Cabbage Soup (Shchi)
This Russian vegetarian builds cabbage, carrots and celery into a fuss-free meal you can have ready in about 65 minutes. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Add the butter to a large Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and sauté until translucent.
- Add the cabbage, carrot, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
- Add the bay leaf and vegetable stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and bring it back to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes (or undrained canned tomatoes) and bring the soup back to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- emove and discard the bay leaf from the pot.
- Serve topped with fresh sour cream and fresh dill.
You'll use: Oven · Large pot · Saucepan
Watch how it's made
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Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Sour Cream
- plain Greek yogurt · crème fraîche
What to serve with Cabbage Soup (Shchi)
- Beef stroganoff Beef
- Fish Soup (Ukha) Seafood
- Blini Pancakes Side
- Potato Salad (Olivier Salad) Pork
Tips & common questions
How long does Cabbage Soup (Shchi) take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Cabbage Soup (Shchi) vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Structured source recipe — not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Recipe data for Cabbage Soup (Shchi) via TheMealDB (open database). ▶ Video. Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.