Vegan Nordic-Style Creamy Cabbage Soup Recipe
Since the earliest days of people farming and cooking, cabbage soup has been considered an inexpensive staple that could be concocted from a variety of meager ingredients.
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 ⅛ teaspoons sea salt, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds coarsely chopped green cabbage (1 medium head)
- 2 medium leeks, trimmed and cleaned, halved lengthwise, and cut into ½-inch slices
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ cup dry white vermouth
- 1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- Vegan rye croutons or cracker crumbs, for garnish
- Dill sprigs, for garnish
- In a small saucepan, combine the mustard seeds, 3 tablespoons of water, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and ⅛ teaspoon sea salt.
- Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook for about 12 minutes until plump, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven.
- Add the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes without stirring until charred in spots.
- Turn the cabbage and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cabbage to a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the leeks to the Dutch oven over low heat.
- Cover the pot and allow the leeks to “sweat” for 5 minutes.
- Uncover the pot, increase the heat to medium, and add the garlic, caraway, cardamom, allspice, and ½ teaspoon sea salt.
- Cook and stir for 1 minute until the spices are very fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan with the vermouth, scraping up the browned bits, and allow the liquid to reduce completely.
- Add ½ of the charred cabbage to the pot, along with the potatoes, beans, and vegetable stock.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very soft.
- Whisk together the miso and ⅓ cup warm water in a small bowl until smooth.
- Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the Dutch oven until completely smooth.
- Whisk in the miso mixture and the remaining apple cider vinegar.
- Over low heat, stir in the reserved cabbage, chopped dill, white pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon sea salt.
- Serve the creamy cabbage soup in shallow bowls garnished with the rye croutons, dill sprigs, and a spoonful of the pickled mustard seeds.
“some leeks in the covered pot by allowing them to slowly soften without browning. You will then need fresh garlic, caraway seeds, ground cardamom, and ground allspice, which will”
First, I charred common green cabbage in a Dutch oven to add a smokiness to its mild flavor. I simmered half of this cabbage with Yukon Gold potatoes, cannellini beans, leeks, garlic, and vegetable stock. The soup is seasoned with a complex mix of caraway, cardamom, and allspice. I blended the soup to silky smoothness, and then added the remaining charred cabbage for texture as well as white miso for a punch of umami richness. Fresh dill sprigs, vegan rye croutons, and zesty pickled mustard seeds crown the creamy cabbage soup like jewels.
The tender potatoes and canned beans add so much velvety texture to this soup once pureed, mimicking the creaminess of a dairy-enriched product. Adding a bit of the chopped and charred cabbage into the soup at the end gives it just the right amount of bite and a heartiness that feels like a meal-in-a-bowl.
Gather the vegan Nordic-style creamy cabbage soup ingredients
One of the most delightful and delicious aspects of this vegan Nordic-style creamy cabbage soup is the pickled mustard seed topping. For this easy pickled preparation, you will need mild yellow mustard seeds, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and a bit of sea salt. The vinegar and syrup add just the right balance of tangy sweetness. Next, you need a medium head of green cabbage to chop up and char in your pot with a bit of olive oil. You will then "sweat" some leeks in the covered pot by allowing them to slowly soften without browning. You will then need fresh garlic, caraway seeds, ground cardamom, and ground allspice, which will "bloom" in the fat and heat in the pot to bring out their flavors and aromas. White vermouth is used to both deglaze the pot and add some botanical essence, before we add diced Yukon Gold potatoes, rinsed and drained canned cannellini beans, and vegetable stock. You will need white miso paste and white pepper to whisk in at the end of cooking, and fresh dill to both stir into the soup and to add a verdant garnish. Add a few crunchy vegan rye croutons or cracker crumbs for some extra texture and Nordic flair.
