Crockpot Polish Sausage, Cabbage and Potato Soup

If you love the combination of smoked sausage and cabbage as much as I do, you’ll also want to try my Slow Cooker Sauerkraut, Cabbage and Kielbasa. For another hearty, budget-friendly soup, my Crockpot Hamburger Soup is a reader favourite.

This soup is the kind of food I grew up on. Soup with onions, cabbage and kielbasa, with some potatoes thrown in, is a staple in so many Polish and Ukrainian households. You cooked with what you had on hand, and these were foods that were always in the house, even at the end of a long prairie winter.

What You’ll Need for Ingredients

Smoked Polish Sausage: This is the star of the soup, and it needs to be a smoked, fully cooked sausage. Cut it in half lengthwise and then into half-inch slices so you get a piece in every spoonful. Karlynn’s Tip: This soup only works with smoked sausage. Raw sausage would need to be browned and cooked through first, and it won’t give you that smoky flavour.

Cabbage: Coarsely chopped green cabbage melts into the broth as it cooks and gives the soup its body. Four cups looks like a lot going in, but trust the cabbage!

Potatoes and Carrots: Peeled and cubed potatoes make this soup hearty enough to be dinner on its own, and the carrots add colour and a little sweetness. Keep the potato cubes to about an inch so they cook evenly.

Onion and Caraway Seeds: A large chopped onion and crushed caraway seeds give this soup its old-world flavour. Caraway is the classic pairing with cabbage, so don’t skip it! Crush the seeds with the bottom of a mug or in a mortar and pestle to release their flavour.

Chicken Broth: Four cups is all you need. Karlynn’s Tip: Don’t be tempted to add more broth. The cabbage releases a lot of liquid as it cooks. At the start it will look thick, like it won’t end up being soup, but it will.

How To Make Polish Sausage, Cabbage and Potato Soup in the Slow Cooker

This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. Peel and cube the potatoes, coarsely chop the cabbage, and chop the carrots and onion.
2. Slice the smoked sausage in half lengthwise, then into half-inch pieces.
3. Add the potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onion, crushed caraway seeds and sausage to the slow cooker.
4. Pour the chicken broth over everything and stir to combine.
5. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the potatoes are tender. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Make It Fast or Make It Slow

This soup was made for the slow cooker, but you don’t have to wait all day for it.

In the Instant Pot: Add all of the ingredients to the inner pot in the same order, making sure the broth covers the vegetables. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before releasing the rest. The cabbage will be more tender than crisp, which is exactly what you want here.

On the Stovetop: Bring everything to a boil in a large soup pot, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid on for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerator: Let the soup cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It tastes even better the next day once the caraway and smoke have had time to mingle. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave.

Freezer: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months, following USDA food safety guidelines. The potatoes can turn a little grainy after freezing, so if you plan to freeze the whole batch, you may want to make it without the potatoes and add freshly boiled ones when you reheat it. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

More Easy Slow Cooker Soup Recipes

When the weather turns cold, I want soup simmering away in the slow cooker all week long. Try one of these Slow Cooker Soups next:

• My Crockpot Ham and Potato Soup is creamy, cozy and a great way to use up leftover ham.
• This Slow Cooker Split Pea Hamburger Soup is thick, hearty and ridiculously cheap to make.
• My Slow Cooker Potato Soup is pure comfort in a bowl.

That’s all, folks! This is simple, honest food that has fed families for generations, and I hope it becomes one of yours.

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it went! Did you use kielbasa, farmer’s sausage or something else? I always love hearing about your kitchen adventures.

Happy Cooking!

Karlynn