Cabbage and Sausage Soup

Cabbage and sausage soup has got to be one of the most delicious ways to enjoy cabbage! This cabbage soup features thick slices of kielbasa sausage that have been browned in butter, complemented with the delicious flavors of carrots, onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic.

Cabbage is an underrated vegetable in my opinion! It's affordable, lasts a long time in the fridge (maybe even longer than three weeks, according to this article on cabbage storage), and it's super versatile. One of my favorite ways to prepare cabbage is in soup, since it's one of the easiest methods and the mild flavor pairs so well with many other ingredients.

If you are interested in cooking more cabbage, or you are already a cabbage fan, I think you will really like this cabbage and sausage soup recipe. First of all, it's easy to make, with readily accessible ingredients (including that cabbage you've maybe had rolling around in the fridge for over a week - calling myself out here!).

And, most importantly, the flavor of this soup is absolutely divine! The recipe starts with browning kielbasa slices in butter, so you know it's got to be good! Add to this the mild, tender, and slightly sweet flavor of the cooked cabbage, and you've got yourself a deliciously hearty (but not too heavy) soup that's perfect any day of the week.

Jump to:

• Recipe ingredients
• Step by step photos
• Storage and reheating instructions
• Recipe additions and substitutions
• Tips and tricks
• Recipe FAQs
• Related recipes

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Kielbasa: you will need one package of smoked kielbasa (this is the kielbasa that comes fully cooked, not fresh sausage). Most packages in the US vary from 12 - 14 ounces, so anything in that range is fine.

• Butter: you can use salted or unsalted butter here, there is only a small amount so it won't change the flavor too much.

• Broth: you can use either beef or chicken broth/stock, or even vegetable broth if that's what you have on hand.

Step by step photos

Here is a breakdown of how to make the cabbage and kielbasa soup. To see a brief slideshow how-to, check out my web story for this recipe!

1. The first step is to prep the veggies. Peel and slice the carrots and chop the onions. Finely chop the garlic.

Then, remove the tough outer leaves from the cabbage, and cut out the core. Chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Set the veggies aside for now.

2. Next, slice the kielbasa. I like to do this on an angle, but any way you slice it is fine! Aim for slices about ⅓ inch (8.5 mm) thick.

3. Once you have the sausage prepped, place a large soup pot or Dutch oven on the stove, over medium heat. Add the butter to the pot.

4. Once the butter is foamy, add in the sliced kielbasa sausages. Spread them out in the pot in an even layer and let them cook.

Once they've browned on one side, give them a stir and spread them out again to continue browning.

5. When the sausages have a nice brown crust on them, add in the chopped onion and garlic. Stir and cook that together for a few minutes to give the onion a chance to start softening up, and for the garlic to get fragrant.

Then add in the thyme, pepper, and tomato paste. Stir and cook the mixture for another minute or so.

6. Now we are ready to add in the chopped cabbage, sliced carrots, bay leaf, and broth. Stir the cabbage and sausage soup together, and press down any carrot or cabbage pieces so everything is submerged in the liquid.

7. Turn the heat up to bring the soup to a simmer. Let the cabbage soup simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cabbages and carrots are tender.

When the soup is ready, turn off the heat. Taste the soup and if it needs it, you can season with salt and/or more black pepper to taste.

Storage and reheating instructions

• Once the soup has cooled down, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight food storage container for 3 - 4 days.

• This cabbage and kielbasa soup also freezes well. Although, please be aware that the carrots and cabbage will have a softer texture after freezing.

• To freeze the soup, let it first cool down, then place it into an airtight food storage container. Allow some head room at the top of the container since the liquid will expand as it freezes. The soup will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

• Since this soup has no dairy, it's very easy to reheat (no need to reheat on super-duper low heat, like my recipe for creamy hamburger potato soup!).

• To reheat from the fridge, you can just microwave a single serving in a microwave-safe bowl for a few minutes on high, stirring after each minute of cook time, until hot. Or, reheat it in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot.

• To reheat from the freezer, allow the soup to partially thaw in the fridge overnight, then follow the reheating instructions above.

Recipe additions and substitutions

This sausage and cabbage soup is wonderful because it's not at all fussy. You can add or swap ingredients at will! Here are some recipe addition and substitution ideas for you to try:

• Along with the carrots and cabbage, try adding in some sliced celery, or any other type of hearty veggie you like, such as broccoli, cauliflower, or potatoes.

• For extra protein and fiber, you can add in a can of drained white beans during the last few minutes of cooking.

• Feel free to add any additional spices that you enjoy. Try dried basil, dried oregano, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, or cayenne powder.

• This soup recipe uses tomato paste to add depth of flavor and some body to the soup broth. But, for even more tomato flavor, try adding in a can of diced tomatoes along with the broth.

• Even though this sausage and cabbage soup recipe uses kielbasa, you can make this soup with any type of smoked or fresh sausage you have on hand. (See the next bullet point on how to sub fresh sausage!)

• If using fresh (not already cooked) sausage, remove the casing before browning it in the butter, breaking it up into chunks with a wooden spoon as it cooks. If there is a lot of excess grease after browning, drain some of it away before adding the onions and garlic.

• Feel free to use neutral cooking oil instead of butter to brown the sausages (such as avocado or vegetable oil).

Tips and tricks

• To bring the soup to a simmer more quickly, you can add a lid to the pot. But, once the soup is simmering, remove the lid and allow the soup to simmer uncovered for the remaining time.

• If you happen to be using an especially large diameter carrot, cut it in half lengthwise before slicing it. This will help it cook more quickly and evenly.

• This recipe doesn't call for added salt until the very end. That's because the kielbasa and broth are already salty, so you may only need a little bit. If you want to reduce the sodium even further, you can use low-sodium broth (or homemade broth).

Recipe FAQs

Related recipes

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