Vegan Old Polish Bigos with Sauerkraut, Dried Mushrooms, and Dried Plums - photo 1
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Vegan Old Polish Bigos with Sauerkraut, Dried Mushrooms, and Dried Plums

Vegan dishes Main dishes Regional Cuisine for Christmas Eve 180 min Medium 10 wyświetleń ~44.37 PLN - (0)
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Description

Traditional Polish bigos in a 100% vegan version — a rich, aromatic stew made with sauerkraut and fresh white cabbage, enhanced with wild mushrooms, dried plums, and smoked paprika. This dish is based on classic preservation methods and long simmering, which allow the flavors to meld — bigos has a sweet-and-sour profile with a hint of smoke and intense umami from the mushrooms. Perfect for winter and festive meals (e.g., Christmas Eve or family dinner), served with sourdough bread or potatoes; it tastes even better reheated the next day. Visually: a dark, thick stew with pieces of cabbage, plums, and mushrooms, garnished with green parsley and slices of smoked tofu (optional).

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (20)

Servings:
6
  • sauerkraut 800 g
  • Fresh white cabbage 400 g
  • Fresh mushrooms 300 g
  • Onion 2 szt.
  • Carrot 2.5 szt.
  • Dried plums 150 g
  • Tomato paste 60 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Vegetable broth 500 ml
  • Apple 0.8 szt.
  • Brown sugar 10 g
  • Dried forest mushrooms 40 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Bay leaf 10 szt.
  • Allspice (whole) 3 szt.
  • Juniper berries 6 szt.
  • Salt 6 g
  • Ground black pepper 2 szczypty
  • Smoked paprika powder 4 g
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Smoked tofu 200 g
  • Parsley 1 pęczek
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~44.37 PLN (7.40 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Soak the dried mushrooms: place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 300 ml of warm water (about 50°C). Let sit for 30–45 minutes until softened. After soaking, drain the mushrooms through a sieve, reserving the soaking water (strain the sediment through cheesecloth or a fine sieve and add it to the broth). Cut the soaked mushrooms into medium pieces.

Ingredients: Dried forest mushrooms
Use a heatproof bowl or ceramic; the water should not be boiling to avoid destroying the aroma. If the mushrooms are small, 30 minutes is enough. Tools: large bowl, strainer, cheesecloth.
2

Prepare the cabbage: if the sauerkraut is very sour or salty, rinse it briefly with cold water and drain well; squeeze out the excess water. Cut the fresh white cabbage into thin strips — cut the head into quarters, remove the tough core, and then shred it with a knife or a shredder to a width of about 5 mm. If necessary, chop the sauerkraut into smaller pieces as well.

Ingredients: sauerkraut, Fresh white cabbage
Use a large cutting board and a sharp knife or a shredder. If you rinse the sauerkraut, check the taste — it's better to add less salt later than to completely overpower it.
3

Chop the vegetables and additions: peel and dice the onion into small cubes; grate the carrot on a coarse grater or cut it into thin half-moons; peel the apple, remove the core, and grate it or cut it into small cubes; cut the dried plums in half; slice or quarter the fresh mushrooms. If you are using smoked tofu (optional), cut it into 1–1.5 cm cubes.

Ingredients: Onion, Carrot, Apple, Dried plums, Fresh mushrooms, Smoked tofu
Use a grater for the carrot and apple, a sharp knife for the onion. Tools: cutting board, knife, grater, bowl for chopped ingredients.

Cooking bigos

4

Heat a large, heavy pot (capacity 5–7 l) over medium heat. Pour in the rapeseed oil (30 g = 2 tablespoons). Add the chopped onion and sauté for 6–8 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the onion becomes translucent and slightly golden. Add the carrot and sauté for another 5 minutes, until the carrot starts to soften.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Onion, Carrot
Use a heavy pot with a thick bottom (an oven mitt/cloth will prevent burning). A wooden spoon works best. Do not increase the heat too much so the onion doesn't burn — cooking over moderate heat will bring out the sweetness.
5

Add the chopped mushrooms and soaked, drained mushrooms to the pot. Sauté for 8–10 minutes over medium heat, until the mushrooms have evaporated most of the water and are lightly browned. Add the smoked paprika (4 g = 2 teaspoons) and mix well, sauté for 30 seconds to release the aroma.

Ingredients: Fresh mushrooms, Dried forest mushrooms, Smoked paprika powder
Mushrooms can release a lot of water — sauté long enough for the excess liquid to evaporate. Use a wide slotted spoon to stir easily and avoid crushing the mushrooms.
6

Add the chopped apple, dried plums, and tomato paste (60 g) to the pot. Mix thoroughly, mashing the paste with the vegetables using a wooden spoon to distribute it evenly. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the ingredients are combined.

Ingredients: Apple, Dried plums, Tomato paste
Tomato paste burns easily — stir vigorously and watch the bottom of the pot. If it is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of the mushroom soaking water to thin it out.
7

Now add the sauerkraut (800 g) and chopped fresh cabbage (400 g) to the pot. Mix all the ingredients so that the cabbages combine well with the sautéed vegetables and mushrooms. Pour in the vegetable broth (500 ml) and the reserved water from soaking the mushrooms (if it was clean, about 100–150 ml). Add bay leaves (3 pieces), allspice berries (3 pieces), lightly crushed juniper berries (6 pieces), sugar (10 g), and salt and pepper to taste (for now, gently).

Ingredients: sauerkraut, Fresh white cabbage, Vegetable broth, Bay leaf, Allspice (whole), Juniper berries, Brown sugar, Dried forest mushrooms
Mix everything with a large spoon, scraping off any burnt bits from the bottom of the pot. Remember that sauerkraut can be salty — season with salt only after a short simmer and tasting.
8

Bring the bigos to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to very low so that the bigos is just simmering gently. Partially cover the pot with a lid and stew for 60–90 minutes, stirring every 10–15 minutes to prevent anything from burning. If necessary, add 50–100 ml of broth if the mixture becomes too dry.

Ingredients: Vegetable broth
Patience is key: long, slow simmering allows the flavors to meld. Keep the temperature low — the top of the pot may bubble slightly, but it should not be a vigorous boil.

Finishing

9

At the end of the stewing, taste the bigos and season with salt (about 6 g to adjust), freshly ground pepper (2 g), and possibly an additional teaspoon of sugar if the cabbage is very sour. If you are using smoked tofu (optional), add it now, diced, and mix. Cook for another 10–15 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors and heat up slightly.

Ingredients: Salt, Ground black pepper, Brown sugar, Smoked tofu
Season gradually — it's easy to oversalt if the sauerkraut was salty. Smoked tofu adds texture, but if you're not using it, the stew will still be just as flavorful.

Long maturation (recommended)

10

After cooking, remove the pot from the heat and allow the bigos to cool to room temperature. The best flavor is achieved after reheating the next day — store in the refrigerator, and before serving, heat slowly over low heat for 20–30 minutes, stirring. The flavors will meld, and the bigos will gain depth.

This is a classic technique: bigos 'tastes better the next day'. If you're preparing it for the holidays, make it the day before and reheat before serving.

Serving

11

Serve the bigos hot in deep plates or bowls. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley (optional 1 bunch = 30 g) or garnish with slices of smoked tofu. Serve with dark sourdough bread, boiled potatoes, or potato dumplings.

Ingredients: Parsley, Smoked tofu
Use large serving dishes; bigos is thick and looks best in a rustic bowl. Additionally, you can serve mustard or horseradish on the side for contrast.

Fun Fact

💡

Bigos is one of the oldest dishes in Polish cuisine — its name probably comes from the German 'begießen' (to pour). Traditionally, it is prepared with meat and cabbage, and the preparation often takes several days; the vegan version uses mushrooms and smoked paprika to maintain a deep, smoky note.

Best for

Wigilia Rodzinny obiad zimowy Przyjęcie świąteczne

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve with rye, sour sourdough bread or mashed potatoes. On the plate, add a bit of fresh parsley or slices of smoked tofu for contrast. Bigos tastes great with a side of Sarepska mustard or spicy horseradish.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3–4 days; the bigos tastes better the next day after the flavors have melded. It can be frozen in portions — for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm slowly over low heat, adding a little broth if needed to restore moisture.

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