Vegan Russian Sour Cabbage Soup

Russian sour cabbage soup is a delicious soup made with healthy fermented cabbage. It's refreshing and tangy to the tongue, followed by a satisfying crunch thanks to the cabbage leaves.

Our vegan cabbage soup recipe is effortless to make, and we especially recommend it when you need a quick meal full of vitamins and minerals. The shredded cabbage is very healthy, and many eat it in Eastern Europe when they fast and need a vegan or vegetarian recipe.

When you eat sour cabbage soup, the acidic taste combined with that touch of spice, inevitable, releases serotonin. That's why I like to call this dish, sour happiness in a bowl.

And if you think the pleasure of eating sour cabbage soup stops here, think again. With less than 100 calories per portion, this is a go-to dieting dish. In fact, while Russia might pride itself in having the sour cabbage soup on their traditional meal repertoire, in Romania we specifically call this "the diet soup".

However, if you just want your taste buds to reach temporary nirvana, I suggest you add a side of crusty bread on the side of the sour cabbage soup. It's absolutely delicious!

The salty and full-bodied flavour of the whole grain bread, combined with the freshness of the sour cabbage soup will result in a satisfying lunch.

Soups represent the embodiment of comfort foods during the cold season, but what makes the sour cabbage soup so special, is that its freshness and acidity makes it perfect hot or cold. This means that you enjoy this soup during the summer months too, making it incredibly reinvigorating during a long summer day.

Where did fermented cabbage come from?

Fermented foods have a long history in many cultures, with sauerkraut being one of the most well-known instances of traditional fermented moist cabbage side dishes.

I find it interesting that we associate sauerkraut with Germany because it is a German word. However, you'll be surprised to know that this dish did not originate in Germany. There are many claims over the origin of sauerkraut. Some say it was Emperor Genghis Khan brought it to Europe while others say it actually originated from China, and it was the Tatars who brought it to Europe.

Back in the days, we had no ways of preserving our vegetables for a prolonged period of time. With no refrigeration and infrastructure to transport foods fast, people used to ferment food to preserve it. This simple dish was even used during lengthy sea voyages, as it proved to prevent scurvy, thanks to its high content of Vitamin C.

This is a great vegan and vegetarian cabbage soup that you can now do as a meal prep. It's gluten free and this new recipe is also freezer friendly so feel free to do it in a big batch preparing for the week.

Ingredients for Sour Cabbage Soup

To attain the right sour flavour with this soup, you must use the right time cabbage. In Germany, this is sauerkraut or fermented cabbage. Ensure you don't use pickled cabbage as that is usually done in a type of acidic brine (e.g. vinegar). Using vinegary cabbage will result in a disappointing soup which is far too acidic to eat.

If you live outside of Germany, go to an Eastern European store and ask for a medium sized cabbage. Fermented cabbages are usually sealed in plastic as they last for several months this way. You can use it for other soup recipes if you need some extra sour taste in the dish.

This simple dish asks for sour cabbage (I use half a cabbage, around 500 grams), onion, boiling water, a touch of chili and a little oil. That's all there is to it.

But sometimes simple is best: as the fermented cabbage is the star attraction of the dish, you should only use a little onion and chili to further the sour flavour and make it dance in your mouth. Some people like to add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. That's fine but use sparsley as you don't want your soup to be sour and too spicy at the same time.

For paprika we recommend smoked paprika as it will improve the soup taste.

How to make sour cabbage soup?

Here are the step by step instructions on how to make this delicious soup.

Fry the chopped onion in the little oil, add the chopped sour cabbage, the boiling water, the chili powder and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

When ready, taste it to ensure it's not too sour for you. If you find it too much, add a little more water and simmer for another 5 minutes. Repeat until you reach the right level of sourness you are comfortable with. I, personally, love my soup very sour.

Serve it on its own, hot or cold or with a side of crusty bread for some added crunch. Enjoy!

Other versions of the sour cabbage soup recipe

You can mix the fermented cabbage with veg broth, green onions, ground black pepper, Italian seasoning and butter beans or kidney beans. Such an easy recipe if you need some extra protein with that sour edge.

The fermented cabbage can be eaten on its own or made into a vegetable soup with diced tomatoes, bay leaf, freshly ground black pepper, white beans and tomato paste.

FAQ

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

I don't recommend making this soup in a slow cooker or instant pot. It's fast and easy on the hob

Can I use vegetable broth instead of water?

You can but fermented cabbage is already sour. Adding vegetable broth might make the whole dish too salty. Making the soup in water is a better choice that really preserves the taste of the fermented cabbage.

How long is the cabbage soup good for?

Kept in an air tight container in the fridge, the soup keeps well for about 5 days. However, you can freeze the cabbage soup and warm it up as needed.

But sometimes simple is best: as the fermented cabbage is the star attraction of the dish, you should only use a little onion and chili to further the sour flavour and make it dance in your mouth.

Fry the chopped onion in the little oil, add the chopped sour cabbage, the boiling water, the chili powder and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. When ready, taste it to ensure it's not too sour for you. If you find it too much, add a little more water and simmer for another 5 minutes. Repeat until you reach the right level of sourness you are comfortable with. I personally love my soup very sour.

Serve it on its own, hot or cold or with a side of crusty bread for some added crunch. Enjoy!

This recipe has been developed entirely by Yuzu Bakes. Any resemblance with other recipes is purely coincidental.