Kapusta (Polish Cabbage Soup)😋 

This Polish kapusta soup made with kielbasa and fresh cabbage is called zupa kapusty. Depending on the cabbage used, it can be ready in an hour or a few hours. Healthy and tasty, it's the perfect Polish meal! In Polish, cabbage is called kapusta, sauerkraut is called kapusta kiszona and sausage is called kielbasa. So Polish cabbage soup with kielbasa is called zupa kapusty. 

The fresh cabbage used in the kapusta soup recipe gives it a naturally sweet taste that even children like it! Although the soup requires the use of fresh cabbage, you will often find many Poles using sauerkraut when the cabbage is not in season. But when it's in season, using fresh cabbage is the best choice! Polish cabbage and sausage soup is easy to prepare at home!

Cabbage soup with kielbasa is an incredibly tasty soup combines the golden sliced sausage seared in a pan with potatoes, cabbage and perfectly cooked aromatic vegetables. It is a healthy, delicious and hearty soup, perfect for any day of the week! My cabbage soup with kielbasa is a simple recipe with simple and genuine ingredients. You can prepare all the vegetables in advance so that this soup can blend even faster!

Ingredients

1 pound of Kielbasa sausage – This is equal to 1 pack of kielbasa sausage. Cut into 1 inch pieces for this soup!

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 

1 cup carrots – wash and slice carrots for this soup recipe

1 cup celery – This equates to about 2 stalks of celery, depending on the size - wash and slice celery for soup.

1 cup yellow onion You can also another onion, such as white onion, here. 1 cup onion is about 1 large, diced onion.

1 teaspoon garlic – Chop or crush garlic for soup depending on the size of your cloves, 1 to 2 chopped cloves is equivalent to one teaspoon.

1/2 medium green cabbage – For this soup, prepare the cabbage by washing it thoroughly, removing the hardest outer leaves and cutting into uniform pieces.

1 pound of potatoes - I like to use simple Russet potatoes for this soup, but you can also use red-skinned potatoes or Yukon gold to taste. Wash and dice the potatoes (you can peel if you wish, but it is not necessary).

Ripening- To season this delicious soup, we will use 1 tablespoon of Italian dressing 2 teaspoon of salt and pepper and whole bay leaves.

8 cups chicken broth – This is equal to 2 cartons of 32 ounces of your favorite brand of chicken broth.

Preparation

Sauté the kielbasa. First, heat a large pot over medium-high heat until it is fully heated. Then, add 1 pound of sliced kielbasa sausage and brown until lightly caramelized. When the kielbasa is browned according to your preferences, put it on a plate or bowl and set aside.

Sauté vegetables. Then, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot, keeping it over medium-high heat. To the olive oil, add 1 cup of sliced carrots, 1 cup of sliced celery and 1 cup of diced yellow onion. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, fragrant and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Then, add 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic to the other vegetables and brown for about 30 seconds to a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients. Once the garlic is stirred, add 1/8 medium head of chopped cabbage and stir to combine. Then, add 1 pound of diced potatoes, the seared kielbasa, 2 cups of chicken broth, and the seasoning (tablespoon of Italian seasoning, teaspoon of salt and pepper, and bay leaves). Simmer the cabbage soup. After adding the ingredients, bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes reach the desired level of tenderness. When the potatoes are ready, remove from heat when they are ready and remove the bay leaves. Serve immediately.