The scene couldn't have been more fitting when I first made this soup. It was a lazy Sunday and the rain had be coming down for hours on end. There was a chill in the air, making it the perfect day to stay indoors wearing my favorite comfy clothes - and to create the ultimate St. Patrick's Day soup!
I imagine it is like this in Ireland quite often, which would be incredibly detrimental to my productivity. But seeing as how we've been in a drought for so long in California, it was a very welcomed rainy day.
Now, let's talk about this soup.
I, for one, am a huge lover of cabbage. Raw, slaw, stewed or pickled - you name it, I'll eat it. Not everyone goes ga-ga for the vegetable like I do, but I'm hoping to change your tune after trying this soup. Loaded with cabbage, cubes of ham, sweet potatoes and seasoned with caraway seeds and fresh thyme, this soup will warm you from the inside even on the coldest and rainiest of days. (OK, so I know sweet potatoes aren't really keeping with the Irish theme BUT they are the white sweet potatoes and I think they are more fitting that the traditional tuber)
This recipe makes a VERY large batch of soup, which is great as this rewarms wonderfully. I'm beginning to realize all of my Soup Recipes make large batches...
This will feed a family for a meal or two, or you can easily freeze a portion of this soup if you are only cooking for one or two. It doesn't need to be St. Patrick's Day to enjoy this soup, but a lazy, rainy Sunday to enjoy a warm bowl doesn't hurt.
Cabbage, Ham and Potato Soup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: about 10 cups of soup
Ingredients:
- 1 head of cabbage, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 lb ham steak, cubed
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp caraway seeds
- 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups white sweet potatoes, cubed
For garnish:
- Irish Soda Bread
Directions:
- In a large pot over medium heat, add onions and olive oil. Cook while stirring often until onions are softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add cubed ham, garlic, thyme, caraway seeds, bay leaves,salt and pepper. Stir and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add cabbage and chicken broth, increase heat to high and bring to a boil, about 10 minutes.
- Add sweet potatoes and return to a boil, 5 minutes.
- Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Allow any remaining soup to cool and store in the refrigerator or freeze.
Nutritional Information (1 cup soup):
138 calories - 13 g Protein, 15 g Carbohydrates, 2.8 g Fat