Creamy Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup
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This wonderful Creamy Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup is packed with healthy veggies, savory kielbasa sausage, and is loaded with flavor! It’s one of our family favorites and we’re confident it’s going to become a regular favorite in your home too! This is a terrific make-ahead soup because the flavor only gets better the next day.
Creamy Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup
Juicy kielbasa and tender vegetables are enveloped in a creamy broth that’s flavored with herbs and spices. It’s the ultimate comfort soup and is so perfect for those cool evenings when you just want to curl up and enjoy a hot bowl of deliciousness.
Cabbage and sausages go hand in hand and have done for centuries in several European countries. To add to that harmonious coupling is caraway seed, a uniquely earthy-flavored spice that pairs beautifully with cabbage and sausage. I’m adding just a touch so it doesn’t overwhelm the other flavors, but adds a wonderful undercurrent of flavor throughout the soup.
*Updated Recipe*
I first published this recipe in in 2014 and the base of this soup called for making another recipe, my homemade Cream of Celery Soup. While the original recipe received rave reviews from my readers, I found it too impractical and unnecessary to have to make a separate soup in order to make this one. So I decided to update the recipe and streamline the process. For those of you who have made and loved the original version don’t worry, not an ounce of flavor has been lost (in fact, the flavor is improved with the addition of caraway). Our Creamy Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup is as delicious as ever!
For those of you who would still like to make it the original way:
Here is the original recipe (**for the NEW UPDATED VERSION proceed below)
- one batch homemade Cream of Celery Soup, can be made ahead of time
- 14 ounces kielbasa ,sliced in 1/8 inch rounds
- 1 medium head green cabbage ,about 3 pounds, chopped
- 1 large carrot ,diced
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1 cup chicken broth mixed with 2 tablespoons flour ,make sure it’s dissolved
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Add the cabbage, carrot and kielbasa to the homemade Cream of Celery Soup along with the milk, cream, chicken broth, and seasonings, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Note: Once the soup is adequately thickened you can cover the soup for the remaining cooking time.) Serve hot. This soup tastes even better the next day.
Can you Freeze Creamy Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup?
Soups that contain milk or cream usually become grainy once frozen and thawed. If you want to freeze this soup I recommend leaving out the heavy cream and and then adding it after the soup is thawed and you’re heating it up.
Can You Make This In the Instant Pot?
Yes! Use the Sauté setting to follow the steps of cooking your veggies. After all the ingredients have been added, set your IP to HIGH and cook for 8 minutes followed by a quick release. Stir in the heavy cream and set your IP to Sauté to allow the soup to heat through.
Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup Recipe
Let’s get started!
Melt the butter in a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the cabbage and cook for until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the kielbasa, thyme, salt, pepper, and crushed caraway seeds.
Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir in the cream and heat through (don’t boil). Add salt and pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaf.
Serve hot, garnished with some chopped parsley if desired.
This soup tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had more time to meld.
Enjoy!
For more delicious soups be sure to try my:
- Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- French Lentil Soup
- Ham and Bean Soup
- White Bean Chili with Roasted Corn and Peppers
- Zurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup)
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Mushroom, Ham and Wild Rice Soup
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Soup
- Cream of Celery Soup
- Smoky Black Eyed Pea Soup
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Creamy Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- 2 large carrots , diced
- 2 large ribs celery , diced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 large head green cabbage , roughly chopped
- 14 ounces quality smoked kielbasa sausage , sliced in 1/8 thick rounds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups quality chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon base (e.g., Better Than Bouillon, or two bouillon cubes)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the cabbage and cook for until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the kielbasa, thyme, salt, pepper, and crushed caraway seeds. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, chicken bouillon base, and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.Stir in the cream and heat through (don't boil). Add salt and pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaf.Serve hot, garnished with some chopped parsley if desired. This soup tastes even better the next day.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on September 26, 2014
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
I made this for my family earlier this week, and it was a huge hit! There is a lot of cut work, but it’s not difficult. I was ready to eat it when the cream of celery was done, LOL!! Wonderful recipe, thank you!
Wonderful! I’m so glad it was a hit, Dawna, thank you!
I made the kielbasa soup tonight and the spelt biscuits and followed everything exactly, no changes…it was incredibly delicious! One of the best soups I’ve ever tasted and a big hit with both of us and you are not kidding that it’s comfort food. I’ve never used spelt flour before and never had kielbasa either so thank you for introducing something new to me. I loved the texture of the biscuits.
Hoooray, I’m happy to hear it was such a hit, Shannon! We love this soup too and are happy you feel the same. Glad also that you enjoyed the spelt biscuits. Thanks so much!
Both celery soup and the resulting cabbage soup were excellent.
I’m so happy to hear you made and enjoyed both, thanks so much, Katherine!
carmelized the cabbage and kielbasa … sorry!! But it gives me a chance to rate the soup.
Thanks so much for coming back to give the rating, Maryann, I really appreciate it!
I made the soup as directed except I cartelized the cabbage and the kielbasa (separately) prior to adding all together. It was absolutely delicious and bought raves from the family. I’ve made cabbage, kielbasa and potato soup forever and usually serve pattie melts along with it … adding the cream of celery soup has made it a new family favorite.
Wonderful, Maryann, I’m so glad it was a hit, thank you! I agree, caramelized onions are one of the best things in the world! :)
Hi ! Couldn’t you cook all the veggies together and then do the roux, and then add the cream and kielbasa ? How does doing the cream of celery base change the overall soup ?
Hi Kelly, from a functionality standpoint you can certainly do that. I find that focusing on the cream of celery soup base first really pronounces the celery flavor which is a key component to the end result.
Okay, thank you !
Could you substitute with can cream of celery?
Absolutely!
How many cans of cream of celery would be equivalent
About 2 cans of prepared cream of celery soup, meaning 2 cans plus the milk.
I used 2 cans of cream of celery with 2 cans of milk. Do I still add additional milk per the recipe? Thank u Hope it’s as good as it looks
Hi Ann, if the consistency looks right to you (not too thick), then you’re good to go. If it’s a little too thick then add a little more milk.
Thank you. So excited about having this tonight
This was really good! Loved it! Took some prep work but well worth it! Thank you.
Thanks, Jeanne, so glad you enjoyed it! It does take more time if you’re making your own cream of celery base, but it’s oh so worth it!
Made this today it is so yummy! Next time I want to add some chopped potatoes! Very good!
Awesome, so glad it was a hit, Melissa! Thanks for the feedback and yes, you can practically never go wrong with potatoes :)
Have you ever frozen this? I have made it once and it was great, just wondering if it will keep in the freezer?
Hi Ndrea, I’m glad you enjoyed the soup! I haven’t tried freezing it – typically milk-based soups just don’t freeze very well.
Such an easy and delicious recipe! It came just in time of a winter
storm coming upon us on the east coast and my favorite thing to do during bad weather is to make soups! ! Thank you for this awesome and super simple recipe! My house is warm, cozy and comforting with this wonderful soup!
Thank you, Rhonda, I’m so glad it was a hit! And I’m totally with you – bad weather is perfect for making soups!
When local cabbage comes into the farmer’s markets I always buy some to make Stuffed Cabbage. I decided to try this soup with what’s leftover. (The heads of cabbage grown here are as large as basketballs so I always have plenty of leftover cabbage even after making 2 dozen cabbage rolls.) The Cream of Celery Soup alone was FANTASTIC, just like you said. I had to decide if I wanted to “risk” using it for the Creamy Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup because I loved it so much. Since I had the extra cabbage to use I plowed ahead. It’s cooling now, but the little taste I had was FANTASTIC, too. Can’t wait to try it after it sits for a bit. Thanks for BOTH recipes!
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Delawonderful! I know exactly what you mean about the fear of using something so delicious on its own as the base for another recipe, but as you’ve also discovered it’s well worth it :) You’ll enjoy the cabbage soup even more after it’s sat for several hours. I really appreciate your feedback, thank you! Best, Kimberly
I had a leftover head of cabbage so I made this soup today. Holy crap it is so good! I made the cream of celery first and then the rest. The only change I made was using Bob’s Red Mill GF all purpose flour so my husband could eat it too. It is seriously scrumptious.
Yayyyy! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jaimi! It really is a fabulous comfort soup and nothing beats the homemade cream of celery soup base. Thanks so much for your feedback!
This looks absolutely delicious. We’re huge fans of cabbage in my house, so I’m definitely going to have to whip this up sometime soon. Plus, I love anything made all the way from scratch. Thanks for posting this. Bookmarked!
That’s fantastic, kitchenmaus, thank you! Cabbage is such a healthy vegetable and it transforms so deliciously into this comfort food. Enjoy!
I made this last night and it is fabulous!! We enjoyed leftovers for lunch today and it was just as good if not better! Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe, it’s a keeper and I’ll be making it again and again!