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Kielbasa Potato Soup

Kielbasa potato soup is a hearty Polish-American soup with caramelized kielbasa, tender Yukon gold potatoes, and shredded cabbage simmered in a smoky broth. Finished with a touch of heavy cream for a thick, comforting 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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Kielbasa
  • 1 lb kielbasa sliced into rounds
Potatoes
  • 3 lb Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cubed
Vegetables
  • 2 cup cabbage shredded
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 carrots diced
  • 4 garlic minced
Broth and dairy
  • 5 cup chicken or beef broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp butter
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill
  • 0.5 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Caramelize the kielbasa
  1. Brown the kielbasa rounds in butter in a large pot over medium-high heat until caramelized, 6-8 minutes, then remove and set aside.
Sauté aromatics
  1. Sauté the onion and carrots in the same pot for 4-5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic, caraway seeds, and smoked paprika and cook 1 minute.
Simmer the soup base
  1. Add the broth and cubed potatoes, then simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
  2. Mash some of the potatoes in the pot to thicken the soup, then add the shredded cabbage and stir in the heavy cream.
Finish and serve
  1. Simmer for 5 minutes until the cabbage is tender, then return the kielbasa to the pot.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the fresh dill before serving while hot and steamy.

Notes

For extra thickness, mash more of the potatoes once they’re tender so the soup turns creamy without needing flour. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove until steaming. Freezing is not recommended because cabbage and cream can change texture after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.