If there are two vegetables I think of when it comes to Irish food, it’s cabbage and potatoes. So we’re bringing them together in a simple, creamy, comforting soup! A whole lot of cabbage gets cooked down with onion and then simmered with potatoes in a creamy coconut milk broth that then gets partially blended to create a thick, creamy consistency. Sausage and beans are cooked until crisp and golden and then tossed with garlic and herbs for a delicious soup topper that packs in the protein.
Ingredient highlight
Cabbage! We have the Germans to thank for bringing this nutrient-dense crucifer to the U.S. It is well-known for possessing anti-cancer properties due to it’s high glucosinolate content. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, vitamin B6, calcium, and magnesium to name a few.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 35 minutes Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 8 oz ground sausage*
- 1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 8 cups chopped cabbage (about 1 lb 12 oz)
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1-2 russet potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 ½ cups)
- 4 cups water
- 1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped parsley, dill, or chives
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- Grated cheddar cheese, for topping (optional)
- *You can buy raw sausages and remove the casing or buy bulk ground sausage. Alternatively, you can buy pre-cooked sausage and just chop it up and brown it in the pot.
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons oil. Add the sausage, break it up into chunks, then let it cook undisturbed for 3 minutes or until deeply browned. Break it up into smaller chunks, stir in the beans, and continue to cook, undisturbed until the beans are golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or plate to cool down a bit.
- In the same pot over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the cabbage, ½ teaspoon salt, thyme, and pepper and cook until the cabbage has wilted down, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the potatoes, water, coconut milk, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer rapidly for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer rapidly for 10 more minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through/very soft. Add about 4-5 cups of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth, allowing the steam to escape. Stir back into the pot along with the lemon juice.
- Meanwhile, to the warm beans/sausage, add the herbs, garlic, and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Use your hands to toss everything to mix together.
- Serve the soup topped with the warm sausage/bean mixture, cheese (if using), and black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 1 yellow onion
- Chop 8 cups cabbage (about 1 lb 12 oz)
- Cube 1-2 russet potatoes (about 1 lb)( ½-inch cubes, about 2 ½ cups)(store in cold water)
- Chop ¼ cup parsley, dill, or chives
- Grate cheddar cheese, for topping (optional)
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian/vegan, skip the sausage. Instead, use two cans of beans and cook them in the oil with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tsp fennel seeds and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes for spice. Then follow the recipe and toss them in garlic and herbs.
- If you don’t like coconut milk, you can substitute with 1-1 ½ cups of heavy cream.
- If you want to skip the beans, then just use 16 oz of sausage instead. No need to toss with salt or garlic.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Soup: up to 6 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
- Sausage/beans: up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover soup on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. Heat up the sausage/beans separately in the microwave or in a skillet. Assemble your soup. Top with a squeeze of lemon, fresh herbs, pepper, and cheese.
- Enjoy leftover soup with Whole Grain Irish Soda Bread or Ham and Cheese Toasties.
The blue pot with white inside, what is that? Looks almost curved on the bottom and appears to be enamel cast iron. Thanks
Hi Jessica! It’s not actually mine – I’m working from my parents house so using different pots! I just checked and it’s a lodge 4.5 qt enameled cast iron dutch oven. Here’s an amazon link to the same pot.