Parmesan Cabbage Soup
Updated Oct. 11, 2023
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 55 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 3garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
- ⅛teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving (optional)
- 1small head of green cabbage (about 1¼ pounds), cored and coarsely chopped (about 9 cups)
- 1½teaspoons fine sea or table salt, plus more to taste
- ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2quarts vegetable or chicken stock
- 1cup long-grain rice
- 5thyme sprigs
- 2Parmesan rinds, or use another 2 tablespoons grated cheese
- 1lemon
- ¼cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1cup chopped fresh dill or cilantro, or a combination
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
385 calories; 13 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 17 grams protein; 1207 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
In a stock pot or large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and red-pepper flakes (if using), and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cabbage, salt and pepper, and cook until cabbage wilts slightly and begins to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
- Step 2
Stir in stock, rice and thyme. If using the Parmesan rinds, add them now, and bring everything to a simmer. Cook, partly covered, over medium-low heat until cabbage and rice are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Step 3
Discard thyme sprigs and Parmesan rinds. Using a Microplane or other fine grater, grate in the zest from the lemon. Stir in grated Parmesan and dill.
- Step 4
Halve the lemon and squeeze in the juice from half of it. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges for serving. Taste soup and add more salt and pepper, if needed. To serve, ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with more grated cheese, a lemon wedge and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
hannah
Added a can of great northern beans to make it a bit more substantial and served with crusty bread. So good!
Gina L.
This soup is really delicious. The cabbage and leeks pair so well together, the Parmesan adds depth of flavor and the rice gives it tooth. All the additions really layer it nicely. Winner dinner!
Susan
Do not discard the parmesan rinds (step 3). Cut them into a tiny dice and put them back. They are a chewy cheesy treat.
Mary McDowell
I had all the ingredients in the refrigerator for this and love a good soup, so I tried it exactly as written, including the Parmesan rinds. It was so easy and so delicious!! I tasted it (yum) but since I also had some diced ham in the refrigerator that needed using up I added about a cup. It didn’t need it but it sure tasted good in there. At first I thought it needed something else, like maybe a teaspoon of ground mustard. But the more I ate it I thought no, leave it alone. Delicious!
KarenC
I saved this recipe to make for the next time someone in my family gets sick--it seems like the perfect sniffling-laying-in-bed-all-day kind of nourishment. Oh heck, forget that. I'm just going to make it for dinner tonight!
Paul
My daughter called it "risotto soup," which she meant as a compliment. We all really enjoyed it. I used basil because I had some on hand and that worked really well with the lemon. I would caramelize the cabbage for about 10 minutes longer at a slightly lower temperature next time, but otherwise would make again as is. A delicious "risotto soup!"
Jane
Had half a cabbage in the fridge. No leeks, but used onion. Replaced fresh dill with dried. Sooo delicious!
Mithila
This recipe is perfect for driving the winter blues away! 1C rice is a little bit much for my taste. Going to try 3/4th or 1/2C next time I make it.
olibclarke
Made this tonight - delicious and wintery! Added a handful of dried shiitake with the stock for an extra umami kick, and used bay leaves and thyme for herbs (no dill/cilantro). I reckon a handful of frozen peas at the end would work well too!
WS
We used brown basmati rice (increased the cooking time) and it was fantastic! The lemon and Parmesan flavors melded beautifully and the rice added substantiality and wholesomeness. Just a wonderful dish and great the next day.
Muddy Boots
I made this with barley instead of rice. I used dried thyme and chicken broth as that was all I had. I kept the pot covered though because I used a quart and a half of chicken broth instead of 2 qts. It was creamy and so satisfying. I will make this again.
Nancy
I made this soup yesterday. It makes a lot, I halved the recipe and still it was a lot considering how much the rice expands. I had to add more broth. Delicious and healthy! The lemon was very important. I added a bit of tomato paste at the beginning, and caramelized it and it came out very nice. Good for cold weather!
Lisa C
Don’t toss out the rinds! Chop into tiny cubes and enjoy the flavor and texture.
paula d
There is a lot of rice for the amount of broth. Beware the soup sitting on the stove for any extra time (folding laundry) and it becomes more like a congee/risotto. Flavour is good. Not spectacular. Likely won’t make again.
Foofoopie
I cooked it as directed and thought it was bland. My brutally honest husband said it tasted like the soup Charlie in the Chocolate Factory and his family ate before they won the Golden Ticket. I think it would be an ok soup if you are sick.
Leah
I skipped the dill (don't like it in soups) and added white beans and tofu (a bit more salt) and it was great! Kids liked it too.
ENLaw
I always try to follow the recipe exactly the first time but I forgot to buy fresh dill so I had to use some dry dill week added at the end. This was tasty but next time I might cut back the rice to 2/3 cup because the send ended up not very soupy but we enjoyed the flavor. Next time I might cook all the parts separately (broth with leeks and parmesan rinds, roast the cabbage in the oven until charred, cook the rice until almost done) then assemble it in a bowl and top as we want.
Bono
This was really Very Good! Plus it’s Easy! Hard to ask for more than that. Melissa Clark hits it out of the Ballpark yet again! Thank you sooo much, Melissa!
Bono
One More Thing…I followed the recipe exactly…absolutely delicious!!
Susan
Delicious; served with fresh baking powder biscuits. I added white cannellini beans for protein as suggested by another reviewer (good call) and used the water from cooking the beans to mix with both chicken and vegetable Better Than Bouillon to make the stock.
Erin
Love this soup. it's become a spring tradition, because it's so fresh and bright but still warming and comforting.
Sue B.
I made this last night with the following changes: used 1 quart of chicken broth & 2 cups of water in lieu of 2 quarts of broth omitted the dill (didn't have any on hand) The soup was delicious and liked by everyone, even cabbage skepics. I agree with some comments below that the rice can get mushy, but we all liked that texture. May try and 2nd batch subbing Farro for rice. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you Melissa!
Kelly
Growing up in Ireland means that even the thought of boiled cabbage triggers my gag reflex. But it’s Melissa, I thought, so I’ll give it a try. And so glad I did. This is a truly scrumptious and satisfying meal in a bowl. Outstanding in all categories: flavour, texture, and ease of prep. Melissa for the win once again!
Brian H.
I cooked this for my friends and they adored it. I used a rind of Cotija cheese and was generous with the red pepper flakes to give it a kick. Had it for lunch the next day and the flavors were even richer after a night in the fridge.
Claudia
Followed the recipe exactly. I felt I got a nice caramelization of the leeks and cabbage. The dill/lemon at the end adds a fresh kick. Delicious…..which is good, ‘cause I’ll be eating this for at least a week.
Zeichgeist
Hey I went five stars on this - great refrigerator clean-out recipe. and what I am beginning to recognize as a Melissa Clark signature touch - add lemon at the end. I switched out the cabbage for Napa and used onions instead of leek. Faster cooking time and still pretty darn good. Lotsa flexibility here.
Joan
This is mush food - not criticizing it, because I like mush food - but this was really mushy. 25 total minutes cooking time pretty much liquifies the cabbage. Too much rice for me - I'd halve the amount and maybe even try a chewier grain? The rice added to the mush factor. Agree with another cook that the leeks didn't seem to add too much to the party. But it tasted good, esp. with lemon and lots of fresh dill and extra red peper flakes!
Rebecca
Was a great hit for a party. Be careful not to overcook, the rice becomes a bit mushy.
Tracey Culver
Phenomenal - stole leftovers out of fridge to bring to work for lunch. I’m a lousy, selfish wife. Je ne care pas. Wish I’d doubled the recipe so I’d have some in the freezer. Next time!
Rebecca
Super good. I made it just as directed. I perhaps let it simmer too high at the end, as I needed to add some water. But no harm was done.
Private notes are only visible to you.
Advertisement
