“Cabbage soup? Gross!” is the general response when the topic of this 19th Century Danish food classic, “Skærtorsdag søbekål,” is broached. But if you know how to make it right, cabbage soup can be a delicious (and highly nutritious!) meal.
The Thursday before Easter is called Skærtorsedag, and it’s a public holiday despite most Danes not celebrating it in a traditional or religious sense. In English, it’s called “Maundy Thursday,” and commemorates the last supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. In the 19th Century, this was a big deal. And what better way to celebrate a big deal day than with a nine-cabbage soup? Ja?
Also known as Skærtorsdag søbekål, the soup was eaten because it was packed with nutrients that would ensure health for the coming year. As a bonus, the soup would ward off evil demons (and the soup was probably capable of warding off many other things. Toot toot!)
Skærtorsdag søbekål is made with seven or nine kinds of cabbage (due to superstition), or an odd number of different greens if cabbage was too difficult to obtain. But: NINE kinds of cabbage?! Is this even possible? If you include cabbage cousins broccoli, brussels sprouts and the gang, it is! I enlisted the culinary skills of chef Albin Blomkvist to create a recipe with greens and marrow that is super healthy. Albin not only did this, but also produced a soup that actually looked and tasted good; now that’s culinary skill!
Try this delicious and nutritious cabbage soup recipe, remixed from the 19th century Danish classic:
9 cabbage soup – Skærtorsdag Søbekål
Serves 4
Ingredients
1. 1 head of White cabbage
2. 1 head of Savoy cabbage
3. 1/2 head of Pointy red cabbage
4. Black kale / Cavolo nero
5. Green kale
6. 1/2 head of Cauliflower
7. 8-12 Brussel Sprouts
8. 1 head of Broccolini
9. 1/2 head of Romanesco
Also
4-6 kg of Pork bones (nøgleben)
2 Shallots
Thyme
Sea salt
What you need
- A large pot
- A small pot
- Frying pan
- Ice bath
- Chopping knife and/or food processor
- Hand blender
- Optional: food dehydrator
Instructions
Roast your pork bones at 180 degrees celsius for approximately 30 minutes, or until thoroughly roasted and dark brown.
Dice two larger shallots and saute them in a large pot. When the onions are just starting to caramelize, add your roasted pork bones to the pot.
Add cold water until it barely covers the bones. Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer. Have a ladle ready to skim off any foam that forms on the top. This is the stock for your soup.
Add a handful of thyme. Optional: add a diced apple, dash of white wine or chopped and sauteed garlic.
Let your stock simmer for at least 30 minutes before straining the liquid into another pot. Let the liquid reduce until you have a taste and thickness that you’re happy with. This is going to be the base of your soup, so you’ll want strong flavors.
Using a knife, mandolin slicer or food processor, shred the white and savoy cabbages. Add the shredded cabbage to the stock and let it simmer.
Now it’s time to process the other vegetables. Leaving out the brussel sprouts, chop all your remaining vegetables to bite size pieces. Drop the pieces into boiling, salted water. After 10-20 seconds, remove and drop them into iced water for the same amount of time as blanching (10 – 20 seconds). This will immediately stop the cooking process and keep your vegetables at the perfect texture. Once vegetables are blanched, put aside.
Halve the brussel sprouts and fry them on the cut side in a thin layer of olive oil. Remove from frying pan and put aside, combining them with the blanched vegetables.
Brush the blanched cavolo nero (black kale) generously with olive oil and bake on a tray at 120 degrees celcius for 10 minutes or until crispy. You can also do this in a food dehydrator overnight if you’re very fancy. Once done, remove from baking tray and combine with all other vegetables.
By the time you have your other vegetables ready, the savoy and white cabbage should be cooked. Make sure of this by pressing some of the shredded vegetables against the side of the pot to see how easily the pieces break. When the fibers of the cabbage are broken down so that they pieces easily come apart, use your hand blender until the ingredients are smooth.
If the soup is too thick, just add a splash of water or milk. When the consistency is to your liking, add salt and pepper to taste.
Layer and mix your seven different kinds of cabbage in the bottom of your bowl, then pour the stock into the bowl along the side. This way you have a soup base with all your favorite kinds of perfectly cooked kale and cabbage in the middle.
Now enjoy your cabbage soup! Toot toot!
FAQs
The Cabbage Soup Diet is a short-term weight loss diet. Proponents of the diet say that it can help you lose up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a single week, but many health experts warn that the diet does not promote health and wellness, and results are unsustainable.
Why is cabbage soup good for weight loss? ›
The high fiber content of cabbage soup kickstarts the calorie-burning process while keeping your caloric intake low.
Can you drink coffee on the cabbage soup diet? ›
What can you drink on the cabbage soup diet? Beverages allowed on the diet range from skim milk, water, cranberry juice, tea, and coffee.
What are the side effects of the cabbage soup diet? ›
Gas, Abdominal Pain and Bloating
For this reason, it is no surprise that gas, bloating and abdominal pain are common reported side effects of the Cabbage Soup Diet. Symptoms vary in severity and frequency, depending upon how much cabbage soup you consume and your sensitivity to gas-causing substances in cabbage.
Which soup is best for belly fat? ›
5 Best Soups That Will Help To Burn Belly Fat
- Vegetable soup. Lean protein from chicken combined with a variety of vegetables can make a satisfying and low-calorie soup that can help you feel full and satisfied.
- Chicken and vegetable soup. ...
- Black bean soup. ...
- Lentil soup. ...
- Tomato soup.
Day 3: Eat cabbage soup and raw, low fat fruits and vegetables, but no potatoes or bananas. Day 4: Eat cabbage soup, skim milk, and no more than eight bananas. Day 5: Eat cabbage soup, six tomatoes, and 565 grams of beef (or a substitute for beef, such as pork, fish, or chicken).
How many times a day are you supposed to eat cabbage soup diet? ›
Most variations of this diet suggest that people eat this soup two to three times a day, although some variations enable the participants to consume even more of the soup. The cabbage soup used in this diet combines ingredients like broth, nonstarchy vegetables, pepper, herbs and, of course, cabbage.
Can you eat cabbage every day? ›
It is important to note that, while it is true that eating cabbage may support weight-management goals, this veggie should not be overconsumed, as too much cabbage can lead to gastrointestinal side effects, like bloating. It is also important to enjoy cabbage as a part of a balanced and healthy diet.
Why am I not losing weight on cabbage soup diet? ›
The diet plan is extremely rigid. Most of the weight lost will likely be water weight. The diet is only meant for short-term weight loss. The diet does not yield long-term results and most dieters will gain the weight back as soon as they stop the diet.
What foods can you not eat on the cabbage soup diet? ›
No bread, alcohol, or carbonated beverages, including diet sodas.
- Day 1: Any fruit except bananas.
- Day 2: Any and all vegetables, baked potato with butter for dinner.
- Day 3: Combine Days 1 and 2 without potato.
- Day 4: Up to 6 bananas, skim milk.
They are high in calories and sugar, so they are not recommended on the cabbage soup diet. High-Fat Foods: Foods rich in saturated fats, such as fried foods, fatty cuts of meat, full-fat dairy products, vegetables like avocado, and high-fat sauces or dressings, should be avoided. It is also recommended to avoid eggs.
Is cabbage soup a laxative? ›
Cabbage also has a high fiber content, which is good for weight loss because it keeps you feeling full. Due to the dietary fiber in the soup, it could help lower cholesterol and help constipation.
Do doctors recommend the cabbage soup diet? ›
However, when you return to eating regularly, the weight you may have lost is likely to return. Suffice to say, the cabbage soup diet is not balanced, healthy or sustainable, and is not the answer for long-term weight management.
Is cabbage soup bad for cholesterol? ›
One study showed that cabbage can lower both your LDL — “bad” — cholesterol and your overall cholesterol. Lower blood pressure. Red cabbage has plant pigment called anthocyanin that could reduce your risk of blood pressure and heart issues.
How to lose 10 pounds in a week? ›
To lose 10 pounds in one week, you'll need to burn between 3,500 and 5,000 calories more than you consume each day by restricting your diet to small portions of nutritious yet low-calorie foods, and significantly increasing your aerobic exercise with interval training, sports, and other vigorous activities.
What happens if you do the cabbage soup diet for 2 weeks? ›
It will likely leave you feeling hungry, weak, and bored. You might even feel sick. And if you follow the Cabbage Soup Diet for more than a week, you could run short on key nutrients. Nor does the diet encourage the necessary lifestyle changes you need to make in order to be healthier and have lasting weight loss.
Is it possible to lose 20 lbs in a month? ›
Losing 20 pounds in 1 month may be easier than 2 weeks, but it's still unrealistic for most people. Once again, it comes down to your TDEE and simple math. To lose 20 pounds in 1 month, you'd need to create an average deficit of 2,500 calories per day for 4 weeks.
Does cabbage burn belly fat? ›
Does cabbage burn belly fat? Although cabbage is a nutritious low-calorie vegetable, many people associate it with weight loss because of the popular "cabbage soup diet". Some creative marketing has led people to believe that cabbage actually burns body fat. In fact, no food, including cabbage, burns body fat.
Roast your pork bones at 180 degrees celsius for approximately 30 minutes, or until thoroughly roasted and dark brown.
Dice two larger shallots and saute them in a large pot. When the onions are just starting to caramelize, add your roasted pork bones to the pot.
Add cold water until it barely covers the bones. Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer. Have a ladle ready to skim off any foam that forms on the top. This is the stock for your soup.
Add a handful of thyme. Optional: add a diced apple, dash of white wine or chopped and sauteed garlic.
Let your stock simmer for at least 30 minutes before straining the liquid into another pot. Let the liquid reduce until you have a taste and thickness that you’re happy with. This is going to be the base of your soup, so you’ll want strong flavors.
Using a knife, mandolin slicer or food processor, shred the white and savoy cabbages. Add the shredded cabbage to the stock and let it simmer.
Now it’s time to process the other vegetables. Leaving out the brussel sprouts, chop all your remaining vegetables to bite size pieces. Drop the pieces into boiling, salted water. After 10-20 seconds, remove and drop them into iced water for the same amount of time as blanching (10 – 20 seconds). This will immediately stop the cooking process and keep your vegetables at the perfect texture. Once vegetables are blanched, put aside.
Halve the brussel sprouts and fry them on the cut side in a thin layer of olive oil. Remove from frying pan and put aside, combining them with the blanched vegetables.
Brush the blanched cavolo nero (black kale) generously with olive oil and bake on a tray at 120 degrees celcius for 10 minutes or until crispy. You can also do this in a food dehydrator overnight if you’re very fancy. Once done, remove from baking tray and combine with all other vegetables.
By the time you have your other vegetables ready, the savoy and white cabbage should be cooked. Make sure of this by pressing some of the shredded vegetables against the side of the pot to see how easily the pieces break. When the fibers of the cabbage are broken down so that they pieces easily come apart, use your hand blender until the ingredients are smooth.
If the soup is too thick, just add a splash of water or milk. When the consistency is to your liking, add salt and pepper to taste.
Layer and mix your seven different kinds of cabbage in the bottom of your bowl, then pour the stock into the bowl along the side. This way you have a soup base with all your favorite kinds of perfectly cooked kale and cabbage in the middle.
