Sauerkraut and Bean Stew (Slovenian Jota)
This sauerkraut and bean stew would have to be one of my favourite Slovenian dishes. It’s hearty, humble, super easy to make, and budget-friendly.
If you’re like me and always have sauerkraut and beans on hand, then you’ll be making this stew quite regularly.
My husband Michael and I were planning to move to Slovenia soon, and with all the craziness that is happening in the world, we’re putting those dreams on hold for now.
So instead of me enjoying this stew in my beloved hometown of Ljubljana, I have chosen to bring it to my household here in Tasmania, Australia, for now.
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This dish is traditionally called Jota (pronounced YOH-tah) and comes from the Primorska region of Slovenia.
There are a few different ways that you can make this stew, and it’s typically made using some kind of meat. You’ll find one if not all of these – smoked ham, slab bacon, pork ribs, or sausages.
Since I’m not using any of these, I have chosen to use smoked paprika in their place to still get that smokey flavour coming through, without the animal cruelty.
This dish is freezer-friendly and will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I have found that it tastes even better on the second or third day. The flavours infuse over time, and it gives you comfort food satisfaction.
If you live somewhere where you can get your hands on freshly pickled turnip at the markets, firstly, I’m super jealous, and secondly, you can use turnip in this recipe instead of the sauerkraut.
If you love sauerkraut as I do, but you haven’t tried a dish like this before, trust me, you’ll fall in love!
The balance of sweet, sour, and salt is perfectly balanced.
This is why it’s important to rinse your sauerkraut before putting it into the stew. This way, you can control how salty the soup is by adding salt to taste at the end.
Through my research, I found out that the reason you cook the potatoes separately to the rest of the stew first is that you want them to have that soft, almost pureed consistency and cooking them with the sauerkraut, you wouldn’t be able to achieve that as well. This is because the acidity in the sauerkraut stops the potatoes from becoming super soft. Who knew!
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- Vegan Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce
- Hearty Vegan Minestrone Soup
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Sauerkraut and Bean Stew (Slovenian Jota)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 3-4
Description
A beautifully sweet and sour Slovenian sauerkraut and bean stew that is both humble and flavourful.
Ingredients
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2½ cups / 500g sauerkraut, rinsed
- 2 cans / 400g / 14.10 ounces each borlotti beans, drained and rinsed* (2½ cups or 450g cooked beans)
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a small pot and fill with enough cold water to cover them with an additional few inches. Bring to a boil and check on them occasionally, so the water doesn’t boil over.
- While the potatoes are cooking, add the olive oil and onions to a large pot on medium heat and saute for a couple of minutes. You want them to be golden but not browned.
- Add in the garlic and saute for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Add the bay leaves, tomato paste, smoked paprika, sauerkraut and 2 cups / 500ml water (or stock). Mix well and bring to a simmer.
- At this point, the potatoes should be cooked. Check by putting a knife through one. It should go straight through. Drain the water and roughly mash them with a fork.
- Add them to the large pot with another 2 cups / 500ml of water (or stock) and mix well. Let it simmer for 15 minutes with the lid askew to retain the liquid.
- Add in the cooked beans, stir and simmer for a further 20 minutes.
- At the end, freshly grind some pepper to taste and add salt if needed. Remove the bay leaves and serve.
Notes
Beans: You can use any beans. Kidney, cannellini or pinto also work really well in this stew.
- Diet: Vegan
How do I avoid killing the probiotics from heat, will adding the kraut at the end change the flavor a lot?
I discovered sauerkraut soup when i travelled to Slovenia last summer. I’m so happy to have found this recipe. Absolutely delicious!!
I am from Germany and used to some Sauerkraut dishes. Your recipe is absolutely delicious, we enjoyed it immensely and I will definitely cook it again. Thank you for sharing it.
My parents are both Slovenian and emigrated to Canada. This type of soup/stew was a delicious part of my life growing up. My mother always made it with pork or Slovenian smoked kielbasa she used to buy from a local butcher shop. Now that I have a family of my own, I was so happy to come across this version that my vegetarian family could enjoy. It’s just as delicious and hearty as the one I remember, and one my entire family loves, especially when the weather gets colder. Thank you so much for posting it and for sharing your other wonderful recipes. I’m having a great time trying and adding new dishes to my repertoire.
Thanks you so much for sharing and for the wonderful review, Elizabeth! I’m so glad you and your family like it 🙂
Thanks for this recipe. I have all the ingredients on hand. Also, I have wonderful memories of Slovenia, people met, their generosity to hitch-hiking students, way back in summer of 1967!
I can only imagine the memories you made! I hope you enjoy this stew 🙂
Delicious! really wonderful flavor. (used merken, a chilean smoked paprika)
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review x
so delicious!! thank you for this delightfully simple recipe – a great use for the sauerkraut that’s been sitting in the back of my fridge 😊
Yay! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it. It’s a different and comforting way to use sauerkraut 🙂 Thanks for the lovely review x
My wife had just returned from a hiking trip in Slovenia. The entire time, she sent pics of this soup and talking about how delicious it was. Finding this recipe, I figured it was about as close to what she had up in those mountains. She said the finished results was about as close to what she remembered, and now neither of us can stop eating it. Easy to make, huge flavor and healthy.
Oh, I’m so happy you both love it! I’m glad that it’s very close to what she had around Slovenia. She would have seen some beautiful mountains and nature during her hiking trip, I’m sure 🙂
I wanted to make something different for my wife so found this recipe. Am I ever grateful I did, the result was wonderful! I was able to use paprika I had grown and smoked, and also sauerkraut and tomato paste I had made and canned. I felt like I was eating directly from my garden. I can’t wait to harvest my potatoes and’s onions and make this again! A perfect home gardeners delight!!!!! I wish I could attach a photo to show off my results served in my handmade bowls.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Wes. I imagine it tasted even more spectacular with all your homegrown produce. There’s nothing more rewarding! I, too, wish I could see the beautiful handmade bowls you put them in. Unfortunately, the rating and comments section doesn’t have that functionality. You could share it on social media and tag Heartful Table? Thank you for your wonderful review 😊
This Slovenian soup was a great dish. It looks just like in the article and the only change we did was to add some chunks of chicken Italian Sausage which made it very tasty. We will make it again for a quick dinner. We can see that it is real comfort food for that country.
Thanks for your review, Carl! So glad you enjoyed it. It sure is a comfort dish 😊
Loved had to use pinto beans, loved the smoked paprika, no meat for Lent. Than you for recipe
So glad you enjoyed it, Kathleen! Thank you for the review x
I made this tonight and enjoyed! Thank you for sharing.
Hi Heather, so glad to hear you did! 😊 Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? They really help us and readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thank you! x
Yes sorry! 5 star review!
Thank you so much!
Made this today. I ended up using small sweet potatoes I had already cooked. Used pinto & great northern beans. Turned out awesome!
So thrilled to hear you enjoyed it, Carol! Thank you for the lovely review x
Today was a snow day. I stumbled on this recipe. I love sauerkraut and beans but never had them together. I had all of the necessary ingredients. I used butter beans. I added an additional tablespoon of paprika and tomato paste. My husband and I really enjoyed it.
Sounds like the perfect meal to cozy up to. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Thank you for the review! x
Sounds delicious! Do you think it would work with red cabbage sauerkraut as I have a large jar in my fridge?
Normally fermented red cabbage is sweetened. If it’s not, it will be fine to use. It will, however, have a different flavour 🙂 Hope that helps!
I love this recipe! I just returned from visiting Slovenia, which I loved. I had this soup there on a chilly foggy day in Ljubljana and couldn’t wait to try making it. Made it last week and plan to make it again this weekend for company. Thank you!!!
Oh, I’m so jealous! I would be there in a heartbeat if I could. I’m glad you love this dish, it’s such a comforting bowl of goodness. I hope the people you share it with also enjoy it 🙂 Thanks for the beautiful review!
So delicious, Maša. Thank you, I really appreciate your recipes. It’s nice to be able to enjoy all the dishes again as a Vegan adult 🙂
Oh, I’m so happy to hear that, Olivera! Thank you 🙂
Tried recipes – insanely delicious
Hi all, I’ve made the cabbage pasta and the sauerkraut and bean stew, and honestly it feels like I’m in the Balkans. Having been to Slovenia in 2019, this really takes me back to that special time. These really are beautiful dishes that are made with love. I’ve also made the African peanut stew, and is always a winner 🙂
Great
It’s delicious
Tried this recipe this evening and it’s fabulous! So warm and homely with very few ingredients, and it has so much flavour!
So glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings really help us and readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thank you!
Made this loved it
I love sauerkraut came across this looking for vegan recipes. Made it tonight but didn’t use potatoes. I also used cumin and curry instead of paprika, none the less was delicious!!!
My husband’s grandparents are from Slovenia, and I’m always looking for food that reminds him of his summers with them in Pennsylvania. I’ve tried potitsa(sp) but failed. I’m anxious to try the sauerkraut and bean stew. We have been saving and growing beans from Slovenia for decades , but haven’t done much more than dry them, save them and regrow them. Happy to have found your site.
Hi Myrna, how lovely! He’s lucky to have you 😉 Potica is something I haven’t tackled yet, but I can imagine it can be a bit tricky to master. It sounds like you have the perfect beans for this stew! It’s so easy to make and I hope you make it sometime soon 🙂
Thank you for posting this recipe. I’m from Croatia although I haven’t lived there since I was a child. My mother used to make a very similar dish which she called “pasulj”. The only difference i can see is that she always used kidney beans but not the potatoes. I can’t wait to make it myself.
Oh, pasulj is one of my favourites! My dad would make it often and with a thick slice of bread, heaven!!
I made this soup today. It was cold outside and the soup was delicious. Don’t skip the smoked paprika or any other ingredients. I used good sauerkraut and navy beans. A great addition to my cooking repertoire. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
To me, this stew didn’t have much flavor before I added to it. It was good once I added vegetable bouillon and lots of spices like garlic, onion powder, more smoked paprika, and celery salt.
So – I didn’t have quite all the ingredients (no onions, no tomato paste) but had a couple of other ones (mushrooms, diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes) and went ahead anyway. Great dish even in this adulterated form! I love sauerkraut and want to do more with it. Thanks!
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed it with all of the changes 🙂
I always make your recipes and never knew you were from Ljubljana! My family is also from Slovenia. My grandmother just passed and I am going to make this tonight in her honour xx
I’m so sorry for the slow reply Christina! I must have missed your comment. Sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you enjoyed this stew in her memory. What a small world, Slovenia is a beautiful country. Have you had a chance to visit?
Hello
Oh my goodness, I have been wanting to make this stew for some time. My parents came from Trieste and we had this winter soup when we were young. My brother was joking recently and asked when I was going to make some of mum’s zuppa with sauerkraut. I hope I can find some today. Thankful You posted this recipe.
I’m so sorry I missed your comment! Is this similar to your mum’s version? I hope you all enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Delicious healthy dinner 🙂
Made this tonight found the dry beans on amazon could not find them in stores or cans …. this was so good! My husband was skeptical with the sauerkraut but he said he can’t wait for left overs! Thank you!
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed this stew. It’s quite different if you’re not used to eating sauerkraut. Thanks for sharing your feedback!
OMG it’s amazing!!
Made it for the 2nd time today, just LOOOVE it! And my mom couldn’t believe there’s no meat in there 🙂
I love sauerkraut, but I never thought about making it the main dish. I really need to try this as soon as I can get my hands on some sauerkraut. Thanks for the lovely recipe!
It’s delicious! I hope you enjoy it. Keep an eye out for another sauerkraut recipe coming this week as a main ingredient 😉