Russian Cabbage Soup
Submitted by Candy
Russian cabbage soup with slow-simmered beef chuck, tomatoes, and shredded cabbage in a sweet-sour broth finished with fresh lemon juice and a cool dollop of sour cream.
YIELD
2 quartsPREP
1 hrsCOOK
3 hrsREADY
3 hrsThis hearty Russian cabbage soup, a cousin of traditional shchi, builds deep flavor the old-fashioned way: beef chuck simmers low and slow with tomatoes, onion, and garlic until the broth turns rich and beefy.
Shredded cabbage goes in near the end so it stays tender without turning to mush. The real trick here is the sweet-sour balance. Sugar and white vinegar create that signature tang, and a hit of fresh lemon juice right before serving brightens everything up.
A cold dollop of sour cream stirred into each steaming bowl is a must. It melts into the broth and rounds out all those sharp, savory edges.
Kitchen Tips
- Let the beef and cold water stand for a full hour before simmering. This draws out proteins gradually and gives you a cleaner, more flavorful broth.
- Cut your beef chuck into even 1-inch cubes so every piece cooks at the same rate.
- Add the cabbage only after removing the bay leaf. Overcooking cabbage turns it sulfurous, so keep that final simmer to 15 minutes or until just tender.
- Taste the broth before adding lemon juice. You want the sweet-sour notes to be noticeable but not overpowering.
Variations
- Swap beef chuck for pork shoulder for a slightly sweeter, lighter soup.
- Add diced beets and a splash of beet juice to turn this into a quick borscht-style bowl.
- Stir in cooked egg noodles or small potatoes for a more filling one-pot meal.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large soup pot, cover the beef, tomatoes, onion, bay leaf, and garlic with the cold water.
Let stand for 1 hour. Simmer, covered, for 2 to 3 hours.
Remove the bay leaf and add the cabbage, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Simmer for 15 minutes or until the cabbage is tender.
Before serving, add the lemon juice and garnish each serving with a dollop of the sour cream.
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