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!
Excellent soup! I’ve made this a few times and never disappoints! Cold and rainy October day here called for a soup night, and we love the leftovers tomorrow for lunch. This time I replaced the Italian seasoning with herbs de Provence. And a big loaf of Italian bread and butter. Thank you!
This was supper and it was fantastic!! I had to alter the menu due to lack of ingredients but still amazing! Thank you for the recipe will most certainly be making again!
Fantastic! Will be a “go to”! Now to make another batch for the freezer.
Made this last night and it was a big hit! I added more chicken stock, mushrooms and two beef bouillon cubes. Delicious and will definitely be in my rotation!
I just made this sausage kielbasa cabbage dish or is awesomely deliciously delicious n very tasty n satisfying ty
You must try this with Beyond Beef’s Hot Italian sausage. It’s vegan and you won’t be able to tell the difference between it and cow sausage. I bet your vegetarian husband would love it!
It is really easy and good. It is a great dish for a lower budget too. Thank you for posting it is great!
I know it’s still summer, but I had to make this soup. Cabbage is like my birthmark, per-say. This soup look, smell, and taste amazing. Thank you for the recipe. Yum yum!
This is an Old passed down recipe in our family that traces back to poor families in Ireland. We have never used Chicken stock, celery, olive oil or bay leaves. My grown kids now make it which was passed down from my Granny. Whenever we talk about it, no one ever heard of it, including my husband’s family. They tried to copy it from me, but to this day.. I still don’t give away my secrets.
Great story, thanks for sharing. 💚☘️🍀💚
This soup was so delicious! This would be great for Fall and Winter. I made it exactly as the directions indicated and found it to be well seasoned with good flavor. I do not like a lot of broth in soups so this was perfect; if you like to have a lot of broth, you may want to add more. I will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.