On Sundays the crock pot is my best friend. I know that, with only a tiny bit of forethought and preparation on Saturday evening, I can just pop a few ingredients into my slow cooker early in the morning, and by the time we get home from church a delicious dinner will be waiting for us.
And it doesn't have to be anything fancy either. Delicious and sustaining is all it needs to be and this soup is exactly that. Delicious and sustaining.
All you need is a jar of sauerkraut, some fresh veg, stock, tomato puree and a bit of smoked sausage and you have the makings of a deliciously simple dinner. In fact you could not get much easier than this. (or tastier!)
I always have smoked sausage in the house, but I am sure even hot dogs would work, or scraps of ham, or even bacon. Anything smoky . . . this is so simple to do and so flavourful . . .
Another thing I love about it is that cooking it doesn't heat up my whole kitchen. That's a bonus in the summertime, and lets face it, there are days when you want more to eat than a salad or some other cold coalition . . . when you want something a tiny bit heartier.
This tasty soup fits the bill on all counts. Hearty and economical. Delicious. You can't get much better than that. Simple ingredients put together in a simple and easy way. I have never had anyone turn a bowl of this down.
*Crockpot Sauerkraut Soup*Serves 8Printable Recipe
This is a delicious soup which is easy to make and leaves the kitchen cool and your hands to get on with other things. It makes a perfect supper when served with some crusty rolls.
1 pound smoked Polish sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed2 large onions peeled and chopped2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch coinsgenerous liter of chicken stocks (5 cups)680g jar of sauerkraut, drained, rinsed and drained again (2 pound can or bag, 32ounces)170g tomato puree (6 ounces tomato paste)
Combine all of the ingredients in a large slow cooker, stirring to mix well together. Cover and cook on high for two hours and then low for 6 to 8 hours. Check to make sure the vegetables are tender. If not you may need to cook it a while longer. Spoon into heated bowls to serve.
Another plus for us is the leftovers that are so easy to reheat the day after. This is one of those things that the leftovers, if anything, taste even better! This is so delicious it might even turn the most ardent sauerkraut hater into a lover of the same. I hope you will give it a go! It also makes a great midweek supper! Bon Appetit!
