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Cabbage and Sausage Soup

hands holding bowl of cabbage and sausage soup.
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This cabbage kielbasa soup is hearty but not too heavy, and full of flavor from garlic, onion, thyme, and bay leaf. It's a wonderful stress-free weeknight lunch or dinner, and it freezes and reheats well, making it great for meal prep!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds (907 g) green cabbage (about 1/2 large or 1 small cabbage)
  • 1 large onion (or 2 small onions)
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 package smoked kielbasa sausage (12 - 14 ounces/304 - 397 g)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
  • 2 tablespoons (33 g) tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 cups (1.9 L) beef or chicken broth
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Prep the produce: Remove the tough outer leaves and cut out the core from the cabbage. Chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Chop the onion. Peel and slice the carrots. Finely chop the garlic. Set veggies aside.
  2. Slice the kielbasa on an angle, into about 1/3 inch (8.5 mm) thick slices. Set aside.
  3. Add the butter to a large Dutch oven or soup pot set over medium heat. When the butter is foamy, add the sliced kielbasa and spread it out evenly in the pot. Cook the kielbasa for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring only once or twice, to allow a brown crust to form on the outside of the sausage.
  4. When the kielbasa is browned, add the chopped onion and garlic to the pot. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Add the tomato paste, dried thyme, and black pepper to the pot. Stir and continue to cook for 1 minute.
  6. Add the chopped cabbage, sliced carrots, bay leaf, and broth to the pot. Stir the soup to combine, and press down the cabbage and carrots so they are submerged in the liquid. Turn the heat up to quickly bring the soup to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the carrots and cabbage are tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. During this time, you can adjust the heat as needed to maintain the simmer. If too much liquid is evaporating during cooking, you can add some water to the soup as needed.
  7. When the cabbage and carrots are tender, turn off the heat. Taste the soup and add salt and/or more black pepper to taste.

Notes

  1. Salt is only added at the end because the broth and kielbasa are already salty. The amount of salt needed will vary based on the broth you are using and your own tastes! To reduce the sodium in the soup further, you can substitute low-sodium broth.
  2. 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.
  3. This soup can be stored in the fridge for 3 - 4 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. To freeze the soup, first let it cool, then freeze it in an airtight food storage container, leaving enough head room at the top to allow the liquid to expand as it freezes.

The nutrition information below is an estimate only; the nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brands and exact amounts of ingredients used. This information was provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full nutrition disclosure policy.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/cabbage-and-sausage-soup/