Sausage, Potato and Cabbage Soup (Printable Version)

Savory sausage, potatoes, and cabbage simmered in flavorful broth. Perfect comfort food for chilly evenings.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 14 oz smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced into rounds

→ Vegetables

02 - 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 small head green cabbage, cored and chopped
04 - 1 large onion, chopped
05 - 2 carrots, sliced
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids and Broth

08 - 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices and Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 bay leaf

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Sour cream or crusty bread for serving

# How to Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add sausage slices and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add chopped onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic, smoked paprika, and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add diced potatoes, chopped cabbage, and browned sausage back to the pot. Pour in broth and add bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until potatoes and cabbage are tender.
06 - Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot with sour cream or crusty bread.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It transforms a handful of everyday ingredients into something that tastes like you spent all afternoon cooking.
  • The sausage releases just enough fat and smoke to flavor the entire pot without any fussy steps.
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when the cabbage has soaked up all that broth.
  • You can make it on autopilot after a long day and still feel like you accomplished something real.
02 -
  • If you add the cabbage too early it can get mushy and lose its texture, so add it when the recipe says and not a minute sooner.
  • Browning the sausage first is non-negotiable, that step creates the flavor foundation for the entire pot.
  • Don't cover the pot while it simmers, the soup needs to reduce slightly and covering it makes everything taste watery.
03 -
  • Use a potato masher to gently crush a few of the cooked potatoes against the side of the pot, it thickens the broth naturally without adding cream.
  • If your sausage is on the lean side, add an extra drizzle of olive oil when browning it to keep things flavorful.
  • Always taste the soup before serving, the broth can change depending on what kind of sausage and stock you use, so adjust salt and pepper at the end.
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