar, or cook longer. A grated apple or carrot also adds gentle sweetness.
- Too bland? Add caraway, bay leaf, smoked paprika, or a splash of the kraut brine at the end.
- Too salty? Rinse well and avoid adding salt. Dilute with fresh cabbage.
- Too dry? Add a splash of water, broth, or beer.
- Not rich enough? Use bacon fat, butter, or a little sour cream stirred in at the end.
Regional variations
Families make kapusta differently, and no one recipe is the single authentic one. Some versions are close to what is described above: fried or braised sauerkraut with onion and smoked pork. Others add dried mushrooms, split peas, or white beans. A Christmas Eve version in many Polish households is meatless. Ukrainian versions of braised sauerkraut or cabbage commonly use sunflower oil, onion, and sometimes tomato paste or grated carrot. If you have a family recipe, trust it.
What to serve with kapusta
- Kielbasa or other sausages
- Pierogi
- Roast pork or pork chops
- Boiled or mashed potatoes
- Rye bread
- A fried egg, for a simple vegetarian meal
Storing, freezing, and reheating
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. USDA guidance generally suggests eating refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days. Kapusta can also be frozen in airtight containers, and many cooks find the flavor improves the next day. Reheat until steaming hot throughout.
Make your own sauerkraut first
Homemade sauerkraut is simple: shredded cabbage and salt. NCHFP gives a tested approach using about 3 tablespoons of canning or pickling salt for 5 pounds of cabbage, packed tightly so the cabbage makes its own brine and kept submerged. Fermentation at around 70 to 75 degrees F typically takes about 3 to 4 weeks, with cooler temperatures taking longer. Check the current NCHFP instructions for full steps and safety details before you start.
If you want other fermented projects, see how to lacto-ferment peppers or our guide to fermented foods that taste good.