Swede Soup (Rutabaga Soup)

5 from 10 votes

A hearty swede soup with carrots, potatoes, bacon, and sausage. This chunky rutabaga soup is filling, peppery, and perfect for cold weather.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Course: Soup

Cuisine: German

Servings: servings

Calories: 418kcal

Prepare vegetables: Peel the swede, carrots, and potatoes. Cut the swede and potatoes into regular cubes and slice the carrots, but keep the different vegetables separated. Chop the onions finely.
1 lb swede/rutabaga + 3 medium carrots + 1.3 lb potatoes + 2 onions
Prepare meats: Chop the bacon into small pieces and cut the sausages into slices. Keep them separated.
3.5 oz bacon + 7 oz cured sausages like cabanossi
Saute: Heat lard or oil in a large soup pot. Add bacon, onions, and carrots, and saute them for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
1 tablespoon lard or olive oil + bacon + onions + carrots
Add swede and potato cubes, cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to coat them.
Cook: Add stock, marjoram, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are almost done.
5 ⅓ cups chicken stock + 2 teaspoons dried marjoram + 3 bay leaves + fine sea salt + some pepper
Add sausages and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Adjust the taste with balsamic vinegar. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste. Add salt as required and add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper; the swede soup should taste somewhat peppery.
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar + 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sausage: You can use cabanossi, kielbasa, bratwurst, Italian sausage, or another sausage you like. If using raw sausage, cook it thoroughly before slicing and adding it to the soup.
Use freshly ground black pepper generously; the soup should taste peppery.