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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 threetimes 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.
This Cabbage, Sausage and Potato Soup recipe is nice and hearty and comforting, it’s full of the best savory flavors, and it’s guaranteed to warm you right up!
Ingredients
Scale
1 pound kielbasa sausage*, sliced into bite-sized pieces
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
*Feel free to use traditional kielbasa sausage, or any kind of smoked pork, chicken, turkey, or vegan sausage that you’d like. (Bratwurst also works!)
**If making this recipe gluten-free, be sure to double-check that your sausage is certified GF.
I made it today. It is amazing. I will be making this more, for sure. I have had a gastric bypass and this is perfect. It has a lot of veggies and things and can be eaten in small portions easily. I used green onions instead of leeks.
Going to make this soon. It looks SO GOOD! I can’t stop watching the video because I LOVE the music. Who is playing? Please let me know. Please please please. Pretty please :)
What an easy and delicious soup! I added 1 cup of rice instead of potatoes because that is what I had in my pantry. This most definitely is a keeper recipe.
I made this last night. And I was not disappointed! My boyfriend who usually doesn’t like boiled cabbage, ate two huge bowls of it. He said it was the best soup he’s ever had. And he’s a great cook, that makes the best Manhattan clam chowder I’ve ever had! Ha! I added more carrots, celery, and potatoes to mine. Left out the leeks. And just used onion powder. I will add a little more sausage next time. But over all…this has now become a staple in my home. I will be making this often. Thanks for the recipe!
This was the second time I made this amazing soup…I told my dh that this wud be a staple from now on and he agreed…. it is our favorite soup… of any that I have ever made…. thank u so much for posting such great recipes….btw…. I just started doing WW and was, wondering if u know how the new freestyle program works…. and if u have any in-site to the nutrition information for this or any of your other great recipes?
Made it in my Instant Pot. It took 30 minutes on the “Soup” setting and turned out delicious. My husband wanted tomatoes in it, so I added 2 tablespoonfuls of diced tomatoes to his bowl. He loved it.
Absolutely loved this soup! Fried the smoked sausage in bacon as I had picked up both from my favourite local butcher who shared this recipe. Will be making this soup often!
This looks really good and I’m going to try it this weekend. I’m curious though if anyone has made this in a crockpot and if so did they do anything different and how long it took.
Christine —
I am actually making it in my slow cooker right now smells so amazing…Will report results later…
Yummyyyyy I have made this twice in the past week and it is delicious. The first time I did it I halved the recipe (I was skeptical lol) but last night I was wishing i doubled it. My 3 year loves the potatoes and the sausage in it and I love it all most of all how easy it is to make and even thou it’s somthing u have to be hands on with it’s done quick and taste like it took all day ??? definitely a keeper for this household.
Yes – I make a similar soup many times a year, and your recipe has given me more ideas. This is a classic derivative of Polish cabbage soups, and if you include sauerkraut or in Polish ‘kapusta kiszona’, an even better version called in Polish ‘kapusniak.
,
A friend shared the soup video on Facebook this morning and it’s on the stove now. We are impatiently waiting for hubby to come home so we can eat it. We had 4 cups of turkey stock left from Thanksgiving that we put to good use, also one cup of chicken stock and 1 cup of stock from a box. Made the recipe as written. I tried a little bit and it was delicious!
Delicious! I added 1 cup of diced ham along with the kielbasa. This is a perfect soup for a cold day. We actually enjoy it more the next day. When you make this recipe and taste the delicious combination of sausage, vegetables and spices, you will add it to your “go to” list of family favorite recipes.
Very nice soup! I was about to use yellow onions instead of leeks but didn’t. I’m glad. Leeks give a nice sweetness to the soup. I added a little chile powder and used yellow potatoes instead of red. Going into regular winter rotation.
The soup is great,however I added a few spices to it (smoked paprika,turmeric,tamari soy sauce) for broth used veg better than bouillon,added 2 tbs of ghee to that. The soup is very rich,warm and great on a cold day. I also converted it to my instant pot instead of the stove.
This soup is so good!! I used only half the leeks, added an onion, a red bell pepper, and a splash of white wine. I’m glad I resisted the urge to add diced tomatoes. I will definitely make this again!
Hi, I’m just curious.. how big is a serving size? You note that there are 8 servings, just wondering cup-wise or ounce-wise how much would each serving be? Thank you!! ?
This was awwwwwwwwesome! I tweaked it a little with better than boullion chicken broth, about 2 cups ,2 14.5 oz. cans of chicken broth, then added 2 more cups of better than boullion chicken broth. The whole family loved it and I definitely will make this again!
Hi – what if I forgot to buy the leeks? Can I substitute something else for them or just skip it? Thanks – can’t wait to make it…. plus I will make again with leeks
I was really looking forward to eating this soup, but was very dissappointed in it.
I followed the recipe exactly as written, using a very good kielbasa and only fresh ingredients. The Italian seasoning was overpowering which resulted in a lopsided flavor and totally masking the flavor of the kielbasa and cabbage. I will nevr use this recipe again.
I made this the other day. Love it. Instead of italian seasoning, I used Mrs. Dash and Mrs. Dash Spicy. Amazing.
My family loves this soup.
Going to try this recipe today. Its very cold outside i think it’s a good day for soup.
A good, hearty winter meal!
Loved this! It tasted amazing before adding the Italian seasoning. I think I would have rather used Tony’s. The Italian seasoning was a tad too much.
I made it today. It is amazing. I will be making this more, for sure. I have had a gastric bypass and this is perfect. It has a lot of veggies and things and can be eaten in small portions easily. I used green onions instead of leeks.
I haven’t made this version but it’s a must try this week. Thank you Jimmy ☺
Going to make this soon. It looks SO GOOD! I can’t stop watching the video because I LOVE the music. Who is playing? Please let me know. Please please please. Pretty please :)
What an easy and delicious soup! I added 1 cup of rice instead of potatoes because that is what I had in my pantry. This most definitely is a keeper recipe.
I’m excited to try this recipe. Accidently run across it . THANK you sound so delicious.
Turned out amazing! I used a little ghost pepper infused out to cook the sausage. Perfect amount of spice!
Hello. What are the calories of your cabbage and potato soup? Thank you.
I made this last night. And I was not disappointed! My boyfriend who usually doesn’t like boiled cabbage, ate two huge bowls of it. He said it was the best soup he’s ever had. And he’s a great cook, that makes the best Manhattan clam chowder I’ve ever had! Ha! I added more carrots, celery, and potatoes to mine. Left out the leeks. And just used onion powder. I will add a little more sausage next time. But over all…this has now become a staple in my home. I will be making this often. Thanks for the recipe!
Love this recipe. My first time using leeks and was worth it. Fried the sausage in chopped bacon and added a bit of hot paprika. Amazing and easy!
This was the second time I made this amazing soup…I told my dh that this wud be a staple from now on and he agreed…. it is our favorite soup… of any that I have ever made…. thank u so much for posting such great recipes….btw…. I just started doing WW and was, wondering if u know how the new freestyle program works…. and if u have any in-site to the nutrition information for this or any of your other great recipes?
Made it in my Instant Pot. It took 30 minutes on the “Soup” setting and turned out delicious. My husband wanted tomatoes in it, so I added 2 tablespoonfuls of diced tomatoes to his bowl. He loved it.
The soup is delicious! Omg , everyone loves it. I used smoked Hungarian sausage instead.
Easy and healthy meal!!!
This soup is delicious, my Son floated downstairs wondering what was smelling so good. It’s easy to make and the leftovers are even better.
WOW!! It’s so good!!!
Was easy and delicious
I made this tonight and oh my GOODNESS!!! It was very GOOD!!! I will be making it again soon.
I’ve made this recipe twice and both times it was delicious!
Absolutely loved this soup! Fried the smoked sausage in bacon as I had picked up both from my favourite local butcher who shared this recipe. Will be making this soup often!
This looks really good and I’m going to try it this weekend. I’m curious though if anyone has made this in a crockpot and if so did they do anything different and how long it took.
I am actually making it in my slow cooker right now smells so amazing…Will report results later…
This looks great. Could you tell me what the Nutritional facts are for this?
Yummyyyyy I have made this twice in the past week and it is delicious. The first time I did it I halved the recipe (I was skeptical lol) but last night I was wishing i doubled it. My 3 year loves the potatoes and the sausage in it and I love it all most of all how easy it is to make and even thou it’s somthing u have to be hands on with it’s done quick and taste like it took all day ??? definitely a keeper for this household.
Yes – I make a similar soup many times a year, and your recipe has given me more ideas. This is a classic derivative of Polish cabbage soups, and if you include sauerkraut or in Polish ‘kapusta kiszona’, an even better version called in Polish ‘kapusniak.
,
Sauerkraut? How….just dump it in place of the cabbage or with…
Thank you for this really perfect recipe,it is so tasteful, greetings from Croatia !
A friend shared the soup video on Facebook this morning and it’s on the stove now. We are impatiently waiting for hubby to come home so we can eat it. We had 4 cups of turkey stock left from Thanksgiving that we put to good use, also one cup of chicken stock and 1 cup of stock from a box. Made the recipe as written. I tried a little bit and it was delicious!
Delicious! I added 1 cup of diced ham along with the kielbasa. This is a perfect soup for a cold day. We actually enjoy it more the next day. When you make this recipe and taste the delicious combination of sausage, vegetables and spices, you will add it to your “go to” list of family favorite recipes.
Very nice soup! I was about to use yellow onions instead of leeks but didn’t. I’m glad. Leeks give a nice sweetness to the soup. I added a little chile powder and used yellow potatoes instead of red. Going into regular winter rotation.
My family loved this! We will have it again soon! I made half the recipe as we need only 3 servings. No leftovers! Yummy!
The soup is great,however I added a few spices to it (smoked paprika,turmeric,tamari soy sauce) for broth used veg better than bouillon,added 2 tbs of ghee to that. The soup is very rich,warm and great on a cold day. I also converted it to my instant pot instead of the stove.
This soup is so good!! I used only half the leeks, added an onion, a red bell pepper, and a splash of white wine. I’m glad I resisted the urge to add diced tomatoes. I will definitely make this again!
I sincerely can’t get enough of this fabulous soup. I love making it. It truly hits the spot on these cold winter days.
Hi, I’m just curious.. how big is a serving size? You note that there are 8 servings, just wondering cup-wise or ounce-wise how much would each serving be? Thank you!! ?
This is very good! And easy to make!
Could you post nutritional information for this soup. Most appreciated.
Do you know how many calories and carbs are in this? I”m a diabetic and would like to try this, but I have to watch carbs.
I also would like to know can calorie count.
This was awwwwsome!!! I also added better than boullion chicken broth, about 2 cups.
This was awwwwwwwwesome! I tweaked it a little with better than boullion chicken broth, about 2 cups ,2 14.5 oz. cans of chicken broth, then added 2 more cups of better than boullion chicken broth. The whole family loved it and I definitely will make this again!
This not only looks good but taste great! Our new favorite!
This soup was so yummy. Made it without the celery because I forgot to buy some, but it was still super good.
Really good and easy to make. I’ll be making this again.
This is an Amazing and delicious recipe.. I’ve made it twice and it keeps getting better.. thank you.
Hi – what if I forgot to buy the leeks? Can I substitute something else for them or just skip it? Thanks – can’t wait to make it…. plus I will make again with leeks
thank you,
~michelle
Can this cabbage sausage soup be cooked in crockpot?
I was really looking forward to eating this soup, but was very dissappointed in it.
I followed the recipe exactly as written, using a very good kielbasa and only fresh ingredients. The Italian seasoning was overpowering which resulted in a lopsided flavor and totally masking the flavor of the kielbasa and cabbage. I will nevr use this recipe again.
Yum yum yummy! This soup is delicious. I screw up every recipe that I am given and miraculously this turned out great. Thank you so much for sharing.