Sausage, Potato and Cabbage Soup (Printable version)

Hearty soup with savory sausage, creamy potatoes, and tender cabbage in flavorful broth. Perfect for cold days.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

→ Optional Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add sausage slices and cook until lightly browned, approximately 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add potatoes, 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 bay leaf and adjust seasoning to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve hot with sour cream or crusty bread if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It fills your kitchen with a smell so good your family will wander in asking when dinner is ready.
  • The leftovers taste even richer the next day, which means lunch is already sorted.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are sitting in your crisper and it still works beautifully.
  • It's the kind of one pot meal that feels fancy but never judges you for wearing sweatpants.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the sausage, that caramelization adds a layer of flavor you can't get any other way.
  • If your broth tastes flat at the end, a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of vinegar will wake it right up.
  • Let the soup sit for 10 minutes before serving so the flavors can settle and deepen.
03 -
  • Use a mix of white and sweet potatoes for a more complex flavor and a prettier bowl.
  • If you like heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you sauté the garlic.
  • Freeze individual portions in mason jars (leave an inch of headspace) for emergency comfort food on hand.
  • Taste the broth before serving, sometimes it needs a tiny pinch of sugar to balance the smokiness.
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