Heat up a large heavy bottom pot on medium flame. Add a drizzle of olive oil or a splash of water and sautee the onion with a pinch of sea salt for a couple of minutes.
Stir in the carrot, celery and bell pepper together with the caraway seeds and sautee another 3 minutes or so.
Stir in the fresh cabbage and cook 5 minutes until wilted.
Add the smoked paprika, sauerkraut, tomatoes, bay leaves, 1/2 bunch of the dill and peppercorns. Cover with the water or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 25 minutes until the cabbage is cooked to your liking.
Taste and adjust seasonings with sea salt. The soup should be sour enough from the kraut but If you prefer more sweetness add the maple syrup at this point.
Serve hot garnished with the remaining fresh dill and parsley.
Notes
Omit any oil to make this recipe WFPB & Plantricious compliant!