Instant Pot Cabbage Soup

Kristen's Keys for Instant Pot Cabbage Soup

A few small details make a big difference with this recipe and paying attention to them now will save you from bland soup later.

• Don't skip sautéing the vegetables. Using the sauté function to lightly cook the onions, carrots, and celery first builds flavor and depth that is needed to make this humble soup shine.
• Trust the cabbage pile. The pot will look very full at first. That's normal. Cabbage shrinks a lot once pressure cooked.
• Use natural pressure release. This will prevent hot liquid from spewing out of the venting knob AND help finish cooking the soup.
• Don't skip the lemon. Finishing the soup with the juice of a lemon adds just enough acid to wake up the flavors.

How to Make Instant Pot Cabbage Soup

Whether you are just learning how to use an Instant Pot or a seasoned user, this section will help walk you through each step so you get great results every time.

Step One: Sauté Aromatics

Using the sauté function, heat a bit of oil in the inner pot. Once heated, add in the diced onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 3-5 minutes or until softened, stirring often.

Step Three: Layer Ingredients

Add in any remaining broth, potatoes, cabbage and seasonings to the inner pot, stirring to combine. Add the tomatoes and very gently stir into the soup.

👉🏻Don't stir aggressively! Tomatoes are known to cause a burn notice if they are on the bottom of the inner pot, so use a gentle hand when stirring into the soup. Alternatively, just leave them sit on top of the cabbage and let them gently submerge into the ingredients as the soup pressure cooks.

Step Four: Pressure Cook

Cook on high pressure for 2 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of natural pressure release. The short cook time keeps the vegetables tender rather than mushy, while letting the pressure release naturally lets everything finish cooking evenly and prevent hot liquid from spewing over your counters.

👉🏻What if the pressure has not fully released after 15 minutes? You can then opt to do a quick release of pressure by knocking the vent knob from the sealed to venting position. Be sure to stand back to prevent yourself from any residual steam.

Step Five: Finish and Serve

Stir in the lemon juice, removing the bay leaves as you come across them. Give the soup a taste and adjust seasonings if needed. And then serve this cozy cabbage soup! This cozy, wholesome soup is delicious on its own, but because it is low in calories, I recommend pairing cabbage soup with some crusty bread, homemade rolls, and/or a side salad.

Notes on Leftovers

Leftover cabbage soup reheats well even after being frozen. Follow the following instructions for storing any leftover soup, along with a few ideas for leftover cabbage.

• Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Transfer the cooled soup to a freezer-safe container, leaving 1 inch of space for expansion. Freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Thaw overnight if frozen. Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 60-second intervals, stirring between, or warm gently on the stovetop.
• Leftover Cabbage: This recipe only calls for half a head of cabbage. Use the remaining cabbage to add to salads, top fish tacos, make homemade coleslaw, Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage, or roast alongside brats for a simple dinner.