Щи Постные — Fasting Shchi (Sauerkraut and Cabbage Soup)

Shchi is the soul of the Russian table. The meat version is famous, but the fasting version — postnye shchi — is what has kept monastics and parishioners fed through every Great Lent for a thousand years. Sauerkraut does the work that meat normally would: long, slow fermentation delivers the deep, savory sourness that makes the soup taste like it has been simmering all day, even when it has only been on the stove an hour.

This is peasant food in the best sense. Cheap ingredients, honest technique, serious results. A bowl of this with a piece of rye bread and a spoonful of grated horseradish is a complete fasting meal.

NUTRITION (per bowl, ~2 cups)

- Protein: ~8g (from potatoes, mushrooms, and optional beans)
- Calories: ~220
- Fat: ~7g (from olive oil; omit on strict days)
- Significant potassium, vitamin C (from sauerkraut), and fiber

Add a cup of cooked white beans at the end to push the protein above 18g per serving — a common Russian monastery variation.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

- 2 tbsp olive oil (or omit on strict days)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 parsnip or celery root, grated (optional but traditional)
- 200g mushrooms (white button or cremini), sliced
- 2 cups sauerkraut, drained but not rinsed
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 7 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional, very traditional)
- 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed (optional, for protein)
- Salt to taste
- Fresh dill and parsley, chopped, for serving
- Grated fresh horseradish or a spoon of prepared horseradish, for serving

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
2. Add the carrot, parsnip, and mushrooms. Cook 8 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and started to brown.
3. Stir in the sauerkraut and tomato paste. Cook 5 minutes to let the sauerkraut caramelize slightly — this is where the depth of flavor comes from.
4. Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaves, peppercorns, and caraway. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the flavors have melded.
5. Add the white beans if using, simmer 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
6. Serve in deep bowls with a generous shower of dill and parsley and a small mound of horseradish on the side. Good rye bread is essential.

STRICT DAYS (NO OIL)

Skip the oil entirely. Start with the onion, mushrooms, and sauerkraut simmered directly in a cup of the broth until tender, then proceed with the recipe. The caraway and horseradish do the heavy lifting on flavor.

NOTES

Shchi is better the second day. Make a double batch and reheat for three or four days of easy lunches. It freezes well for up to three months.