Description
A comforting and creamy cabbage and potato soup made with a blend of sautéed onions, tender cabbage, and red potatoes simmered in chicken or vegetable broth, thickened with a smooth half-and-half and flour slurry, and flavored with Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and a hint of caraway seed. Perfect for a warming meal that’s easy to prepare and versatile with ingredient substitutions.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large onion, chopped (approximately 3 cups)
Vegetables
- 1/2 medium head green cabbage, coarsely chopped (6 cups)
- 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch cubes
Liquids & Thickening
- 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half
Flavorings
- 1 teaspoon caraway seed (optional but recommended)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce such as Tabasco (optional, to taste)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat Butter and Oil: In a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, combine butter and canola oil over medium-high heat until the butter melts completely.
- Sauté Onions: Add chopped onions, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 6-7 minutes until the onions soften but do not take on color.
- Add Cabbage: Stir in the coarsely chopped cabbage and cook for 2-3 minutes until it wilts down.
- Coat Potatoes: Add the cubed red potatoes to the pot and stir well to coat them evenly with the butter and oil mixture.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Make Flour Slurry: Turn off the heat. In a heat-proof bowl, place the flour and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid to create a smooth slurry. Add more cooking liquid if necessary, then slowly whisk in the half-and-half until fully combined.
- Thicken Soup: Pour the flour and half-and-half slurry back into the soup along with the caraway seed, stir well, then return to a simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes until the soup thickens. It will thicken further as it stands.
- Add Final Flavorings: Stir in the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (if using), and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- Substitutions: Savoy cabbage or kale can be used instead of green cabbage for variation.
- Time-Saving Tips: Use bagged coleslaw mix to save prep time on cabbage chopping.
- Potato Prep: Potatoes can be cubed ahead and stored submerged in water in the refrigerator to prevent discoloration. Drain before adding to the soup.
- Make Ahead: Soup reheats beautifully. Cool completely, refrigerate in a sealed container, then gently reheat over low to medium-low heat stirring occasionally.
- Freezing: This soup freezes well in portions. Reheat gently on stovetop while stirring to restore texture—note that potatoes may be slightly grainy and dairy-based soups may separate but can be re-incorporated with gentle reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 301 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1048 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.02 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 33 mg
