Shchi in the Instant Pot – Russian Cabbage and Sauerkraut Soup

Shchi is a hearty cabbage and sauerkraut Russian soup or stew, with potatoes, onions, carrots and dry mushrooms. Making it in the Instant Pot makes the process much faster.

What is Shchi?

Shchi is one of the most popular soups in Russia that has been enjoyed by Slavic cultures for hundreds of years. Made with just a few humble ingredients – cabbage, sauerkraut, onions, carrots and potatoes, it is so delicious and satisfying. Adding dry mushrooms adds an even deeper and more delicious flavor to the soup and for me, it’s the most important ingredient, after the cabbage, of course.

Shchi was the very first recipe I tried when I first bought my Instant Pot a few years ago and it quickly became one of my favorite appliances. I love this rich and flavorful soup. The sauerkraut gives it a tangy flavor, but the fresh cabbage tones it down a bit as well as adding the fresh flavor to it. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, no problem. I have a stovetop recipe for this delicious soup as well. Stovetop Shchi Recipe

Ingredients:

Chicken Broth: I usually have chicken broth in my freezer, so I use that. You can use store bought chicken or vegetable broth as well.

• Stovetop Chicken Broth Recipe
• Instant Pot Chicken Broth Recipe

Aromatic Vegetables: Onion, Carrot (you can also add celery and garlic for extra flavor.

Potatoes: You can use any type of potatoes for Shchi. My favorite are gold potatoes or baking/Russet potatoes.

Cabbage and Sauerkraut: I use more fresh cabbage than sauerkraut so the soup isn’t as tart, but you can certainly make it with only sauerkraut, or adjust the ratio of cabbage:sauerkraut to suit your taste preference. Traditionally, regular green cabbage is used for Shchi, but you can also use savoy cabbage or even Napa cabbage, although it’s softer and will cook faster than the other cabbages.

• How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe and Tutorial

Dry Mushrooms: I absolutely LOVE dry mushrooms in this soup. I almost always use dry porcini mushrooms that you can buy in the grocery store or online. Other great dry mushroom options are dry chanterelle mushrooms, wild mushroom mix, or dry white mushrooms.

Dry mushrooms have a really rich and concentrated mushroom flavor and they give the soup a really great taste. If you don’t like mushrooms, you can certainly omit them. You can also use fresh mushrooms, in which case sauté them with the other aromatic vegetables, but their flavor will be much more mild.

Sour cream, fresh herbs: To garnish the soup, I add generous amount of fresh herbs – parsley, dill and green onions. Sour cream is also a must for Shchi.

Cooking the Soup in the Instant Pot:

• Dry mushrooms need to be rehydrated in boiling water first, before cooking them, so before you start cooking the soup, place the mushrooms in a bowl and pour boiling water over them, enough to completely cover the mushrooms. Let them stand for at least 5 minutes. Wash the mushrooms well and save the mushroom liquid to add to the soup later.

• Meanwhile, turn on the Sauté mode on the Instant Pot, heat up the inner chamber, adding the oil or butter. Add the onion and carrot, season with salt and ground black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
• Add the washed and rehydrated dry mushrooms, then use a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or a paper towel to strain the mushroom liquid and add it to the vegetables. Pour in the broth, season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
• Switch the Instant Pot to Manual Mode, High Pressure. (Some Instant Pots have a “Manual” button, others “Pressure Level”. Make sure the sealing valve is set to “Sealing”. Cook for 15 minutes.
• Release the pressure manually, then add the cabbage, sauerkraut and potatoes. Cook for another 15 minutes.
• Release the pressure manually or let it release naturally – it doesn’t matter for this recipe.
• Some dry mushrooms cook longer than others. Different types of cabbage and sauerkraut also cook differently, so at the end of the cooking time, try the soup and if these ingredients are still too crunchy, cook the soup a bit longer.

Which Instant Pot Should You Use?

I have a 6 qt Instant Pot*. You can also use an 8 quart Instant Pot or other brands of pressure cookers for this recipe.

Serving the Shchi and How To Store It:

Garnish the soup with fresh herbs and sour cream when serving. I also really like it with Black Bread or with Crusty No Knead Bread.

Shchi is amazing as a leftover, so I always make a large batch whenever I cook it so we can enjoy it for several meals. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week. I usually pour the leftovers out of the Instant Pot and into a storage container or a smaller pot. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

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