Spring into flavor with grandma's young cabbage soup recipe
Early spring is the perfect time for enjoying the best soups. Sorrel soup, beet green soup, or soup made from young cabbage are delightful choices. My grandmother made the latter most often, and her recipe is both simple and delicious.
Young cabbage soup is an excellent option as a first course for lunch and works equally well as a light dinner. It's delicate yet filling and packed with vitamins. My grandmother's recipe for this spring soup is also ideal when time is short and you need to prepare a meal quickly.
A simple recipe that always works
The recipe for young cabbage soup is straightforward and requires only a few basic ingredients. A head of young cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onion, and vegetable broth form the foundation of this dish. Adding a few sprigs of greens, like dill or parsley, enhances the flavor even more.
This is a healthy dish full of vitamins
Young cabbage soup isn't just tasty; it's also a healthy choice. This vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals, including potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. Additionally, it contains fiber, which aids digestion. That's why this soup is gentle on the stomach while providing energy. Like other cabbage-based soups, it pairs wonderfully with a slice of fresh bread. It's delicious in a vegetarian version, but you can also serve it with bacon or sausage if you prefer.
Young cabbage soup
Ingredients:
- 1 head of young cabbage
- Approximately 1.5 - 2 quarts of light vegetable broth
- About 11 ounces of young potatoes
- About 11 ounces of lean sausage (optional)
- About 5 ounces of smoked bacon (optional)
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- Dill or parsley, to taste
- Salt, pepper, allspice, and bay leaves, to taste
- 1 tablespoon of flour
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of butter or lard
Preparation method:
- Peel and dice the potatoes, carrots, and onion. Shred the cabbage and finely chop the sausage.
- In a pot, heat the butter or lard and sauté the onion. If preparing a meat version, add the sausage and cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes.
- Pour in the broth, add allspice and bay leaves. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft.
- Toward the end of cooking, prepare a roux. In a pan, melt butter or lard and add flour. Stir to prevent lumps. Gradually pour in half a cup of clean broth, stir again, and add to the soup. Add a tablespoon of tomato paste and bring to a boil.
- Serve the soup with greens and optionally, fried bacon.
- Bread also pairs well with young cabbage soup.
