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Cabbage Soup in two white bowls on a wooden cutting board.
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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.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Russian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings (1 1/2 cups each)
Calories 195kcal
Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion halved, peeled, and sliced
  • 2 carrots peeled and julienned
  • 2 celery ribs sliced
  • 1 small turnip peeled and julienned
  • 4 cups beef broth (see note 1)
  • 1 pound green cabbage shredded
  • 1 green apple peeled, cored, and diced (see note 2)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice (see note 3)
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill plus more for garnish
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Sour cream for serving, optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, celery, and turnip and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir broth, cabbage, apple, bay leaves, and dill. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat; simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Remove bay leaves and stir in pickle juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.) Garnish with sour cream and more fresh dill if desired.

Video

Notes

  1. Beef broth: Or substitute chicken broth. Use vegetable broth to make this recipe vegan.
  2. Green apple: A crunchy variety like Granny Smith 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 or red wine vinegar works, too.
  4. Yield: This recipe makes about 6 c. of soup, enough for 4 servings, 1 1/2 c. each.
  5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5 cups | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 1004mg | Potassium: 558mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 5246IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg