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Kielbasa Potato Soup

Kielbasa potato soup with caramelized kielbasa, tender Yukon gold potatoes, and shredded cabbage simmered in a smoky broth. Finished with heavy cream for a thick, comforting texture and fresh dill on top.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Kielbasa soup base
  • 1 lb kielbasa Slice into rounds.
  • 3 lb Yukon gold potatoes Peel and cube.
  • 2 cup cabbage Shred.
  • 1 onion Dice.
  • 3 carrots carrots Dice (assume ~3 medium carrots).
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 5 cup chicken or beef broth Use whichever you prefer.
  • 1 cup heavy cream Heavy/whipping cream for richness.
  • 2 tbsp butter For browning and sautéing.
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds For classic Polish-style flavor.
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika Adds smoky depth.
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill Chop for sprinkling/stir-in.
  • 0.5 salt and pepper to taste Season gradually to preference.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the kielbasa
  1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Add kielbasa rounds and cook until caramelized, then remove to a plate.
Sauté the aromatics
  1. In the same pot, sauté the onion and carrots for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, caraway seeds, and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer potatoes
  1. Pour in the broth and add the potatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Add cabbage and cream
  1. Mash some of the potatoes in the pot to thicken the soup. Stir in the shredded cabbage and the heavy cream.
Finish with kielbasa and dill
  1. Simmer for 5 minutes until the cabbage is tender. Return the kielbasa to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and stir in fresh dill before serving.

Notes

For best flavor, caramelize the kielbasa in a single layer so the edges brown instead of steaming. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid breaking the creamy texture. Freezing is not recommended because cream-based soups can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, replace heavy cream with half-and-half and reduce the simmer time by a minute after adding it to prevent curdling.