Cabbage soup with beans

I first made cabbage soup with beans on a day when I had some leftover vegetables in the fridge and a can of beans that I wanted to use for something else. It turned out to be one of those simple recipes that quickly solve lunch. I like that you don't have to stand by the pots for long and the ingredients are easy to find. It's a thick soup, almost creamy, but with quite substantial pieces.

Quick Info

Total time: about 1 hour
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 40-45 minutes
Servings: 4 large
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: lunch soup, hearty, meatless (with optional bacon for serving)

Ingredients

1/2 medium sweet cabbage
5 medium potatoes
2 carrots
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves
100 ml tomato juice
200 g cooked white beans (ideally canned or pre-cooked)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
olive oil (1-2 tablespoons)
salt
pepper
(optional, for serving) small pieces of fried bacon

Preparation

1. Slice the onion thinly and sauté it in a pot with a little olive oil. Let it soften without browning. Stir occasionally, keeping the heat low to medium.

2. When the onion has softened, add the tomato juice and sweet paprika. Let everything cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring gently.

3. Add the chopped garlic, then add half of the beans (about 100 g), the diced potatoes, and carrots. Pour cold water over just enough to cover the vegetables well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes and carrots are soft. I didn't time it exactly, but it takes about 20-25 minutes, depending on how large the vegetables were cut.

5. Meanwhile, chop the cabbage into small pieces. Boil it in a separate pot with water and a little salt. Let it cook until it softens, but don't overdo it.

6. When the vegetables in the main soup are cooked, blend everything with an immersion blender directly in the pot until you achieve a somewhat fine texture. I prefer it not to be completely homogeneous, but it depends on your taste.

7. If the soup becomes too thick after blending, add a little water from the pot where the cabbage was boiled. You can easily adjust the consistency; you don't need much.

8. Add the remaining beans and the boiled and drained cabbage. Mix well and let it come to a boil for a few minutes, 2-3 minutes is enough.

9. Serve hot. For those who want, some fried bacon pieces can be added on top at the end.

Why I make this recipe often

It's a cheap, hearty, and tasty soup, especially for days when I want something warm and filling without much effort. It can be made without meat, but also with a bit of fried bacon for those who want. It keeps well for a day or two in the fridge.

Tips and variations

Tips

To prevent the soup from being too bland, salt and pepper should be tasted at the end. If the cabbage is tougher, it can be boiled a little longer until it becomes slightly crunchy, not completely soft.

An immersion blender helps with the texture, but if you don't have one, the vegetables can also be mashed with a fork (although it comes out more rustic).

Substitutions

White cabbage can be replaced with curly cabbage or even red cabbage, but it will slightly change the color.
White beans can be substituted with red beans.
Tomato juice can also be from a can, or even pureed tomatoes.

Variations

If you want the soup to be more aromatic, a little dried thyme can be added.
For those who are fasting, the bacon can be omitted without losing flavor.
Sometimes I also add a small root of parsnip or celery, but it's not mandatory.

Serving ideas

Croutons can be added on top of the soup or a little chopped parsley. For those who want, it also goes well with a hot pepper on the side.

Frequently asked questions

1. Does the beans need to be boiled beforehand or can I use canned?
It is important that the beans are cooked. The simplest way is to use pre-cooked canned beans, just rinse them well before.

2. If I don’t have an immersion blender, how can I blend the soup?
You can also use a regular blender, but you need to let the soup cool a little before blending. If you don't have a blender either, you can mash the vegetables with a fork; it will remain a more rustic soup.

3. Can the soup be frozen?
The soup keeps better in the fridge for 1-2 days. Freezing is not ideal because the texture of the potatoes and cabbage changes upon thawing, but if there is a lot left, it can be tried.

4. If I want the soup to be more liquid, how much water should I add?
The consistency can be easily adjusted by adding more water (preferably the water in which the cabbage was boiled) until it reaches the desired thickness.

5. How can I make the soup spicier?
You can add a little hot paprika or more pepper, but be careful not to overpower the taste of the vegetables.

Nutritional values

The values are estimated, for one serving:
Calories: approximately 250-300 kcal (without fried bacon)
Protein: 8-10 g (more if you add bacon)
Carbohydrates: 45-50 g
Fats: 3-5 g (depends on how much oil you use)
Fiber: 7-8 g
The soup is quite filling due to the potatoes and beans. If bacon is added for serving, the calories and fats increase proportionally.

Storage and reheating

It keeps well in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days. When reheating, a little water can be added if it has thickened too much. I do not recommend keeping it for more than two days because the cabbage and potatoes do not have the same texture after too much time. Fried bacon is only added when serving, not stored in the soup.

 Ingredients: 1/2 sweet cabbage 5 medium potatoes 2 carrots 1 large onion 2 cloves of garlic 100 ml tomato juice 200 g cooked white beans 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika olive oil salt pepper

 Tags:  cabbage soup