Cabbage Soup

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The best Cabbage Soup recipe is packed with unexpected flavors (hello, pickle juice!) and will keep you coming back for bowl after bowl. This healthy soup recipe is the ultimate cozy winter dinner idea.

Cabbage soup in a white bowl with a silver spoon next to it.


 

My first long-term boyfriend was a Ukrainian I met in college. I took classes in Russian, visited his family in Ukraine, and learned some of his best secrets in the kitchen.

While the relationship eventually ended, his recipe for The Best Cabbage Soup lives on.

Yes, I know some of the ingredients like pickle juice sound odd, but trust me; this easy soup recipe is mind-blowingly good.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for cabbage soup.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Beef broth: Or substitute chicken broth. You can opt for vegetable broth to make The Best Cabbage Soup a fully vegan recipe.
  • Green apple: A crunchy variety like Granny Smith or Crispin will hold up nicely as this soup simmers.
  • Pickle juice: The acidity this lends is what makes this soup recipe so addictive and well-balanced. A splash of fresh lemon juice can also work in a pinch.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add turnip, carrot, onion, and celery, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
Vegetables cooking in a pan for cabbage soup.
  1. Add broth, cabbage, apple, bay leaves, and 1 tsp dill. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Vegetables cooking in a pan for cabbage soup.
  1. Remove bay leaves and stir in pickle or lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.) Garnish with sour cream and more fresh dill if desired.
Cabbage soup in a white bowl with a silver spoon next to it.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes four main dish-sized servings of vegetable soup. Pair it with a side salad and crusty bread to make The Best Cabbage Soup a full, hearty meal.
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Make ahead: This soup can be made up to 3 days in advance. Or, get a jump-start on prep by peeling and chopping all the vegetables and store covered in the refrigerator.
  • Freezer: Transfer to freezer-safe containers (I love glass mason jars), leaving 1/2-inch headspace, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Whole30 Compatible: Cabbage Soup is already Whole30 Compatible, so just omit the sour cream for serving and you’re good to go.
  • More veggies: Customize your vegetable blend based on what you love and what’s in your crisper drawer. Cubed potatoes, kidney beans, cannellini beans, and diced tomatoes would all be delicious in this soup.
  • Herbs and spices: If you don’t love the dill flavor, omit the fresh dill and pickle juice and choose herbs like oregano, thyme, basil, and fresh parsley. For a little heat, add a tbsp of red pepper flakes.
  • Make it meaty: Since this recipe is originally from the Ukraine, it would be completely appropriate to make cabbage soup with kielbasa or Polish sausage. Simply brown the sausages in advance, then add the links to the soup to simmer with the vegetables. Remove the whole sausages just before serving to slice and add back into the soup. Other tasty protein options: browned ground beef (for a cabbage roll-inspired rendition), ground turkey, cooked bacon, ham hock or ham bone, or shredded leftover or rotisserie chicken.
  • Crockpot: Transfer the finished soup to a slow cooker for buffet and party service. Serve sour cream, plenty of dark, hearty bread, and fresh dill on the side.
Stuffed cabbage rolls in a white baking dish.
If you love cabbage, you’ll definitely want to try my Stuffed Cabbage Rolls recipe (with a secret ingredient).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you cut cabbage?

1. Remove any damaged or browned outer leaves and rinse under cold water.
2. Place the head of cabbage on a cutting board or clean work surface with the stem side down.
3. Locate the stem of the cabbage. With a chef’s knife, cut in half lengthwise, all the way through the core.
4. If making shredded cabbage, remove the triangular core by cutting into the core at an angle where the stem meets the leaves of the cabbage, and remove it from each half.
5. Place the halves, cut side down, on the cutting board. Starting at the end opposite the stem, cut crosswise from top to bottom into thin slices.

What is cabbage soup good for?

Cabbage soup is an easy, delicious way to eat more vegetables. A bowl of hot hearty cabbage soup is perfectly contrasted by garnishes of cold sour cream and sour pickle juice. It’s perfection.

Best soup-pairing breads

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Cabbage Soup in two white bowls on a wooden cutting board.

Cabbage Soup

The best Cabbage Soup recipe is packed with unexpected flavors (hello, pickle juice!) and will keep you coming back for bowl after bowl. This healthy soup recipe is the ultimate cozy winter dinner idea.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Russian
Calories 195
5 from 53 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add turnip, carrot, onion, and celery, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
  • Add broth, cabbage, apple, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon dill. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Remove bay leaves and stir in pickle or lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.) Garnish with sour cream and more fresh dill if desired.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Beef broth: Or opt for vegetable broth to make The Best Cabbage Soup a fully vegan recipe.
  2. Green apple: A crunchy variety like Granny Smith or Crispin will hold up nicely as this soup simmers.
  3. Pickle juice: The acidity this lends is what makes this soup recipe so addictive and well-balanced. A splash of fresh lemon juice can also work in a pinch.
  4. Yield: This recipe makes four main dish-sized servings of vegetable soup. Pair it with a side salad and crusty bread to make The Best Cabbage Soup a full, hearty meal.
  5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 5gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 1004mgPotassium: 558mgFiber: 6gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 5246IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. Just made this delicious soup and shared it with neighbors.We added beef kielbasa and two potatoes,mom good.Thanksgiving for your recipe

    1. Hi Irma, I haven’t tested this soup in an Instant Pot, yet! I would use the sauté function for step one, cooking until the vegetables are softened. After adding the broth, cabbage, apple, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon dill, close and secure the lid. I would then cook on Manual high pressure for 15 minutes, then allow the pot to naturally release. I would then season with salt to taste. I hope this helps! – Meggan

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