Savoy cabbage soup is a simple winter soup I often make at home. Tender cabbage, potatoes, and ground beef and pork simmer gently in a rich broth, making a hearty but not heavy soup that is genuinely full of flavor.
I first tried this Savoy cabbage soup thanks to my husband's grandmother, who would serve it on chilly evenings when I arrived in Germany.
Over the years, I've made it my own - adjusting the seasoning, sometimes adding a small smoked sausage, or finishing it with a spoonful of sour cream - but the heart of the soup is always the cabbage, potatoes, and meat.
If you enjoy cabbage soups, you might like German Creamy Savoy Cabbage or Sauteed Savoy Cabbage with Bacon.
Ingredients: 9 + oil, salt & pepper | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 6 | Difficulty: Easy
Jump to recipe
Recipe ingredients
Savoy cabbage is very popular in Germany and available almost year-round. It's cheap, versatile, and appears in many traditional recipes like Stuffed Savoy Cabbage Rolls.
- For this soup, I used less than half a cabbage (about 450 g / 1 lb).
A mix of ground beef and pork - that's what gives the soup its hearty, comforting flavor. However, you can use only one type of meat. Ground turkey works, too.
I used bacon cubes, but a thick slab of bacon cut into small cubes, chopped regular bacon, or pancetta all work well.
Paprika: For a traditional German flavor, avoid smoked paprika, which isn't commonly used in German cooking.
One last tip: Be generous with freshly ground black pepper. German cabbage soup should have a bit of a kick - you want to really feel the pepper on your tongue.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make German Savoy cabbage soup?
Step #1: Chop the Savoy cabbage, bacon, onion, and potatoes. Keep them separated.
Step #2: Cook the onion and the bacon until the onions are translucent.
Step #3: Add the ground beef and pork and cook them until uniformly brown.
Step #4: Add cabbage, potatoes, stock, and seasoning.
Step #5: Cook for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Step #6: Adjust the taste, adding freshly ground black pepper generously.
Make ahead, store & reheat
Make ahead: The flavors actually deepen after a day, so it's often even better the next day.
Store leftovers in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in a pot.
Don't freeze the German Savoy cabbage soup; the potatoes don't hold up well; they become grainy and unappetizing.
What to serve with it?
This Savoy cabbage soup is lovely with rustic bread, like my Spelt Bread, or with pretzel rolls.
For a seasonal touch, serve it alongside roasted leeks and finish the meal with roasted pears for dessert - simple, cozy, home-cooked flavors.
What readers say
Amy: Delicious soup! This ranks as the best ground beef soup I've ever made. I followed recipe pretty closely, only missing the chives and just used ground beef, not beef and pork mix. It was wonderful. I added fennel and cayenne pepper to make up for not having hot paprika as suggested by another commenter.
Catherine: Almost 4 years later, and still a winner for the whole family! We make it a few times every winter and the boys refer to it as "la soupe allemande" with a fake German accent. First real cold day here in Canada, and this soup was requested by both! Thank you for the recipe.
Your Canadian fans
German Savoy Cabbage Soup
Equipment
- Dutch oven or another soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb savoy cabbage Note 1
- 1 lb potatoes
- 2.5 oz smoked streaky bacon preferably one thicker piece, Note 2
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 lb ground meat half beef, half pork, Note 3
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ยฝ teaspoon hot paprika not smoked, Note 4
- 8 ยฝ cups beef or vegetable broth
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- a small bunch of chives
- a small bunch of parsley
- crรจme fraiche or sour cream or smetana to serve, optional
Instructions
- Chop the ingredients: Chop the Savoy cabbage into small pieces. Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Chop the bacon and the onion finely as well. Keep them separated.1 lb savoy cabbage + 1 lb potatoes + 2.5 oz smoked streaky bacon + 1 onion
- Saute: Heat the oil in the pot. Add the bacon and the onion to the pot and let them cook until the onion is translucent and some of the bacon fat has rendered. 1 tablespoon oil + bacon + onion
- Add ground meat and cook until brown, stirring and breaking the lumps in between.1 lb ground meat
- Add spices: Add both kinds of ground paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir well.1 teaspoon sweet paprika + ยฝ teaspoon hot paprika
- Add the savoy cabbage, potatoes, and beef or vegetable broth to the soup pot. Stir well, cover, leaving a small crack open, and let cook on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.cabbage + potatoes + 8 ยฝ cups beef
- Adjust the taste with salt and generously with freshly ground black pepper, you really want to feel the pepper taste.fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Serve: Sprinkle with finely chopped chives and/or parsley and serve with a dollop of crรจme fraiche, if desired. The soup can be reheated; it tastes even better the next day.a small bunch of chives + a small bunch of parsley + crรจme fraiche
Notes
- Savoy cabbage: 1 lb (450 g) cabbage equals roughly half a small to medium Savoy cabbage.
- Bacon: I used bacon cubes; a thick slab of bacon, regular bacon, or pancetta works just as well if cut into small pieces.
- Ground meat: I use half pork, half beef most of the time, but you can use only pork or only beef. For a leaner soup, ground turkey works too.
- Paprika: Smoked paprika isn't usual in German cooking. Use hot paprika, or add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes for heat. ย
Catherine says
Almost 4 years later (just saw your comment on pinterest!), and still a winner for the whole family! We make it a few times every winter and the boys refer to it as "la soupe allemande" with a fake German accent. First real cold day here in Canada, and this soup was requested by both! Thank you for the recipe.
Your canadian fans
Adina says
Wow Catherine, your comment made my day! I am so happy to hear it that you have been making it for so long now and that your kids love it!
K says
The recipe turned out great. Itโs a perfect soup to add beef collagen. My family loves this soup! Thank you!
Rachael says
Most excellent Recipe for marvelous flavors and broth!! Was looking to make something from cabbage that did not have tomatoes.. hooray and thank you. I did use bacon, just 4 thin slices, cut up so tiny, and it still took a very long time for the bacon compared to the onion and beef. The beef was a-burnin! I had to get out another pan and try again. But it is really worth it. Next time I'll just fry up some bacon by itself I think. Only had one kind of paprika. It's beautiful! Serving with cayenne and sour cream at the table. In case these people don't like cayenne. Crank that pepper mill, soup's up!
Adina says
So happy to read this. Thank you for the feedback, Rachael.
Lee Neyhart says
Do you think you could use ground Turkey with this recipe?
Adina says
Sure, ground turkey is fine.
Betty Sue Deitz says
It's snowing here in WNC today. I have a love one in Germany and like to practice some of their foods. I'm doing mine in a slow cooker today in high for 4 hours. It smells so good right now. Can't wait to get some out to eat. Keep the German recipes coming.
Amy says
Delicious soup! This ranks as the best ground beef soup Iโve ever made. I followed recipe pretty closely, only missing the chives and just used ground beef, not beef and pork mix. It was wonderful. I added fennel and cayenne pepper to make up for not having hot paprika as suggested by another commenter.
Adina says
Hi Amy. That's so great to hear! Thank you for the feedback.
Barbara says
Hi Adina, I made this soup tonight and it was so tasty!! Thank you so much for the recipe.
I made some changes, due to lack of ingredients. So, I didn't have mince, so instead I used sausage meat (swiss farmer sausage). And I used a mix of smoked paprika, sweet paprika and cayenne pepper. I added a little crushed fennel seed too. We will be making this soup a lot this autumn and winter
Adina says
Hi Barbara. Thank you for the feedback. Sausages are a great substitution and I love the fact that you used fennel seeds, they are amazing. I also often use them for soups and when making Spanish meatballs, they add a flavor that is just out of this world. I will add them to the cabbage soup as well next time.
Christina Turpin says
It looks absolutely fantastic! Can't wait for a cold day to try to make in in sunny Las Vegas!
Adina says
Thank you Christina. Sunny Las Vegas sounds great, here has been so cold lately, time to eat lots of soups again.
Sissi says
I always love to learn a new way to use ground meat! And I don't think I've had it in a soup yet... This soup looks wonderful and I am glad to see someone else emphasising the importance of a big amount of pepper in certain dishes: I know many dishes that must be spicy especially from the pepper but some people don't understand why...
Adina says
German cuisine is full of soups featuring ground meat, very hearty and delicious all of them. And many of these thick soups need a lot of pepper, chili is not very typical for old German recipes, so they had to rely on pepper for some spiciness. And it is really a different taste you get, nothing like when using chili.
Paul says
This looks so good! I love when soups come out a bit spicy, it helps a lot more to eat them on a cold weather for sure!. From the instructions, it does seem pretty simple to make. I would have to try this one day. Thanks for sharing!
Adina says
Thank you, Paul. I hope you will like it! ๐