Creamy Cabbage Soup
on Feb 16, 2020, Updated Oct 20, 2020
This Creamy Cabbage Soup is delicious and so easy to make. It’s packed with cabbage, carrots, potatoes, celery, onions, ham, and an amazing creamy broth. Lots of nutrients and flavor.
Cabbage Soup
Cabbage is one of my favorite foods, cooked or even raw. I often make my Cabbage Roll Soup, but this creamy cabbage soup recipe is my favorite. The veggies and cream taste so gosh darn good together. Make it for dinner tonight, you will get hooked too!
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I prefer to serve my soup with crusty bread because I am a dipper. But, you could serve it with crackers or nothing for a side dish. It’s a hearty and filling soup without anything alongside.
Traditional Cabbage Soup is not creamy. Many use it as a weight loss soup when dieting. I think the addition makes the dish a bit more kid friendly and makes it more filling. If you would like to keep your soup classic, go ahead and omit the cream and add a cup or two of additional broth.
This easy Cabbage Soup does not take much time to prepare. You will first chop the cabbage, potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions. If you have picky eaters, go ahead and puree the onions, they will never even know they are in there.
I usually use store-bought chicken broth. If you have homemade on hand, feel free to use it. You can also use vegetable broth or low sodium broths to keep the soup as healthy as possible too!
I make a quick roux with cornstarch and butter for the base of the cream. I then add milk and heavy whipping cream. Any cream such as half -n- half will work. Or, use milk if you do not have cream on hand but, you may need to double up the roux mixture.
I use leftover ham or store-bought cubed to add a bit of meat and flavor. The meat is not necessary. You can totally keep this vegetarian and a bit healthier by omitting.
Consider using these other meats to Cabbage Soup for added flavor:
- Ground Beef
- Sausage
- Cubed Chicken
- Crumbed Bacon on top
Ingredients to Make Creamy Cabbage Soup
- Cabbage (I use about 3/4 of a small to medium-sized head)
- Potatoes (I used about 1/2 of a 24 oz bag of petite white)
- Celery
- Carrots
- Onion
- Chicken Broth
- Garlic
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Creamy Cabbage Soup
First, wash and slice and dice all of the vegetables. Then, add them to a large pot. Now, add the salt, pepper, and garlic.
Next, add the broth. Then, bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Check potatoes after cook time for tenderness.
Make the roux while vegetables are simmering. To do so, melt the butter over low heat. Then, add the flour and continuously mix for about 2 or 3 minutes until you have a very thick paste.
Now, whisk in the heavy cream and milk. Continue whisk until the mixture begins to bubble.
Add the cream mixture to vegetables and stir to combine. Now, allow the soup to simmer for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Creamy soups do not freeze well so, I suggest enjoying this soup right after you prepare. If you do have leftovers, store them in an air-tight container. You may need to add a bit of broth or milk before reheating.
Creamy Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cup chopped Cabbage, about 1 small head
- 1 lb cubed Ham
- 1/2 Large Onion, chopped
- 3/4 lb Potatoes diced
- 3 small Carrots, sliced
- 1 stalk Celery sliced
- 1 tbsp minced Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 6 cup Chicken Broth
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped
Instructions
- In a large heavy pot, add cabbage, ham, onion, potatoes, carrots, celery and garlic.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add broth and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
- In a small pan make a roux by melting butter and adding flour over low heat.
- Stir to mix to a paste consistency and cook 2-3 minutes.
- Gradually add in milk and cream while whisking until smooth.
- Add thickened mixture to soup and stir until incorporated.
- Simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley.
Nutrition
I made this soup for supper tonight. I didn’t have ham, but I had 500 gr ground pork that I made into meatballs which I added to the soup before adding the roux. It was delicious and very satisfying.
Hi Ruth! I am so happy to hear you tried this cabbage soup with meatballs. They sound like a great addition. Thanks so much for the suggestion, rating and review. They really help other readers. Have a great day- Jen
I made this rescind as is. I didn’t have any ham or kielbasa so I used country sausage. Came out awesome.
Hi Christy! Thanks so much for trying our Cabbage Soup Recipe. I have never thought to try this soup with country sausage. I am not sure why as it would be a wonderful addition. Thanks so much for the recommendation and review. Have a great day!-Jen
Very Yummy 😋
Yes, it’s an AMAZING Soup recipe that is great year round. When I have a craving for cabbage, it’s one of the first recipes that comes to my mind. Thanks much! -Jen
Amazing! Tastes like childhood.
A lot of recipes claim to be “THE BEST” _____ but this recipe absolutely deserves that title. It was good on day one, but today….. Incredible flavor and texture.
I cut the recipe in half because I’m cooking for 1. I didn’t have milk so I used all heavy cream. I didn’t add salt during cooking because you never know how salty the ham is and it’s easier to add later than remove it
Thanks for a yummy recipe!
We were given a fresh from the garden cabbage and I had everything but the ham in the house. Who needs ham;this soup was delicious. But I did use half and half because that is what it ended up asking for when you think about it.
I made this soup today because I was yearning for my beautiful Polish grandmother’s…I miss her so much…”Creamy Kapusta Soup”…my sister and I would eat bowl after bowl…I won’t even bring up her scrumptious Pierogis…But I have to say this soup came out so darn good…it was like my grandmothers and brought back wonderful memories…it was so “dubsha” which means “Good” in Polish…The only thing is she put small pieces of kielbasa instead of ham.
So I will make it with Kielbasa next time and also another time I will try adding shredded cheddar cheese.
You just put the biggest smile on my face! Nothing beats a good family memory when enjoying a recipe. Your comment made me think of my mother (which I do mny times a day since her passing). She loved cabbage and it made me love it too. My grandmother often made what was called a “Boiled Dinner” which I have read is a north eastern recipe that was very popular years ago. I plan to add the recipe to my blog this fall. The kielbasa sounds like a great alternative, I will give it a try next time. Thanks much for trying, rating and commenting on the recipe, it is much appreciated. I hope you have a wonderful week.
One of the best soups I’ve made!!! Delicious!!
This recipe was excellent. I had leftovers from corned beef and cabbage. I cut them into smaller chunks and sauted an onion and celery to soft before adding the leftovers. I actually used beef broth and rye flour for the roux but had pretty included all the rest of the ingredients. Was excellent.
Probably the best soup I have ever eaten!
Sautéed all vegetables for about 10 minutes, but did not brown them, just for added flavor. Used white pepper, didn’t add any meat and used unsalted butter. It was delicious and it’s on my list of recipes to definitely make again. Thanks for sharing.