Rustic Cabbage Soup

I've been a bit bored lately with the soups I usually make. These soups most often include beans, italian spices, tomatoes, and some kind of hearty green (kale or swiss chard). They're perfect for cold winter nights and are so hearty and filling.
This cabbage soup is also great for cold winter nights, but I found it to be a bit lighter and more broth-y than other soups I've made. I still liked it, though.


I came upon this soup recipe from Heidi at 101 cookbooks. I don't know if it's just because I'm a fan of the word rustic, but this recipe sounded great! I added some more seasonings to my version and I completely recommend doing so.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (or canola oil)
• 3 large redskin potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 5 cups vegetable stock (I used Edward & Sons Vegan Bouillon Cubes)
• 2 cups white beans, canned or precooked (navy, great northern, or cannellini)
• 1 medium green cabbage, cored and sliced into short strips
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 3 tsp. seasoning mixture (mine includes: black peppercorn, crushed rosemary, salt, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper)
• This is the kind I used: McCormick Cracked Peppercorn Herb mix

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil or canola oil in a big soup pot over med-high heat.
2. Stir in the cubed potatoes with a pinch of salt. Cover the pot and cook until potatoes are a little tender, around 5 minutes. Be sure to stir a few times (mine sort of burnt to the bottom of the pan a bit, oops!)
3. Stir in the garlic and chopped onion, cook for a few more minutes.
4. Add the veggie stock and white beans and bring to a simmer. 
5. Stir in the cabbage and cook a few more minutes, until cabbage is slightly soft.
6. Add thyme and other seasonings. I used a mixture that's marketed as a roasting rub mix made by McCormick.

White Bean and Kale Stew

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 bunch of organic Kale, washed and stems removed
• 2 potatoes (any kind, really), peeled and chopped into cubes
• 4 cloves of garlic (about 2 tsp.), minced
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 2 Tbsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. Thyme
• 1 cup organic frozen green beans
• 2 - (15oz.) cans of white beans (navy or cannellini), drained and rinsed
• 1 - (14.5oz.) can of Muir Glen Organic Diced Tomatoes, Fire Roasted 
• 3 cups vegetable broth and 1 cup water
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 
• Garnish with shaved parmesan if desired
  

Organic Kale

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot/saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the cubed potatoes and garlic and continue to saute for 1 more minute.
2. Add the oregano, thyme, and basil. Stir until onions and potatoes are coated. Add the vegetable broth and cup of water, can of tomatoes, and white beans. Bring to a boil. 
3. Add the green beans and kale. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. Add sea salt and fresh pepper, to taste.