Grandma’s Portuguese Cabbage Soup

Portuguese cuisine is well known for its huge variety of soups, soups that are so deeply satisfying that can almost be considered meals on their own. From north to south, spring to winter, they make their daily appearances at restaurant menus, school cantines, lunchboxes, as well as at my grandmother’s kitchen table, and usually incorporate the most humble ingredients – Caldo Verde, probably one of the most popular, has potatoes and kale playing the role of leading characters.

But, of course, there are others: soups made from a combination of root vegetables (turnips, carrots, potatoes and so on), greens (from cabbage to spinach) and sometimes cooked beans are also very common. Bread or broa (a type of bread, very dense, made of corn and wheat flours) is usually served along. In my opinion, what makes this kind of soup special is not the ingredients it calls for (which are well known and not particularly exquisite), but actually how it’s made. The root vegetables (as many as you have on hand) are cooked in boiling water until very tender, after which they’re puréed, making an impromptu and flavorful base; then, the cabbage is added and cooked in the said liquid; finally, handfuls of cooked beans come into play and the soup is ready to serve, complemented by a good drizzle of olive oil.

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If I’m going to make a soup like this, I won’t think twice and seek my grandmother for help and advice. So there I was, yesterday, ten o’clock in the morning, at her place to cook a huge pot of soup. Not only I brought the camera with me but also a scale and measuring cups – she rarely measures, as she highly trusts on the spontaneous accuracy brought to her by years of soup making. “A handful of this, a tiny bit of that”, she keeps saying as I take my notes. Almost thirty minutes after we’ve started peeling and dicing the vegetables, our soon-to-be lunch was done. Raw olive oil was added at the very the end, over each bowl of steaming soup. “This is not the kind of soup you usually make at home, is it?”, she asked me. In fact, it isn’t. My mom keeps telling her on the phone about my culinary adventures, about soups that have orange juice, seaweeds, fermented soybean pastes (aka miso) and other ingredients on it, soups that are way distanced from the traditional portuguese concept. Anyway, I can’t get enough from the traditional fare: I feel there’s something deeply honest and comforting about it, as there’s no “trickery”, no secret or special ingredients involved – what you see is what you get, and what you get tastes good.

How to Make Portuguese Cabbage Soup

1. Prepare the Vegetables

• Peel and dice the turnips, potatoes, onions, and carrots into uniform 1.2-inch (3 cm) cubes.
• Slice the cabbage into rough strips for easy cooking and manageable spoonfuls.

2. Cook the Base

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water to a boil over high heat.
• Once boiling, add the turnips, potatoes, onions, and carrots to the pot.
• Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, add the salt, and cover the pot with a lid.
• Cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.

3. Blend to Create the Broth

• Remove about half of the potatoes. Using an immersion blender, purée the rest of the cooked vegetables and liquid directly in the pot until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Taste the soup and adjust the salt as needed.

4. Add the Cabbage

• Stir the cabbage strips into the puréed soup.
• Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender but still slightly crisp.

5. Incorporate the Beans and Potatoes

• Add the cooked cannellini beans and the rest of the boiled potatoes to the pot and gently stir to combine.
• Let the soup sit for a minute to warm the beans through.

6. Serve and Garnish

• Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle each serving with a small amount of olive oil.
• Serve with crusty bread on the side.

Portuguese Cabbage and Potato Soup 101: Tips for Success

Best Practices for Cooking

• Don’t overcook the cabbage – It should be tender but still have some bite to maintain its character in the soup.
• Blending tip – If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer the cooked vegetables and liquid to a blender, working in batches if needed.
• Add protein variety – If you prefer, substitute cannellini beans with chickpeas, lentils, or white beans for a similar texture.

Serving Suggestions

• Pair with crusty bread or cornbread to soak up the broth.
• Serve with a drizzle of chili oil for a slight kick.
• Sprinkle with fresh parsley or thyme.

Grandmas Portuguese Cabbage Soup

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4.8 from 6 reviews

• Author: Joana Mendes
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Yield: Serves 6

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Description

A staple in many Portuguese kitchens, this hearty soup is often served with crusty bread and a drizzle of olive oil. The recipe is easily customizable, so feel free to add your own touch, whether it’s a sprinkle of fresh herbs or a few slices of chorizo.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Vegetables and Base

3 medium turnips, peeled and diced into 1.2-inch (3 cm) cubes (2 1/3 cups, 320 g)

2–3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1.2-inch (3 cm) cubes (2 1/2 cups, 420 g)

2 medium white onions, peeled and diced into 1.2-inch (3 cm) cubes (2 cups, 220 g)

4 large carrots, peeled and diced into 1.2-inch (3 cm) cubes (2 1/2 cups, 420 g)

6 cups (1 1/2 liters) water

Add-Ins and Flavoring

2 medium white or savoy cabbages, roughly cut into strips (10 cups, 680 g)

1 1/2 cups (320 g) cooked cannellini beans

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)

Olive oil, to taste

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Vegetables

• Peel and dice the turnips, potatoes, onions, and carrots into uniform 1.2-inch (3 cm) cubes.
• Slice the cabbage into rough strips for easy cooking and manageable spoonfuls.

2. Cook the Base

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water to a boil over high heat.
• Once boiling, add the turnips, potatoes, onions, and carrots to the pot.
• Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, add the salt, and cover the pot with a lid.
• Cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.

3. Blend to Create the Broth

• Remove about half of the potatoes. Using an immersion blender, purée the rest of the cooked vegetables and liquid directly in the pot until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Taste the soup and adjust the salt as needed.

4. Add the Cabbage

• Stir the cabbage strips into the puréed soup.
• Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender but still slightly crisp.

5. Incorporate the Beans and Potatoes

• Add the cooked cannellini beans and the rest of the boiled potatoes to the pot and gently stir to combine.
• Let the soup sit for a minute to warm the beans through.

6. Serve and Garnish

• Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle each serving with a small amount of olive oil.
• Serve with crusty bread on the side.

Notes

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating: Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the soup thickens too much.

Variations: Add slices of chorizo or linguiça for a smoky, meaty flavor.

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Portuguese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl
• Calories: 180
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 420mg
• Fat: 6g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 6g
• Cholesterol: 0g