Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup
Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup is so tasty and the sauerkraut gets sweet and tender as it cooks in this flavorful low-carb soup! Even if you aren’t sure if you like sauerkraut, I urge you to give this tasty sauerkraut soup a try!
PIN Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup to try it later.
If anyone just rolled their eyes a bit at the mention of sauerkraut in this Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup, please stay with me a bit before you dismiss this recipe. There are a few good reasons to give this soup a chance!
- First, fermented foods are so healthy which is why they’re becoming so trendy, so the sauerkraut in the soup is a very good thing.
- Second, this sauerkraut soup is super low in carbs, easy to make, and freezes well.
- Third (and most important for people who are skeptical about the sauerkraut!) simmering sauerkraut in soup makes it sweet and breaks it apart into the soup, so that when you’re eating the finished soup you might not even realize it contains sauerkraut.
Add some sour cream at the table if you’d like (which is the way I always eat it), and this soup is absolutely delicious!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- ground beef
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth (affiliate link)
- homemade Beef Stock or canned beef broth (affiliate link)
- canned diced tomatoes
- sauerkraut
- Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link), or sweetener of your choice
- Worcestershire sauce, or Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce (affiliate link)
- Bay Leaves (affiliate link)
- minced parsley (see notes)
- Dried Sage (affiliate link)
- onion
- Minced Garlic (affiliate link)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Who loves this Sauerkraut Soup Recipe?
A few years ago a faithful reader told me that she makes this soup every time she diets more strictly for a few weeks, and my friend Bonnie’s husband George adores it too. I’ve also made it quite a few times for my annual soup party, and people love it every year. And I make it myself every January, which is why I’ve updated the photos a couple of times!
Is this Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup low in carbs?
This tasty soup only has about 6 net carbs per serving!
What sauerkraut is good for Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup?
You can use sauerkraut in a jar or a can, or fresh sauerkraut sold with the refrigerated foods for this soup. Any of those options will be delicious!
Why is sauerkraut such a healthy food?
Sauerkraut is made from cabbage, which is a nutritious cruciferous vegetable. Sauerkraut contains fibre, vitamins, and minerals. It’s also a fermented food so it helps the digestive tract create beneficial probiotics.
More recipes with sauerkraut:
Want more low-carb soups using cabbage?
If you’re a cabbage fan like I am, check out Low-Carb and Keto Soups with Cabbage to find more soup ideas like this one!
How to make this sauerkraut soup with ground beef:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Start by cooking the ground beef until it’s well-browned. Don’t rush this, because browning adds flavor.
- While the beef is browning, start simmering the stock, canned tomatoes, sauerkraut, sweetener of your choice, Worcestershire Sauce or Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce, Bay Leaves, parsley, and Dried Sage.
- When the beef is well-browned, add it to the soup pot and let the soup continue to simmer.
- Heat more olive oil in the same frying pan and saute the chopped onions, then add the Minced Garlic and saute a few minutes more.
- Add the onions and garlic to the soup and simmer on low about one hour, or until the sauerkraut has softened and broken down in the soup.
- After an hour taste the soup to see if it seems too strong and add some water if needed. (Simmer a little longer if you add water.)
- Season to taste with a generous amount of fresh-ground black pepper (and a little salt if desired) and serve hot, with or without sour cream.
More Delicious Low-Carb Soups:
Check out 25 Keto Cauliflower Soup Recipes or Low-Carb and Keto Instant Pot Soups to find more tasty soups like this one!
Weekend Food Prep:
This sauerkraut soup recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup
Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup is so tasty and the sauerkraut gets sweet and tender as it cooks in this flavorful low-carb soup! And this tasty sauerkraut soup with ground beef only has about 6 net carbs per serving!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef (see notes)
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 2 cups chicken broth (see notes)
- 2 14 oz. cans beef broth (see notes)
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 14 oz. can sauerkraut (see notes)
- 1 T sweetener of your choice
- 1 T Worcestershire sauce (see notes)
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 3 T minced parsley (see notes)
- 1 tsp. dried rubbed sage
- 1 medium onion, chopped small
- 1 T minced garlic (or less if you’re not that fond of garlic)
- 1-2 cups water (if needed)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In heavy frying pan, heat 1 tsp. olive oil, add ground beef and brown well, breaking into small pieces with turner. This will take as much as ten minutes but don’t rush the browning step.
- While ground beef browns, combine chicken stock, beef stock, canned tomatoes with juice, sauerkraut with juice, sweetener of your choice, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, parsley and sage in large stock pot. Bring to a low simmer.
- When beef is well browned, add to soup in pot. Deglaze pan with a bit of the soup liquid, scraping off any browned bits, and add to soup.
- Wipe out frying pan and add other 1-2 tsp. olive oil. Saute onions 2-3 minutes, until starting to soften, then add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes more.
- Add to soup, reduce heat under soup pot and let soup simmer at low heat about one hour.
- After an hour, taste for seasoning and add water if soup seems too strong. Simmer 15 minutes more if adding water.
- Season to taste with fresh-ground black pepper (and a little salt if desired) before serving. Serve hot, with sour cream if desired.
Notes
I would use ground beef with less than 10% fat because I don't enjoy beef fat floating on the top of the soup; your choice on that!
This soup would be great with homemade chicken stock, or just use 1 can (14.5 oz. can) chicken broth and a little water. Start with 2 cans beef broth and add a little more if desired.
Use bottled sauerkraut if you prefer.
Use Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce (affiliate link) if needed. You can use 1-2 T dried parsley if you don't want to buy fresh parsley.
I know this soup was inspired by a recipe I saw somewhere, but I can’t remember where I saw it!
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 222Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 4gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 52mgSodium 995mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 3gSugar 4gProtein 19g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup would be great for low-carb and Keto diets. If you use lean ground beef it’s also a perfect Phase One recipe for the original South Beach Diet. (South Beach and low-carb diets would recommend using an approved sweetener, but even if you used brown sugar this is still a very low-carb soup.)
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Soup Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This sauerkraut soup with ground beef was first posted in 2007! This favorite recipe was improved with better photos January 2010 and again in January 2016, and the recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.
103 Comments on “Ground Beef and Sauerkraut Soup”
I didn’t think this was gonna be bad or anything (obviously lol that’s why I made it) but I was blown away by how good this is!Â
Made it vegan with beyond beef crumbles and a vegan Worcestershire sauce *chefs kiss* trulyÂ
So happy you enjoyed it and I love knowing that this soup can successfully be made vegan!
What could I use instead of tomatoes ?
Maybe chopped roasted red peppers; that’s the only thing I can think of.
I made a similar recipe with fresh cabbage and ground bison. It was delicious and this may be even tastier. The bison will cook quicker than the beef and there’s no need to drain the meat either.
Interesting variation!
I’ve made this great soup every winter since 2007 when you first posted it Kalyn, it’s easy and heartwarming. Highly recommend. Guess I’ve been around for a while 😉
Thanks for all that support for so many years! So glad you have been enjoying it.
This may be the best soup I’ve ever ate in my life! The flavor was so good!! This one is a keeper for sure!! (The only thing I did differently- I didnt have tomatoes so used a can of tomato soup). A hit with the whole family!
So glad it was a hit for you! Sorry for the slow reply; I am on vacation and not keeping up like usual!
Wow, great soup! Thanks for sharing. We were looking for a recipe that calls for Sauerkraut for the health benefits and you gave it to us! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed. I am a huge sauerkraut fan!
OOps, I just posted a comment on the Ground Beef and Green Bean soup on this page by mistake. Sorry. I want to try this recipe next!
No worries, hope you enjoy!
I made this soup yesterday and LOVE it. Not having an instant pot, I browned the meat, then transferred it to my slow cooker. Sauteed the onions and garlic, added the tomatoes to de-glaze the pan, then added everything to the slow cooker. After a couple of hours I added the beans and let them cook for about an hour. This recipe is going on the hard drive! Thanks so much!
Glad you enjoyed the soup, even if this is on the wrong post! No problem!
I made this tonight. I have been getting so bored making and eating the same low carb meals. We wanted to try something different. Happy to say It was delicious! I added some celery and also some green chillis, the spiciness made it even more ‘moreish’. I also added some grated chedder cheese on top and melted under the grill. My partner had three helpings he enjoyed it so much. Thank you for this recipe, its a delicious new addition to our low carb diet 😊🤗
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
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This looks really tasty! I’m curious what kind of onion I should use though, yellow/white/red? Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try this at home!
I wouldn’t use red onion but either white or yellow will be fine.
This soup was fabulous! I had purchased sauerkraut specifically for this recipe and bought a larger 28 oz can so I decided to put the entire can in the soup. I also had in the pantry a 28 oz can of Italian spiced diced tomatoes and also put the entire can in the soup. I was in a rush and didn't saute the onions and garlic, just put it directly in. This turned out fabulous! I had enough to freeze for a quick weeknight dinner.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This soup is really delicious. My boyfriend loved it too and was happy to hear it was a SB friendly recipe. I am making it tonight for the second time. I used Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes. I think the little bit of smokiness balanced well with the kraut. Thank you for this recipe! And it was so easy to make!
Katie, so glad you guys enjoyed it. Those tomatoes would be perfect for this!
This soup was so easy to make and it is so delicious and wonderful for the month of January in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I was so happy to find this recipe since we can our own sauerkraut and I have many pints of sauerkraut in my cellar. I now have one more recipe for it. Thanks Kalyn!
Katherine, so glad you are enjoying it.
This is a new one for me, it looks really good.
Thanks Amy; hope you enjoy!
Just wondering…Has anyone tried this recipe using vegetarian soy crumbles in place of the beef or turkey? I don't eat meat, but this sounds like a great soup – I love sauerkraut.
Karen, I haven't use that kind of product but if it normally works as a substitute for ground beef I bet it would work just fine in this recipe! Love to hear what you think if you try it!
I made the vegetarian version this morning. YUM! I posted a couple of pictures under the recipe on your FaceBook page.
So glad that worked Karen, will go check out your photos!
I had a pound of leftover ground beef and half of a large can of sauerkraut left over from other recipes. So I did a search and found your recipe. Perfect! Thank you; I enjoyed it tremendously.
Beth, great idea! I bet I would like that.
Just made this to use up some pickled cauliflower that was too strong for me to want to eat it straight. It may not be exactly the same recipe, but it tastes really good!
Kayln, been a huge fan for years! Just made this soup with zero changes and it is amazing. I used 1 and 1/2 packets of Splenda since each packet is equal to 2 tsp (according to their website.) Thanks, Sharon
I didn't know you could cook with the packets; thanks for sharing that!
Katie, so glad you guys have been enjoying the recipes!
I'm making this one for dinner tonight. My bf and I have nearly finished week 1 of Phase 1 and I was really desperate for some beef mince! It's simmering away at the moment (my bf is not impressed that he has to wait about an hour before he can eat it haha!) and smells delightful. Thankyou for all your SBD information and recipes, you've definitely made it easier at mealtimes!
Monica, glad you liked it, and your version sounds yummy!
I made this in the crock pot! I changed a few things. I used ground turkey, and all beef broth, and doubled the sauerkraut. I browned the turkey, and didn't bother cooking the onions first. I put all ingredients in the crockpot except the sauerkraut and let it cook on low for about 8 hours, then threw in the sauerkraut and let it cook for about an hour. It was super yummy! My boyfriend loved it too! I can't wait for leftovers tomorrow! Thanks for the great recipe!
I cannot get over how good this sounds. I wish my husband liked kraut!
Glad to hear people are liking the soup. I heard from someone who added rice too, for a phase two version.
We made this recipe for supper last night and wow! – it will definitely be going into our Favorites file! Thanks for sharing, Kalyn!
Kalyn, I loved this soup. The tang of the sauerkraut was very palate pleasing, and the overall flavor was just terrific. I just posted a variation of your soup on my blog, including a link back to your blog for credit. Thank you for posting such amazing recipes. YUM!
Linda, as you can see, there are a lot of people who did like the soup. Maybe sauerkraut just isn't your thing. Sorry it didn't work for you.
I'm sorry to say this wasn't a favorite of mine. And I'm a big fan of homemade soups and of sauerkraut. Not sure what it was about this soup, but I just dumped it in the sink. Keep 'em coming, though, I've loved every other recipe of yours that I've tried Kalyn!
Anonymous, you are so welcome, glad it was such a big hit. (And love hearing how you lost weight for your wedding, way to go!)
Kalyn,
I made this soup last night. My husband stood over the stove asking when it was his time to taste. The house smelled amazing! It was soooo good!!! I think its even better today as lunch. Just finished my last spoonful! Your recipes helped me look amazing for my wedding and continue to help me stay healthy and thinner 🙂
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
Susan, I bet it's just as good with ground turkey. Glad you liked it.
Carole, thanks for sharing the article, very interesting. I love anything with cabbage, so that's a no-brainer for me. Some of the others I never eat though.
Eileen, so happy to hear it was a hit with you and the 3 year old both!
This was really tasty! I've never had sauerkraut in anything and this soup was delicious. My 3 yo liked it. Kalyn, you never steer me wrong!
Delicious — flavorful and filling. I also used ground turkey, and the taste and texture was great. Thanks very much.
Becki, so glad you liked it! (And I think knowing how to substitute what you have for what the recipe says is the sign of a good cook!)
I made this tonight, too. It looked great, it smelled delicious, and best of all, it tasted like the cabbage rolls from my favorite Polish restaurant back home. I decided to make it on the spur of the moment, and had to make a few substitutions to avoid running to the store (ground turkey instead of beef, broth made from bouillon cubes, stevia instead of Splenda). But it still turned out terrific.
Rachel, enjoy! Sounds like perfect timing for the soup.
Just finished cooking this as we get inches upon inches of snow here. The house smells good, and I am cold and tired from all the shovelling, so this will be a welcome meal.
Anonymous, when I originally lost my weight I made almost all my meals ahead and froze them. Having something you know is SB friendly ready to go really helps! Thanks for the kind words. I agree, everyone should eat this way.
I am making the soup right now, it sounded yummy. I added some caraway seed which is supposed to offset the strong taste of sauerkraut. We are on phase one and I am trying to make meals ahead of time. (So we will have it for lunch tomorrow). I love your blog! I believe the south beach diet principles should be followed by everyone, it is a healthy and safe diet. I think it is great that you are posting SB friendly recipes that are so yummy and healthy.
Dara and Maria, thanks! I thought it was interesting to compare my first photo of it with this one.
Kim, glad to hear you enjoyed it!
This was YUMMY! As soon as I saw it, I made it for dinner and it was filling, satisfying and delicious on a cold winter night! Will be making often. 🙂 Thanks, Kalyn! Kim
I am in love with that little red mug/bowl. Great photos.
What a hearty, delicious soup! I love your photo set-up – the dishes and tablecloth are so pretty.
Carrie, thanks and welcome! Glad you are enjoying the blog.
I recently found your site and love it! I'm constantly bookmarking recipes. I've added this one to my list! It looks like such a unique and interesting soup.
Beth, so glad you liked it. Nice to hear how your husband adapted it for himself too.
I made this tonight and LOVED it! I did rinse the sauerkraut before I put it in the soup as I was afraid it would be too strong. I would definitely make this again; my family loved it as well! My hubby made rice to accompany his soup so if your family isn't on south beach, this may be something to think about…
Minda, don't mind at all, I love blog stalkers! 🙂
Glad to hear it was a hit!
Since I'm apparently stalking your blog, I made this today and wowza! Big hit with the whole family 🙂
I'm saving this one! 🙂
So many of your soups are delicious!
Since it has been soup weather and I have been craving your Hoppin' John soup! That is one of my favorite Kalyn recipes
Minda, the South Beach books don't say anything about Agave that I've found, but since it contains fructose (the same type of sugar found in fruit) I usually consider it to be phase 2. However, in a soup like this, the tiny amount probably isn't a big deal.
Oh, I love this blog! Can I use agave instead of Splenda?
Karina, it's that sour taste thing again, love it!
Katerina, I'm a big fan. For me it started years ago with Reuben sandwiches!
Sophie, thanks and Happy New Year to you and your family as well!
Lea Ann, I am crazy about cabbage, so nice that it's nutritious!
Valerie Anne, I love the Frugal Gourmet, will have to look for it!
Ronelle, thanks! It's definitely soup weather here.
It DOES look delicious and wholesome and filling and absolutly on the spot for January!
Ronelle
The Frugal Gourmet cookbook has a similar soup made with pork. I use leftover pork roast/chops or even ground pork. I usually don't add any sweetener. It is awesome soup. It could definitely be made in a crockpot. A perfect soup for winter.
I'm loving all of the sauerkraut and cabbage recipes I'm seeing right now. Love it. Thanks for the recipe, sounds delicious.
oooh Kalyn,
A superb festive soup this is!!
MMMMMMMMMMM,…A Happy Belated New year to you & your family with lots of fun & health!!
This does sound delicious, I have only recently discovered I like sauerkraut and still have never cooked with it.
I love sauerkraut – and in soup, with beef? Brilliant. Thank you for sharing it again!
Crystal, you can have two bowls. For most things, portion sizes aren't restricted on South Beach.
Eating this now! Yummy!!! I love this. I can't find the serving size though. Is it ok to have 2 bowls of it? Not sure I ate enough food today cuz I have a HUGE headache. Day 1 phase1.
Anonymous, I’m not actually sure how many Splenda packets would make a tablespoon, but I’d probably add 2 and then taste the soup. I think (but am not 100% sure) that the Splenda in the packets is more concentrated than the granular Splenda you use for baking. It should be just a slightly sweet-sour flavor.
If I just had Splenda packets, how many would you use?
I almost skipped this recipe, this blog entirely, because I saw the South Beach theme, and I’m usually adverse to any diet recipes. Of course, this is utterly ridiculous because plenty of things I love are healthy anyway. I decided to push on and give it a shot and was hooked the second I saw this recipe. It was delicious and so is your blog.
Kayln
this recipe was DELICIOUS !!
thank you so much for sharing it!
Am new to the South Beach Diet,
and if all the recipes are as
yummy as this.. then Let’s
get cooking !
: )
Naudee, thanks so much for letting me know, and I love the idea of adding mushrooms. I think I’ll try your version next time.
I just wanted to let ya know that we tried this last night and really enjoyed it! I added sauteed mushrooms as I wanted a few more veggies in it and thought it would be a nice addition, and it was. It reminds us of something we’d get on the economy here in Germany….its very good with a rich and almost complicated flavor and yet easy to make. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!!
You lost two pound!? Wow! Cool!
This soup looks like another winner.
Paz
You can tell I am back at school eight hours a day when I don’t get time to reply to many comments. I hope no one takes it personally! I do read them all. Thanks everyone for letting me know that you are enjoying the phase one recipes.
Happy New Year, Kalyn! Thanks for all the phase one suggestions. I’m looking forward to reading them over the month.
Ohh Kalyn you are SOOO tempting me to try the South Beach Diet. I have serious weight to lose, and I gave up on diets as they just seem to get me 20 lbs lighter or so and plateau.
We really enjoyed Sb when my hubby and I were doing it. Over the past few months life has occurred and then laziness and old BAD BAD BAD habit crept in and now we gotta start over. Gonna go shopping tomorrow to stock the kitchen with healthier SB items so we can hit P1 again.
This recipe looks like one to try….my mouth is watering already and I look forward to trying it! Your blog rocks!!!
This looks wonderful Kalyn!
Happy New Year Kalyn–and congratualtions on the weight loss! That soup looks fabulous. We love sauerkraut in our house.
Kalyn, this looks very yummy! I have decided to make more healthy food at home, and your site is my inspiration!
Happy New Year, Kalyn!
Happy New Year, Kalyn! I’m so glad you’re doing this–I’ve been meaning to search your site for Phase One recipes for weeks now. Looking forward to seeing what kind of breakfast ideas you’re going to share.
Amanda and Bill, I am with you on the sauerkraut! I really like it. (Note to self, check on that sauerkraut salad recipe I had at Thanksgiving!)
Erika, the sauerkraut is less than 20% of the soup so I don’t think it would be very strong smelling. I made it a few weeks ago, but I don’t remember noticing much of a sauerkraut smell.
Kraut and ground beef? How can you go wrong?
This one is definitely intriguing, and I bet my husband would like it.
I have to ask though, does it smell very “sauerkrauty” when you’re cooking it? We love sauerkraut, but that odor as it cooks is usually pretty off-putting for us.
Ah well, we may find out ourselves anyway, this may make a great dinner tonight.
happy new years, kalyn! this looks particularly yummy to me. for some reason i just can’t resist all things sauerkraut. I hope your first day back to work isn’t so bad! 🙂