Cabbage Soup (Cozy, Budget-Friendly & Make-Ahead)

What Makes This Recipe Work

Cooking the onion until golden and stirring in tomato paste before the liquid creates a savory, slightly sweet base, which is why this pot tastes fuller than a quickly boiled cabbage soup.

Ingredients for Cabbage Soup (Cozy, Budget

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb (450 g) smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced into half-moons
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 small head green cabbage (about 2 lb), cored and chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups (1.4 L) chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 bay leaf and 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

How to Make Cabbage Soup (Cozy, Budget

1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the sausage, and cook 5 to 6 minutes until browned; transfer it to a plate.
2. Add the onion and cook 6 to 7 minutes until soft and lightly golden, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
3. Add the cabbage, stir to coat it in the base, and cook 4 to 5 minutes until it begins to wilt.
4. Pour in the broth and diced tomatoes, add the potato, smoked paprika, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes until the cabbage and potato are tender.
6. Return the sausage to the pot and simmer 5 minutes to warm it through.
7. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, remove the bay leaf, and serve with chopped parsley.

Tips for the Best Cabbage Soup (Cozy, Budget

• Cut the cabbage into bite-size pieces; large wedges stay tough in the center.
• Salt at the end because the sausage, broth, and canned tomatoes all contribute salt already.
• A splash of vinegar or lemon juice stirred in at the end brightens the whole pot.
• This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors settle.

Variations and Substitutions

• Slow cooker cabbage soup: sauté the onion first, then combine everything except the sausage in the slow cooker on low 7 to 8 hours; add the sliced sausage during the last 30 minutes.
• Vegetarian cabbage soup: skip the sausage, use vegetable broth, and stir in a can of drained cannellini beans for body.
• Lentil cabbage soup: swap the sausage for 1 cup brown lentils, add them with the broth, and simmer about 35 minutes until tender.
• Ground beef version: brown 1 lb of beef with the onion before the cabbage, in the style of our hamburger soup.

How to Store and Reheat

• Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days; the flavor improves after a day.
• Freeze for up to 3 months; the cabbage softens a little but the soup reheats well on the stovetop.

Cabbage Soup (Cozy, Budget FAQ