📍 Where this dish comes from: Warsaw · Old Town (Stare Miasto)
Discover the history of this region →
Discover the history of this region →
Bigos is often called Poland’s national dish — a slow-simmered stew built on sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, and a mix of meats that traditionally improves with each reheating. It’s naturally low in carbohydrate as written, needing almost no adaptation to fit a keto table.
What You’ll Need
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 380kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork shoulder cubed
- 8 oz kiełbasa sliced
- 4 oz bacon diced
- 4 cups sauerkraut drained
- 3 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 onion diced
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup beef or pork broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 juniper berries
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside.
- Brown pork shoulder in the rendered fat, 6–8 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Add onion to the pot and cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and cook 5 more minutes.
- Return pork and bacon to the pot. Add sauerkraut, cabbage, tomato paste, broth, bay leaves, juniper berries, and caraway.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Add kiełbasa and cook 20–30 more minutes, uncovered, until the stew has thickened.
- Remove bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 380kcal | Protein: 26g | Fat: 27g | Fiber: 3g
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Health Benefits
- Sauerkraut is a fermented food that supports gut health with natural probiotics.
- A protein-rich, naturally low-carb stew built on real, minimally processed ingredients.
- Mushrooms add fiber and B vitamins to round out the dish.