Rustic Cabbage and Root Vegetable Soup is humble, earthy, sweet and sour and so satisfying on a winter night and perfect for any diet!!
The inspiration behind this recipe:
Feeling like Siberia where you are?
We got our first official snowfall in Memphis yesterday. It went from rain to sleet to snow and then everything froze. It’s always unnerving when one day it’s in the high 60’s and the next it’s below freezing and the precipitation continues to fall. Ice in the South is a very, very bad thing.
The best thing to do on a snow day? Make soup! This soup. Rustic Cabbage and Root Vegetable Soup!
Rustic Cabbage and Root Vegetable Soup is inspired by a traditional old world soup.
This version is inspired by a recipe from the Moosewood Collective in Ithaca, New York. One of the first cookbooks I ever owned was a Moosewood cookbook and I’ve been collecting them all for 30 years. It’s from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special (affiliate link).
I’m not sure what it was about this recipe from the book that caught my husband’s eye some years ago, but he saw it and wanted to make it. It’s been a favorite of ours ever since and now one of us makes it at least once a year.
Besides being easy, it’s ridiculously healthy! What’s not to love about cabbage, carrots, turnips, bell pepper, tomatoes, prunes, raisins in a vegetable broth? This Rustic Cabbage and Root Vegetable Soup is perfect for any diet. It’s vegan, gluten-free and Paleo-friendly!
Make this Rustic Cabbage and Root Vegetable Soup! It will warm your bones!
Here are more great bone-warming hearty old-world soups!
- Farmhouse Cabbage Soup with Cannellini Beans and Kielbasa
- Old-Fashioned Potato, Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup
- Creamy Potato, Kielbasa and Kale Soup
- Italian Vegetable Stew
- Spicy Kale, Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup with Bacon
Rustic Cabbage and Root Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large onion - chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - chopped
- 3 medium carrots - chopped
- 2 medium turnips - or 1 medium rutabaga, peeled and cubed
- 1 large red bell pepper - chopped
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage - approximately ½ head
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 10 pitted prunes - chopped
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (28-ounce) whole tomatoes - undrained
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- Sour cream or plain yogurt - optional
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large nonreactive soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions and garlic, reduce heat to medium and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often or until onion begins to soften.
- Add the carrots, turnips and red bell pepper and saute another 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the cabbage, sprinkle with salt and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the dill, prunes, raisins and vegetable broth. Using kitchen shears, coarsely chop the tomatoes into small pieces in the can. Add to soup. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 30 to 40 minutes. Add honey, cider vinegar, salt and black pepper to taste. Top with fresh parsley.
- Serve with sour cream or plain yogurt if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Nancy says
Great prep instructions, veggies stay crispy even after boiling to deepen all the flavors. I subbed molasses for the prunes.
Carol says
Hi, Nancy, Thanks so very much and glad you enjoyed!! Appreciate the 5-star rating!
Anonymous says
Rod says
I made this for supper last nite, following the recipe and instructions exactly. It was great–so good I had it for supper again tonite. It was even better after sitting in the fridge for a day. In fact, it was fantastic. Served it with sour cream and parsley, rye bread and cream cheese on the side, washed down by a nice stout ale. Good combination of savory and mild sweet, plus plenty of “substance” for the mouth. This is great “guy” food and my wife LOVES it!
Carol says
Hi, Rod, Thank you so much! I love how you pulled it all together for a great hearty meal! And I’ll bet that ale WAS fantastic with it! Thank you again, so glad you both enjoyed and please stay in touch!
Zach Voelz says
Hi Carol — I wanted to tell you that I made this soup this evening following your recipe and it was OUTSTANDING! My kids loved it as well (typically the biggest challenge for me). We all agreed this would remain on our keeper list. I used rutabaga instead of turnip, and hesitantly added the raisins and prunes (not generally a fan). Well, I am now. The blend of flavors in this soup is fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Carol says
Hi, Zach! When the kids love it, that’s a ringing endorsement! Thank you so much and it’s great to hear from you!