Spring Cabbage Soup with Dill Recipe
Spring cabbage soup is the taste of late spring and early summer in many Polish homes. It’s light, delicately sweet from fresh cabbage and carrot, and dill adds a fresh note. It’s something between a vegetable soup and a cabbage soup, but much milder and perfect for a light lunch.
This soup captures the flavour of young spring vegetables in a light, comforting bowl that is milder than traditional cabbage soup and perfect for warm days.
Chef's tips
Do not brown the vegetables at the beginning – gentle sautéing keeps the soup light in colour and flavour. Add dill only at the end so it stays bright green and aromatic.
How to serve
Serve hot, sprinkled with extra fresh dill. It pairs well with crusty country bread or simple buttered rolls.
Ingredients
- spring cabbage about 800–900 g - 1 head
- carrot medium - 2 piece
- parsley root small root - 1 piece
- potatoes medium - 3 piece
- leek (white part) or a small onion as a substitute - 0.5 piece
- fresh dill chopped - 1 bunch
- butter for sautéing the vegetables - 20 g
- vegetable stock or water preferably homemade stock - 1.5 l
- 18% cooking cream optional, for lightening the soup - 80 ml
- bay leaf - 2 piece
- allspice berries - 3 piece
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Clean the cabbage from the outer leaves, cut into quarters and remove the core. Shred fairly finely.
- Peel the carrot and parsley root and cut into small cubes or thin half-slices.
- Clean the leek, cut it lengthwise, rinse thoroughly between the layers, then slice into thin half-slices.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into 1–1.5 cm cubes.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrot, parsley root and leek. Sauté for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften slightly and become fragrant but do not brown.
- Add the shredded cabbage, stir and sauté for another 3–4 minutes until it softens slightly.
- Pour in the stock or water, add the bay leaves, allspice berries and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves and allspice berries.
- If you want to lighten the soup with cream, in a separate bowl mix the cream with a few tablespoons of hot soup, stir well, then pour into the pot while stirring. After adding the cream, do not cook for long, just heat for 1–2 minutes.
- Finally, add the chopped dill, stir and serve immediately.
Storage
Zupę przechowuj w lodówce do 3 dni. Możesz ją też zamrozić na 2–3 miesiące, najlepiej bez śmietanki – dodaj ją dopiero po rozmrożeniu i podgrzaniu. Podgrzewaj na małym ogniu, mieszając, aby się nie przypaliła.
