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Slovenian

Jota (sauerkraut and bean stew)

Non-vegetarian

Jota

A thick, sour winter soup of sauerkraut, beans and potatoes with smoked pork, thickened with a garlicky roux.

Jota (sauerkraut and bean stew) is a Slovenian soup, ready in about 1 hour 35 minutes and made with sauerkraut and pinto beans (canned). It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
1 h 20 min
Total
1 h 35 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Calories
346

Ingredients

6 servings

Roux

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the sauerkraut (opens in a new tab), smoked pork and bay leaves (opens in a new tab) in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 40 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the potatoes (opens in a new tab) and beans and simmer another 25 minutes until the potatoes are very soft. Mash a few pieces against the side of the pot to thicken.

    • 25 min
    • medium-low heat
    Potatoes being mashed
    How it looks · Photo: Mateusz Feliksik on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    For the roux, heat the oil, stir in the flour and cook until light brown. Add the garlic (opens in a new tab) for a few seconds, then take off the heat and stir in the paprika (opens in a new tab). Whisk into the soup with a ladle of broth.

  4. Step 4

    Simmer 10 more minutes, season with salt and pepper (opens in a new tab), and serve thick.

    • 10 min
    • low heat

About this dish

Origin
Primorska (Slovenian Littoral), Slovenia · Commonly attributedEqually traditional around Trieste in Italy and in Croatian Istria.Also popular in Italy, CroatiaMore food from Slovenia
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Soups · Stews & braises
Cooking method
Simmered, Stewed
Taste
sour, smoky, savoury, mild
Diet
Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Beef-free
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Budget-friendly · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
Cook more with
Sauerkraut · Pinto beans (canned) · Potato · Bacon · Bay leaves · All-purpose flour
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Stewing · Slow-cooked gravy · Roux thickening

Allergens

  • Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour
  • Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

346 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 574 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 15%
  • Carbohydrate 40%
  • Fat 46%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy346 kcal60 kcal
Protein12.8 g2.2 g
Carbohydrate34.9 g6.1 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre——
Fat18 g3.1 g
Saturated fat——
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol22 mg4 mg
Sodium1370 mg239 mg
Salt equivalent3.4 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
702 mg
Calcium
123 mg
Iron
3.2 mg
Magnesium
63 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
26 mg
Vitamin D
0.1 µg
Vitamin B12
0.2 µg
Folate (DFE)
55 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Like most sauerkraut dishes, jota improves after a day in the fridge.

Common mistakes

  • Burning the roux or garlic — it should be only light brown, or the soup turns bitter.

Serve with

  • Serve with crusty bread and a glass of Teran red wine.

Food safety

  • Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours; reheat until piping hot.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently, adding a little water if very thick.

Variations

  • Vegetarian jota: Leave out the pork and add smoked paprika for a smoky meat-free version.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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