Creamy Potato Soup with Cabbage (Print View)

Velvety potato soup with tender cabbage, carrots, and cream. A comforting European-style bowl ready in 50 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1/2 head green cabbage (about 14 ounces), thinly sliced
05 - 1.5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced
06 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups vegetable stock
08 - 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - Pinch of nutmeg, optional

→ Finishing

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 - Crusty bread for serving, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 4 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add sliced cabbage and diced carrots; sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
05 - Cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until potatoes and cabbage are very tender.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup partially for a creamy consistency, leaving some chunks for body.
07 - Stir in milk or cream. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Warm through without boiling.
08 - Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot with crusty bread if desired.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It turns humble ingredients into something that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • The cabbage gets so sweet and soft you'd never guess it started out as that tough head sitting in your fridge.
  • You can make it as smooth or as chunky as you like, and it always feels like comfort in a bowl.
  • It reheats beautifully, which means lunch sorted for days.
02 -
  • Don't skip removing the bay leaf, biting into one is unpleasant and it can ruin an otherwise perfect spoonful.
  • Add the cream at the very end and keep the heat low, boiling it will make the soup grainy and split.
  • If your soup tastes flat, it probably just needs more salt, taste and adjust before you serve.
03 -
  • Slice the cabbage as thin as you can, it cooks faster and blends more easily into the creamy base.
  • Taste the soup before adding the cream, sometimes it needs a little more thyme or a pinch of sugar to balance the flavors.
  • Use an immersion blender for control, you can stop exactly when you like the texture instead of over blending in a regular blender.
Go Back