Grandma’s Cabbage Soup

It’s soup season in Vermont y’all!!!! We are set to have highs in the 50s and 60s this week and I couldn’t be happier. I have been waiting for this for weeks. I don’t mean to kiss summer goodbye so quickly, I know winter’s icy breathe is just around the next corner and I am not ready for that. I am, however, so ready to make all of the soups I have been dreaming up all summer long. We happen to have a TON of cabbage coming out our garden right now, so the timing was perfect to make my grandma’s cabbage soup! (Which happens to be accidentally vegan).

Her soup is the ultimate comfort in the dead of winter and we often eat it with buttered bread or croutons. There is a special way this soup makes me feel that is difficult to describe. Sitting down to it feels like warmth and safety, like I am apart of something that is generations in the making. And when it hits my lips, within myself I am home. Most of the time I don’t even have to think much when I make it, my hands have learned all the steps and my brain can sit back. It helps, of course, that it is so simple to make.

When I made it this past week I coincidentally had all the ingredients I needed, and whipped it up in a pinch. While I love my grandmas plain version, which we spice individually, I decided to change up the seasoning a bit. A Baileaf twist on a family classic! It was magic. The cumin and coriander married perfectly with the ripe tomatoes resulting in a rich and pungent flavor that still provided all my familiar comforts.

The batch I made below is HUGE, making about 5 or 6 quarts of soup. I suggest sharing this with friends or family, even if you make less soup than I call for here.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 heads of cabbage – cut into medium size chunks
• 2 cups diced tomatoes (~4-5)*
• 1 cup sliced carrots (~2 medium)
• 1 cup sliced celery (~ 2-3 stalks)
• 1 medium yellow onion – diced
• 3 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 hot pepper (optional) – sliced
• 12 cups vegetable stock (3 quarts)**
• 1 tbsp. ACV or lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. Add onions and salt generously to make then “sweat” (release water to improve cooking. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until fragrant and softening (5 minutes)
2. Add in garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook for an additional 7 minutes until things begin to soften and caramelize.
3. Stir in tomatoes, cabbage, and hot pepper. You may wish to add a tablespoon or two of water to prevent sticking/burning. Stir and cover, cooking on medium-low for 10 minutes.
4. Once the cabbage has started to wilt and the tomatoes are falling apart, stir in the spices, water/stock**, and ACV. Increase heat and bring to a boil
5. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow this to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cabbage should be very soft and tender. It will be rather translucent, this is how you know it is done.
6. Taste for seasoning and adjust as you please. Serve to friends in need of a warmed heart along side a hunk of buttered bread.

Enjoy!

Notes:

*I used fresh tomatoes because they give the best flavor, but you can use a 32 oz can of chopped tomatoes if that what you are feeling
** I almost exclusive use stock paste. It is much more convenient and lasts way longer. If this is what you choose to do, I recommend 2 -3 tsp. paste for the 3 quarts of water.