Russian Cabbage Soup (Shchi) is hearty and cozy, made with sautéed onions, carrots, and garlic, cubed potatoes, cabbage, and meat (optional).
Topped with a dollop of sour cream for some tang, this traditional Russian soup is flavorful and replenishing, perfect for cold winter nights! Check out all my Russian Recipes!
Russian Cabbage Soup (Shchi Recipe)
I’m not a fan of cabbage but, for some reason, I love a big bowl of warm Shchi with a dollop of sour cream and some rye bread. Peak cozy winter night.
Why this recipe works
- Flavorful. Made with sautéed garlic, onions, and carrots, cubed potatoes, and (optional) meat and topped with a dollop of tangy sour cream, this cabbage soup is truly worth it.
- Hearty and cozy. Made from scratch from healthy ingredients, Shchi is the one soup that you want at the end of a cold winter day, to warm up and replenish your energy!
- Make-ahead! A secret? Shchi is best on day 2 so make a big batch and enjoy over the week without having to figure out every night!
- Make it vegetarian! If you’re vegetarian, you can still enjoy Shchi by making it veggie-only: omit the meat and use your favorite veggie broth instead!
What is Shchi made of?
Broth. This is the liquid base of your shchi and the great thing is that you have many options. You can make your own broth from scratch (ingredients and recipe to make your own broth will be included in the recipe card down below) or you can simply use store-bought broth. Beef, chicken, or vegetable broth are all great options here.
Meat (optional). Skip this if making vegetarian Shchi or using store-bought broth. Nutrient-rich beef or pork bones work well for this recipe. Or you can use chicken, if you prefer.
Potatoes. Peeled and cubed.
Butter or vegetable oil for sautéing the veggies, I like using butter because it adds extra flavor and richness.
Onions. I like sweet onions but red or white will also work.
Garlic. I recommend garlic cloves for best flavor.
Carrots. You want to peel and shred these.
Tomato paste. Some people like to use fresh tomatoes but I find that tomato paste makes the soup more flavorful being a concentrated version of tomato. Alternatively, you can sneak in some tomato passata/sauce or even ketchup if that’s all you have on hand (keep in mind that ketchup is much milder and sweeter than tomato paste).
Black pepper. I recommend using whole peppercorns (to be removed before serving) but freshly grated or ground black pepper will work too.
Bay leaf. I like to sneak in a few both in the broth and the soup. Make sure to remove them before serving.
Salt.
Sour cream. For topping. Sour cream (or smetana, in Russian, which is pretty much the same thing) is added on top of Shchi right before serving and it’s really what takes this soup to the next level by adding some tang, creaminess, and freshness!
If you don’t have sour cream on hand, you can also use a dollop of Greek yogurt instead or even cream cheese (not traditional but yum!).
1 tip for success
When making Shchi, it’s important to not overcook the veggies or the soup will be mushy so try to stick to the time-frames I provided in the recipe card down below!
Storing And Make-Ahead Instructions
Make-Ahead Instructions: a little secret is that Shchi tastes even better on day 2 because the flavors deepen overtime so you can make Shchi up to 2 days ahead of time. Store covered in the refrigerator and reheat until hot before serving.
Storing Instructions: you can store Shchi covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat until hot before serving.
HAPPY COOKING!! I hope you’ll love this Russian Cabbage Soup Recipe aka Shchi Recipe as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
More Russian Recipes you'll love:
- Piroshki with Potatoes and Meat
- Olivye Salad (Russian Potato Salad)
- Russian Chocolate Salami Dessert (Shokoladnaya Kolbasa)
Shchi Recipe (Russian Cabbage Soup)
Ingredients
For The Homemade Broth (skip if using storebought)
- 4 cups (1 lt) water
- 1/2 lb (225 g) beef or pork bones or chicken
- 1/2 large onion (quartered)
- 1/2 carrot (halved)
- 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns (or 1 teaspoon ground black pepper)
- 2 whole bay leaves (or about 1/4 teaspoon ground bay)
For the Shchi Soup
- 4 cups (1 lt) broth (homemade using the instructions above or store-bought beef, chicken or vegetable broth)
- 2 large potatoes (peeled and diced)
- 1/2 lb (225 g) beef, pork, or chicken (optional) (leftover from the broth or cooked or leave out for a vegetarian version)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter
- 1 large onion (thinly sliced or minced)
- 2 carrots (peeled and grated)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste (or double the amount of tomato sauce/passata or ketchup)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 and 1/2 cups (180 g) thinly sliced cabbage
- 1-2 whole bay leaves (or about 1/4 teaspoon ground bay)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
For Serving
- Sour cream (or Greek yogurt or cream cheese)
- Fresh parsley (optional)
- Rye bread (optional)
Instructions
For The Homemade Broth (skip if using storebought)
- Make the broth. Add the water, meat, onion, carrot, peppercorns, and bay leaves to a large stock pot, bring to a boil and cook on medium-low heat for 1 hour, then transfer the meat to a clean plate and discard the vegetables and spices. Sift the broth through a fine-mesh sieve. Save any meat to add back into the soup in the next step.
For the Shchi
- Cook the potatoes. Add the broth to a large soup pot over medium-high heat, then add in the diced potatoes and meat (if using) and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Meanwhile, sauté the veggies.
- Saute the veggies. Add the butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and sizzle, then add in the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add in the carrot, garlic, and tomato paste, season with salt and pepper to taste, and sauté until the onion is translucent (about 2-3 minutes), then turn off the heat.
- Prepare the soup. When the soup boils, add in the cabbage and bay leaves and cook for 2 minutes, then immediately add in the sauteed veggies and cook for 5 minutes, taste and adjust seasonings if desired (you may need more salt). It's important not to overcook Shchi or the veggies will be mushy. Turn off the heat, cover and allow to sit covered for 10 minutes before serving. Remember to remove the bay leaves.
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream, Greek yogurt, or cream cheese and rye bread! Add fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy hot or warm.
Notes
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