This easy cabbage soup recipe is hearty, healthy, easy to make, and tastes fantastic. Before adding to the soup, taste your ham to see how salty it is. Depending on the salt level, you may not need to add any additional salt to the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup a few times during cooking.
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion (1 medium)
2 cups chopped carrot (4 medium)
1 1/2 cups cubed lean ham steak (7.5 ounces)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or use 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
8 cups chopped cabbage (1 1/2 pounds)
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
6 cups low sodium chicken, ham or vegetable stock/broth, see our chicken stock recipe
2 bay leaves
Salt, to taste
3 lemon slices or more to taste
Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a stockpot pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and the ham. Cook, stirring every once and a while until the vegetables have softened and the onions are translucent; 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, rosemary, black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Cook, while 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 then adjust with salt. The ham does add some salt to the soup so you may not need a lot of 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.
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