Easy Ham and Cabbage Soup
- PREP 10min
- COOK 20min
- TOTAL 30min
This ham and cabbage soup recipe is hearty, healthy, easy to make, and tastes fantastic. Before adding the ham to the soup, taste it to see how salty it is. You may not need to add salt to the soup, depending on the salt level. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup a few times during cooking.
You Will Need
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped, about 2 cups
4 medium carrots, chopped, about 2 cups
8 ounces boneless ham steak, cubed, about 1 ½ cups
1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 cloves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
8 cups chopped white cabbage, about 1 ½ pounds
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes with juices
6 cups (1.4L) low-sodium chicken stock, ham stock, or vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
Salt, to taste
3 lemon slices or more to taste
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the onions, carrots, and cubed ham. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, rosemary, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, for one minute.
Stir in the cabbage, and then pour in the canned tomatoes and their juices, as well as the stock. Add the bay leaves.
Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Taste and adjust the salt. The ham adds some salt to the soup, so you may not need much additional seasoning.
Partially cover the pot with a lid, and then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the cabbage and other vegetables are tender.
Remove the pot from the heat and remove the bay leaves.
Stir in the lemon slices and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste and season with more salt and pepper. Serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Place the leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge and store it for up to 3 days or a month in the freezer.
- Why lemon slices? While we don’t actually eat lemon slices, adding them to the soup brightens up the flavors a bit. You can also squeeze in fresh lemon juice or use vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar.
- Use fresh tomatoes: Substitute about 1 pound (5 to 6 tomatoes) for 1 (15oz) can of diced tomatoes.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.