Traditional Hungarian Cabbage Soup (Authentic Lucskos Káposzta)

Traditional Hungarian cabbage soup called Lucskos Kaposzta served hot in a rustic ceramic bowl with sour cream and crusty bread.

Traditional Hungarian Cabbage Soup (Authentic Lucskos Káposzta)

Course: Dinner, Soups

Cuisine: Hungarian

Diet: Low Lactose

Keyword: best cabbage soup, best cabbage soup recipe, cabbage soup, cabbage soup recipe

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1 30

Total Time: 1 45

Servings: servings

Calories: 348kcal

Author: Timea

An authentic, old-school Hungarian cabbage soup passed down from my grandmother. This hearty winter comfort food features tender pork shoulder, smooth tomato passata, and aromatic fresh dill, finished with a traditional paprika roux (rántás) for a rich, velvety texture.

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Metrics - US Customary

Equipment

1 Soup Pot large
1 Saucepan small, for making the roux

Ingredients

For the Soup Base:

1.5 kg white cabbage shredded into very thin ribbons
700 g pork shoulders trimmed and cut into uniform cubes
2 pcs onions medium size, finely chopped
400 ml tomato passata 1 jar/purée
1 bunch fresh dill finely chopped
1 tablespoon pepper paste sweet, such as Piros Arany
1 tablespoon vegetable mix from soups such as Vegeta
1 teaspoon sea salt kosher
1 teaspoon ground pepper freshly ground
1 teaspoon caraway powder or caraway seeds
100 ml sunflower oil divided: a portion for frying onions, a portion for the roux

For the Traditional Rántás (Roux Thickening):

2 tablespoon wheat flour all-purpose
1 tablespoon paprika powder sweet Hungarian

Instructions

Prep Work: Finely chop the white onions and fresh dill. Trim any excess fat from the pork shoulder and cut it into medium cubes. Discard the hard cabbage core and shred the leaves into very thin ribbons.
Sauté the Aromatics: Heat a portion of the sunflower oil (or a large tablespoon of pork lard) in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and immediately season with 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground pepper, and 1 teaspoon caraway powder. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
Build the Stew Base: Add the diced pork shoulder to the onions. Stir frequently until all sides of the pork turn white. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sweet pepper paste, cover with the lid, turn the heat to medium-low, and let the pork sweat in its own juices for 10 minutes.
Braise the Pork: Lift the lid and pour in just enough warm water to completely submerge the meat cubes. Cover and let it boil gently over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes until the pork is half-cooked and tender.
Simmer Cabbage & Passata: Add the thinly sliced cabbage ribbons to the pot. Stir well to coat it in the stew juices. Pour in the 400 ml jar of tomato passata and the finely chopped fresh dill. Pour in enough hot water to cover everything completely. Cover and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes until the cabbage is tender. Stir in 1 tablespoon of vegetable soup mix.
Craft the Roux (Rántás): In a separate small saucepan, heat the remaining sunflower oil over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden. Pull the saucepan completely off the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of sweet Hungarian paprika powder until smooth.
Temper and Thicken: Take a full ladle of the hot soup broth from your big pot and slowly whisk it into the small saucepan with the paprika-flour paste until it forms a smooth, runny liquid. Vigorously stir the main soup pot while pouring this mixture back in.
Final Boil: Let the entire pot boil gently for an extra 5 minutes to fully cook the flour and thicken the broth. Serve piping hot with a big dollop of sour cream, fresh or pickled hot peppers, and crusty bread.

Notes

Lump Prevention: Never pour the hot flour-paprika roux directly into the soup pot without tempering it first with a ladle of hot broth, or it will clump immediately.
Paprika Safety: Paprika powder burns instantly on a hot stove element and will ruin the batch with a bitter taste. Always pull the roux pan off the direct fire before stirring in your paprika powder.
Reheating Tip: Because of the traditional starch thickening, this soup will solidify slightly when chilled overnight in the fridge. This is completely normal! Simply splash in 2 to 3 tablespoons of warm water when reheating on the stovetop, and the broth will return to its beautifully smooth, velvety state.

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