I know that creamy cabbage soup isn’t the sexiest sounding recipe I’ve ever presented. But trust me, this cabbage soup will have you wondering how a homely cabbage can develop such complex sweetness. The answer (of course) is butter. When smart cooks sauté cabbage with copious amounts of cream and/or butter it loses all its cabbagey-ness and takes on an unexpected sweetness. Of course, peak-season farmers market cabbage helps this recipe succeed as well. And not just any cabbage but the tastiest, most prized cabbage of the entire Brassicaceae/Cruciferae family. Savoy cabbage.
The Savoy variety is a bit harder to find than your standard cabbage; and where I live it is much more seasonal. So be on the lookout, its time is now. It’s not hard to recognize. It’s a beautiful emerald green and looks like a giant corsage. A big frilly green corsage, not unlike the one that accompanied you to your senior prom!
Creamy Cabbage Soup
Which means cabbage deserves better PR. Cooked low and slow with onions in a bath of butter, this soup is stupendous. A bit reminiscent of a classic Leek and Potato Soup with simple but refined flavors and textures. I cannot say enough good things about this soup. Really, even now I can’t stop. It’s that good. This soup is not only delicious but pretty to look thanks to a swirl of bright green chive oil and a penetrating top note from a scattering of freshly toasted cumin seeds.
Which brings me to this creamy cabbage soup and its most important attribute: the wow factor. Nobody expects cabbage to be anything special, so the cook’s art becomes apparent when this lowly offering shines. Serve big fat beautiful spears of asparagus, and your guests will praise the vegetable. Serve a transformative bowl of creamy cabbage soup, though, and everyone will praise the cook. GREG
Chive oil can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh chives
- 1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley (thickest stems removed)
- 1 ½ cup mild flavored oil (such as grapeseed or vegetable)
Directions
Set a coffee filter in a sieve set over a heatproof measuring cup or bowl.
Purée chives, parsley, and oil in a blender until well blended. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until mixture is sizzling, about 3 minutes.
Remove chive oil from heat and strain through prepared sieve (do not press on solids or oil will be cloudy); let cool.
Creamy Cabbage Soup with Chive Oil and Cumin Seeds
Print This Recipe Yield 4–6Source Adapted from Naomi Pomeroy, Taste & TechniquePublished
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
- 1 clove garlic (peeled and crushed into a pulp)
- 4 cup Savoy cabbage (cut into thin ribbons)
- 1 ½ cup water (plus more if needed)
- 1 cup whole milk (plus more if needed)
- ½ cup cream
- ¼ cup crème fraîche
- ¼ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 dash red Tabasco sauce
- chive oil (as needed, see recipe)
- freshly toasted cumin seeds (to taste)
Directions
Melt the butter over low heat in a 4‑qt or larger soup pot or Dutch oven with a lid. Add the chopped onion and half the salt. Sweat the onions, stirring often, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Raise the heat to medium-low, add the cabbage ribbons and water, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until translucent, about 10 minutes.
Return the heat to low, add the remaining salt, and cook covered, for an additional 40 minutes until the cabbage is completely soft. Check the moisture level and stir the pot often. Add additional water if needed.
Once the cabbage is well softened remove it from the heat and let it cool about 10 minutes, add the milk, cream, and crème fraîche.
Working in batches as necessary use a high-powered blender to purée the soup until very smooth. Test the consistency, it should pour from a spoon in a slow steady stream. Adjust consistency with more milk if necessary. Return the soup to a clean saucepan and gently reheat without boiling.
To serve, stir in lemon zest and hot sauce and ladle the soup into warm soup bowls. Garnish with chive oil and a light sprinkling of freshly toasted cumin seeds. Serve immediately.
So.….“Keep Cabbage and Chive Oil” for a new t‑shirt design? 😉 🙂
Honestly, Greg, at my age, I need to sexy? This is beautiful – and Savoy cabbage is my favorite variety. And, I agree wholeheartedly about the combination of butter and cabbage. Butter makes shredded brussels sprouts taste like candy!
OK, your PR campaign worked and I am going to try this It looks so beautiful, but your “Cooked low and slow with onions in a bath of butter, this soup is stupendous.” made me think I could, and then the chive oil took it up and then you mentioned the cumin seeds. Goodness, I have this Pinned to try soon, thanks Greg!
Perfect for me. I’m low carb right now. I can switch out all the milk for heavy cream. Yes on that chive oil! And I would have never thought to make cabbage cream soup which will satisfy wanting potato soup.
This looks and sounds wonderful. Love the oil on top! I’ve made little creamed cabbage parcels before — all I need to do is puree them and I’ve got this soup. Although maybe there was a little bacon involved. People need to embrace cabbage. Hoe you’re feeling better!
Cabbage doesn’t get enough love. And it’s that whole overcooking thing — when I was a kid, moms everywhere really did cook it for hours. Yuck! Hated cabbage then. Took me years to discover what a wonderful veggie it was. This is wonderful — I make cabbage soup a lot, but you’ve opened up a new door for me. Thanks!
I had to read the title twice. Cabbage soup? I almost couldn’t believe it, then I read the description: butter. But of course! That strong cabbage aroma can only be quelled by butter. And crème fraiche! It truly looks divine. Last week, I made a red cabbage soup (from left over cabbage; why can’t they sell a half a cabbage?) but it didn’t have the elegance nor refinement that your cabbage soup has. Plus the strong purple colour was a bit off putting. Not to mention the after effects…definitely not going on the blog! The chive oil looks exquisite, I’d never thought to heat the puréed herbs with the oil to coax out more flavour, but it makes sense. The colour is also gorgeous.
Sold–I’m in with your cabbage soup. For the chive oil, do we blend the parsley with the chives in the oil?
Yes, That’s a typo. I fixed it. Thanks GREG
Cabbage never appealed to me in my early years. Now I cook it all the time, my favorite being stuffed cabbage. Your soup looks fantastic, I have to try it.
Obviously, it’s a cultural thing. Having grown up in a Polish-American household, I’ve eaten my share of cabbage, that’s for sure, and I love it. In fact, I just braised a head of red cabbage this weekend, with butter, red wine, and red-wine vinegar — and I’ve been enjoying it for days. So, when I think of cabbage soup, it’s with eager anticipation — but I wonder if that’s because I grew up with someone who knew what they were doing when they prepared it. Nonetheless, I’ve never had a creamed version. It looks really interesting.
I’ve had many cabbage soups, but never a puréed version. I know I would love it. I love the subtle seasonings, and the chive oil on top makes for a very pretty presentation.
What a fun and unexpected soup.
Humbly brilliant.
This looks lovely, and the addition of the chive oil is brilliant. I’ll definitely add this one. I love cabbage based recipes.