This Cabbage, Sausage and Potato Soup recipe is totally hearty and comforting, full of the best savory flavors, easy to make, and it’s guaranteed to warm you right up!
Guys, this soup.
It’s only the middle of September, and I have already made it three times this past month. And when I say three times, keep in mind that I’m now married to a handsome vegetarian who won’t come anywhere near this one. Which means this huge, simmering, delicious pot of soup (plus leftovers) are exclusively for Yours Truly.
And I still can’t get enough of it!
This is probably due in part to the fact that I’m about 30 years late to the party that is cabbage soup. I’m not sure why, but our family never grew up eating it, and for years I used to only think of it only in terms of those crazy fad diets, and never really tried a good bowl until a few years ago. But the second I did — oh man, guys — it was cabbage soup love at first bite. Especially when you add some smoked kielbasa sausage to the picture, and some hearty potatoes, and lots of savory and garlicky seasonings — this feel-good, hearty, savory, delicious soup is comfort food to the max.
I wish I squeeze you all around my table and ladle you up a steaming bowl for yourself right now. But instead, I’m just going to beg you to stir up a pot for yourself. Because this soup = magic. ?
Cabbage Soup Recipe | 1-Minute Video
And the good news? It’s also incredibly easy to make!
Begin with your starring ingredient — a small head of green cabbage. We’re going to use it all in this pot of soup. And even though it’s going to turn into a small mountain of greens once it has been chopped, don’t worry, because it’ll all wilt down once we add it to the soup.
The second most important ingredient here is a good package of kielbasa sausage. Really, you can use just about any kind of smoked sausage here (or even bratwurst). But I’m partial to kielbasa here with its smoky, garlicky flavors (that usually include caraway, too). You’re welcome to use traditional pork sausage here, or chicken or turkey or vegan sausage. You pick.
Begin by sautéing the sausage for a few minutes in a large stockpot (affiliate link) until it is lightly browned. Then transfer it to a separate plate to save for later.
Sauté the rest of your veggies and all of that cabbage, then add the remaining ingredients and let the soup simmer until those potatoes are nice and tender. Season with salt and pepper (I recommend extra black pepper with this one), and soon enough…
…these delicious bowls of cabbage soup will be yours to serve and enjoy.
Hope you love this one as much as I do, friends!
(This recipe contains affiliate links.)
Cabbage, Sausage and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound kielbasa sausage*, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 medium leeks, sliced into ⅛ inch rounds, white and pale green parts only
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 small green cabbage, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 pound red potatoes, diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Add sausage to a large stockpot and cook over medium-heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring and flipping occasionally, until the sausage is lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a separate plate, and set aside.
- Add the olive oil, leeks, carrots and celery to the pan, and stir to combine. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the cabbage and garlic, and sauté for 4 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the stock, potatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, cooked sausage, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked and tender.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste and season with a few generous pinches of salt and black pepper as needed. (Also, depending on how seasoned your sausage is, feel free to stir in a extra few teaspoons of Italian seasoning if you think it needs some extra flavor. A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes will also help bring out the flavors.)
- Serve warm. Or refrigerate in sealed containers for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Second time I made this soup. It is so tasty ? really loved eating this. So healthy. Thank you
Really enjoyed this – very good flavor! I did add a little extra liquid (1 boullion cube and 2 cups of water) as I like a little more broth.
Trying to track my calories would be nice to have that information. Very good first time we made it hope to make it again.
Quick, easy, hearty and delicious. This one’s a keeper!
This soup was amazing!! It was so easy to make. It tastes even better the next day. I will definitely be making this soup often. Thanks for sharing.
I just made this for lunch, and my husband and I loved it. I made a 4 qt pot full so we have enough for a few more meals. It’s a hearty soup that will warm up a cold winters day. We dipped slices of asiago bagel in the juice. I added more broth to have lots of juice. I will keep this recipe for a long time. Thanks from another soup lover.
AWESOME recipe. I didn’t have Kielbasa, so I made it with sweet Italian sausage which worked out absolutely amazing. The tiny hints of fennel added such a wonderfully delicious note! I also threw in some chickpeas and cannelini beans and they also worked out perfectly. This soup is delicious! And I love how wonderfully versatile this recipe is. I served it with garlic croutons, a sprinkling of parmesan and some freshly chopped parsley and the family gave it rave reviews. They loved it! To be honest, no one was too excited when they heard cabbage soup was on the menu, but afterwards everyone wanted to know when I was making it again! Thanks so much for this recipe Ali! For sure it’s going to be a family favorite for many years to come!
DELICIOUS, MAKE IT!!!
Prepared this recipe today. Very easy. Only thing different I did was add 2 more cups of broth. It was absolutely delicious!!!! I will definitely make this again!!! Thanks for sharing.
Wow!!! I have always been a bit suspect of cabbage, but my whole family LOVED this soup! Yum!!! I threw in the whole envelope of Italian dressing & used a teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Super tasty!!! This is my new favorite recipe!!! I also used turkey kielbasa to make a comfort food that’s delicious & not crazy fattening! Who even knew that was possible??? Thanks so much for sharing!
Yes, I so agree with you. It’s so delicious, and very filling. My wife and I love it too.