Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Produce
- 15 ml olive oil
- 150 g red onion, diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 500 g red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
- 300 g granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
Liquids & Seasonings
- 800 ml low-sodium vegetable broth
- 30 ml apple cider vinegar
- 15 g brown sugar
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground allspice
- 1 g crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 g salt
Garnish
- 120 g low-fat plain yogurt, stirred until smooth
- 5 g fresh dill, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 181 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 33 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 21 g
- Sodium
- 957 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 2 mg
- Potassium
- 594 mg
- Calcium
- 151 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 38 mg
- Phosphorus
- 114 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 115 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 81 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.22 mg
- Niacin
- 1.0 mg
- Folate
- 38 mcg
- Water
- 442 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef's knife, prepare all vegetables and apples. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced red onion and saute until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add the minced garlic, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, and crushed red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook until highly fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent the spices from burning.
Add the sliced red cabbage, chopped apples, vegetable broth, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and salt. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a boil at 100°C/212°F.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer gently until the cabbage and apples are completely tender and falling apart.
Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully use an immersion blender directly in the pot to puree the soup until smooth and velvety. If the soup is too thick, stir in a splash of warm water or additional broth.
Use a ladle to divide the hot soup into warm bowls. Top each bowl with a dollop or swirl of low-fat yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh chopped dill.
Chef's Notes
- Red cabbage gets its color from anthocyanins, which react to pH levels. Acidic environments (like vinegar and apples) keep it a beautiful ruby red, while alkaline environments turn it blue. Never skip the vinegar.
- For the best texture, ensure your apples are completely peeled. Apple skin does not break down well when simmered and can leave a papery texture in the final puree.
- Tempering your yogurt by mixing a tablespoon of the hot soup into the yogurt before swirling it into the bowl helps prevent it from breaking or separating.
- This soup tastes significantly better the next day as the sweet, sour, and spicy notes have time to meld together in the refrigerator.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store the soup and yogurt separately. The flavors will deepen overnight.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without the yogurt garnish. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Warm gently over medium-low heat on the stovetop. Do not allow to boil vigorously if reheating with yogurt already mixed in.
Troubleshooting
Soup has turned a dull blue or grey color
Cause: Lack of acidity, which maintains the red anthocyanin pigments in the cabbage
Fix: Stir in an additional teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice until the vibrant red/purple color returns
Prevention: Ensure the correct amount of apple cider vinegar is added during the cooking process
Yogurt split or curdled when added
Cause: Yogurt was added to boiling soup, or cold yogurt shocked the hot liquid
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully split, but is completely safe to eat. Next time, temper the yogurt with a spoonful of warm soup first.
Prevention: Wait until the soup is slightly cooled before adding yogurt, or only add as a garnish
Soup texture is fibrous or gritty
Cause: Cabbage was not simmered long enough before blending
Fix: Return the pureed soup to the stove, simmer for another 15 minutes, and blend again
Prevention: Ensure cabbage is entirely soft before taking the soup off the heat
Cultural Context
German Rotkohl, or braised red cabbage, is a traditional sweet and sour side dish commonly flavored with apples, vinegar, and warming spices like cloves or allspice. By pureeing these classic ingredients with broth, this recipe transforms a nostalgic, hearty side into a warming winter soup. The swirl of yogurt on top provides a cooling contrast to the chili heat while nodding to Eastern European borscht traditions.
