Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Meat
- 15 ml olive oil, extra virgin
- 450 g italian pork sausage, casings removed
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic, minced
Vegetables and Legumes
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 beetroot, peeled and diced
- 250 g green cabbage, core removed, shredded
- 800 g canned crushed tomatoes, undrained
- 240 g kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Liquids and Seasoning
- 1000 ml chicken broth, low sodium
- 3 g dried oregano
- 15 ml red wine vinegar
- g salt
- g black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 1415 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 73 mg
- Potassium
- 1609 mg
- Calcium
- 443 mg
- Iron
- 7.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 162 mg
- Phosphorus
- 544 mg
- Zinc
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 241 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 36 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 40 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.42 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.87 mg
- Niacin
- 11.5 mg
- Folate
- 120 mcg
- Water
- 182 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the Italian pork sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. The internal temperature of the pork should reach at least 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit for safety.
Add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic to the pot with the sausage. Saute over medium heat until the onions are translucent and fragrant, utilizing the rendered pork fat.
Stir in the diced carrots, diced beetroot, and dried oregano. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to slightly soften the root vegetables and toast the herbs.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any caramelized browned bits. Bring the soup to a gentle boil at approximately 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit, then reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pot partially and simmer gently for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This slow cooking allows the tough root vegetables to become completely tender and develops the deep, complex flavor base of the broth.
Stir in the shredded cabbage and drained kidney beans. Simmer for a final 30 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the red wine vinegar. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle into warm bowls and serve.
Chef's Notes
- While this soup features a long two-hour simmer to build flavor, its active preparation time is remarkably short. You can easily adapt this for a rushed weeknight by using an electric pressure cooker: cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, then quick release.
- Using raw beets will bleed their crimson color into the soup, turning the broth a brilliant ruby hue. This is entirely intended and adds a beautiful, dramatic presentation.
- For maximum flavor, do not rinse out the tomato can with water unless the soup needs thinning; rely on the pork fat and chicken broth for mouthfeel.
- If you want to stretch this meal further or add extra carbohydrates, stir in a handful of small pasta shapes like ditalini during the last 15 minutes of simmering.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Flavors deepen and improve significantly the next day, making it perfect for leftovers.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual portions. Cabbage may soften further upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until simmering.
Troubleshooting
Cabbage and beans are completely mushy and disintegrated.
Cause: The delicate ingredients were added at the beginning of the long simmering process rather than at the end.
Fix: Cannot be reversed. The soup will act more like a thick, rustic porridge but will still taste delicious.
Prevention: Always reserve fast-cooking vegetables like shredded cabbage and pre-cooked canned beans for the final 30 minutes of a long simmer.
The soup tastes excessively sweet.
Cause: The high sugar content of both the beets and carrots overwhelmed the savory elements.
Fix: Add an extra 5 to 10 milliliters of red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
Prevention: Weigh root vegetables to avoid adding too much relative to the broth.
Cultural Context
Although root vegetables like beets and cabbage are most famously associated with Eastern European staples such as borscht, this recipe anchors them firmly in the Mediterranean tradition. By utilizing a foundation of olive oil, rich Italian pork sausage, and crushed tomatoes, the dish reflects the principles of cucina povera, the Italian peasant cooking style where hardy, inexpensive ingredients are slow-cooked to stretch a modest amount of meat into a profoundly satisfying and nourishing meal.
