Green Cabbage and Leek Soup : Easy Homemade Comfort Food
This green cabbage and leek soup is a simple, comforting, and budget-friendly recipe—perfect for chilly evenings, especially when served with crispy toasted bread.
It’s one of those easy dishes you find yourself making again and again. Flexible and forgiving, it adapts to the seasons, personal tastes, and whatever you happen to have in the fridge. A true family-style recipe—unpretentious, wholesome, and always a crowd-pleaser.
Green Cabbage and Leek Soup
As soon as the cold weather sets in, we naturally crave simple, comforting dishes—just like this green cabbage and leek soup.
Budget-friendly, easy to make, and packed with goodness, this soup is a true classic of home cooking. Depending on your mood, you can enjoy it rustic-style with chunks of vegetables, or blended into a smooth, velvety texture.
It’s the perfect recipe for warming up while getting a generous serving of vegetables.
A comforting, family-style soup
I made this cabbage soup quite some time ago, but with life getting busy, I simply hadn’t had the chance to share it until now. It’s one of those humble, reassuring recipes that always feels right, especially on cold days.
Usually, I make a more rustic, country-style cabbage soup, leaving the vegetables in chunky pieces. But at home, my daughters prefer this softer, creamier version—so I happily oblige.
To achieve a smoother, more velvety texture, I added a potato, which naturally thickens the soup. And at the end of cooking, a splash of cream for extra richness—though this step is completely optional.
A simple, comforting soup that’s perfectly suited to the tastes of the whole family.
At home, we’re big fans of vegetable soups—and I have to admit, I’m especially fond of them.
In fact, I’ve already shared several cabbage-based recipes on the blog, such as Pak Choi (Bok Choy) Soup, which is an absolute favorite, or Kale, Carrot, and Roasted Chickpea Soup, not to mention Cabbage and Vegetable Soup—simple recipes packed with flavor.
Green cabbage is a vegetable I truly enjoy cooking with. It’s well known for being rich in vitamins while remaining low in calories, making it a great choice for a healthy and balanced diet.
I most often use it in slow-cooked dishes or in a rustic, country-style soup. And depending on my mood, I sometimes swap it for spinach to mix things up a bit.
A perfect reminder that vegetable soups can be simple, budget-friendly, and endlessly versatile.
The Benefits of Green Cabbage
Green cabbage is a vegetable that’s often underestimated, yet it’s packed with great qualities. It’s well known for its high vitamin content, especially vitamin C, and its low calorie count. Rich in fiber, it’s an excellent ally for a healthy and balanced diet.
I usually use it in slow-cooked dishes, rustic country-style soups, or even as a substitute for spinach in certain recipes. Paired with leeks, which are milder and slightly sweet, green cabbage creates a lovely balance of flavors.
An Ideal Soup for Winter
There’s no denying that this soup is especially comforting. With the cold weather still lingering here—and even a bit of snow recently—it was more than welcome. Served piping hot with a slice of crispy toasted bread, it makes a simple yet deeply satisfying evening meal.
It’s also a soup that’s perfect for batch cooking: it keeps well in the refrigerator for several days and tastes even better when reheated, once the flavors have had time to fully develop.
Simple, Accessible Ingredients
The beauty of this soup lies in its simplicity. Just a few vegetables, a bit of fat, water or stock—and that’s it. No complicated ingredients, no tricky techniques, just honest, home-style cooking that’s both comforting and effective.
Ingredients for Green Cabbage and Leek Soup
- 1 green cabbage : Cleaned, outer leaves removed, core discarded, and leaves thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion : Peeled and finely chopped
- 1 vegetable stock cube : To gently enhance the flavor of the soup
- 1 medium potato : Peeled and diced, for a naturally creamy texture
- 1 leek : Sliced into rounds, using only the white and pale green parts
- 2 tablespoons butter : For a soft, flavorful aromatic base
- 1 liter (4 cups) water : Salt and black pepper, to taste
To suit your preferences, you can :
- Add cream—or leave it out
- Blend the soup fully or partially
- Adjust the seasoning to your liking
A simple recipe that’s easy to adapt and always comforting.
How to Make Green Cabbage and Leek Soup
1. Prepare the Green Cabbage
Start by cleaning the green cabbage. Using a knife, cut off the base, then remove the outer leaves, which are often thicker or damaged.
Next, remove the tough core. Cut the cabbage in half, then into quarters. Rinse the pieces thoroughly under cold water, removing any remaining damaged leaves or very large outer leaves if needed.
Slice the cabbage leaves into strips, more or less finely depending on the texture you prefer.
2. Sauté the Aromatic Base
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and sliced leek, then sauté for a few minutes until soft and slightly translucent, without letting them brown.
3. Cook the Vegetables
Add the diced potato and sliced cabbage to the pot. Stir briefly to combine.
Pour in the water (or broth) and add the vegetable stock cube. Bring to a boil.
Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for about 35 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
4. Blend or Leave Chunky
At the end of cooking, you have two options :
- Leave the vegetables chunky for a rustic-style soup
- Blend the soup with an immersion blender for a smooth, velvety texture
5. Adjust Seasoning and Serve
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper to your liking.
Serve hot, with a drizzle of heavy cream if desired, for extra richness and comfort.
Tip :This soup tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have had time to develop. It keeps very well in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. |
How to Serve Green Cabbage and Leek Soup
Serve this soup piping hot, in pre-warmed bowls, with:
- a drizzle of heavy cream (optional),
- a twist of freshly ground black pepper,
- a slice of toasted bread or rustic country bread.
Paired with a simple salad or a hard-boiled egg, it easily becomes a complete and well-balanced meal.
Why We Love Green Cabbage and Leek Soup
- Comforting : perfect for cold evenings
- Budget-friendly : made with simple, accessible ingredients
- Healthy and nourishing
- Can be enjoyed chunky or blended, depending on preference
- Loved by the whole family
It’s the kind of soup you make without overthinking, using whatever you have on hand—and it always hits the spot.
Green Cabbage and Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 1 green cabbage
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 1 potato peeled and diced
- 1 leek sliced (white and pale green parts only)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 liter 4 cups water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For serving
- Heavy cream optional
Instructions
- Start by cleaning the green cabbage. Cut off the base using a knife and remove the outer leaves.
- Remove the core and any damaged leaves. Cut the cabbage in half, then into quarters, rinse thoroughly, and discard any remaining tough outer leaves if needed.
- Cut the cabbage leaves into thin strips and set aside.
- In a large pot, melt the butter (you may add 1 tablespoon of olive oil if desired).
- Add the chopped onion and sliced leek, and sauté for a few minutes until soft and fragrant, without browning.
- Add the diced potato and sliced cabbage to the pot.
- Pour in the water and add the vegetable stock cube.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for about 35 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
- At the end of cooking, you can either keep the vegetables chunky for a rustic soup or blend everything with an immersion blender for a smooth texture.
- Adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, with a drizzle of heavy cream if desired for extra creaminess.
