Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown kielbasa and build the base
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then cook diced kielbasa until browned, about 4 minutes. Remove the kielbasa to a plate.
- In the same pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery in the butter and rendered fat until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir to prevent browning.
Simmer and thicken
- Add chicken or pork broth, cubed potatoes, marjoram, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes and vegetables are very tender. Remove the bay leaf.
- Mash about a third of the potatoes in the pot to thicken the soup, keeping the rest as cubes.
Finish the soup
- Return the browned kielbasa to the pot, then stir in heavy cream or sour cream. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in fresh dill.
- Serve hot with rye bread.
Notes
For the thickest texture, mash the potatoes while the soup is still actively simmering so it emulsifies smoothly. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is not recommended if using sour cream, but heavy-cream versions freeze up to 2 months with a possible texture change. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (texture may be slightly thinner).