Cabbage soup is a humble dish. It's not glamorous or flashy, but it is rich in flavor and wonderfully comforting. In other words, it's exactly what you want to be eating on a cold winter night after a season of overindulgence. It's a hearty meal that comes together quickly and contains just a few ingredients—most of which you probably already have on hand. You’ll be shocked by how much flavor can be coaxed out of some shallots, garlic and smoked sausage. A dusting of gruyere that melts into the soup and a piece of crusty bread ripped right off the loaf put the perfect finishing touch on this wintertime meal.
INGREDIENTS
1 link of smoked kielbasa, chopped in 1/2” cubes
1 head cabbage, roughly chopped
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 sprigs thyme
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh-cracked pepper
48 oz chicken stock
Grated gruyere to serve
DIRECTIONS
Heat a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the kielbasa to the pan and cook until crispy and browned. Remove the kielbasa and reserve for later, leaving any oil in the pan.
Add the shallot to the pan and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper and stir, cooking until it’s fragrant, about another minute.
Add the cabbage, along with the olive oil, and sauté until cooked down by about half, stirring occasionally.
Add the thyme and chicken stock to the pot, bring it all to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Remove the thyme stems, add the salt and the kielbasa to the soup, stir and taste for seasoning.
Serve topped with grated gruyere and a piece of crusty bread.
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