~700 cal · 21g protein · 9g carbs · 66g fat (estimated, per serving)
🍽️
Dark cabbage and meat stew with sausage and prunes
🇵🇱 Masovia (Warsaw)
Bigos is Poland’s "hunter’s stew," a centuries-old pot that welcomed whatever the hunt and larder offered. It’s legendarily better after several reheats — Polish families keep a pot going for days over the holidays, and Mickiewicz put it in an epic poem.
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Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 6 —
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1.5 lbs sauerkraut, drained
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1/2 head fresh white cabbage, shredded
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2 lbs total assorted meats (pork shoulder, kielbasa, smoked bacon)
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1 oz dried mushrooms, soaked
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8 prunes
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2 onions
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2 tbsp tomato paste
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3 bay
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6 juniper berries
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1 tsp caraway
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3 tbsp neutral oil
Instructions
1
Brown the meats (or plant sausage and mushrooms) in oil with the onions; set aside.
2
Combine both cabbages, the soaked mushrooms with their liquid, prunes, tomato paste, and spices in a big pot.
3
Add the browned meats and water to nearly cover; simmer very low, lid ajar, 2 hours (45 minutes for plant), stirring now and then.
4
Season and, crucially, cool and reheat at least once — the flavor deepens with every day.
5
Serve hot with dark rye bread and boiled potatoes, or a shot of something cold.
Masovian holiday tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
📍
Masovia (Warsaw). Where the hunter’s stew improves with every reheat.
🗺️
Poland. Hearty food built for long, cold winters.
🌍
Europe. Village recipes guarded for generations.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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