Tender, salty corned beef, bite-sized potato chunks, and shredded kale are combined in a hearty broth to make this corned beef soup. This food always makes everyone in my family happy.
Corned Beef Soup
If you’re lucky enough to have some leftover corned beef in the fridge, this recipe will make the most of it. If you don’t already have corned beef in the house, this corned beef and cabbage soup recipe is worth a visit to the store.
Savory and flavorful, I could happily breathe in the smell of this simmering soup all day long. Fortunately for all of us, however, a quick simmer is all it really takes to wilt the cabbage, tenderize it and not turn it into a mush.
The brief simmer makes this a great recipe for a busy night. Start by cooking the onion, then prepare the other ingredients as you go, adding them to the pot one at a time. The entire meal is prepared from start to finish in less than 30 minutes.
Once the onion has turned mostly translucent, add the chopped celery and continue cooking until tender. Next comes Worcestershire, pepper and potatoes. Note that you don’t add salt here.
Corned beef and potato soup
Corned beef is very flavorful on its own, but you can easily over-salt this soup. When I cook with corned beef, I always wait until the end and do a taste test before adding salt. I promise you won’t regret the wait!
Any type of potato fits into the soup. I know the recipe says to peel them, but I’ll confess I don’t always peel them.
If you’re using a yellow potato, just give it a good scrub so it doesn’t leave any dirt behind and you’ll be fine. Cut them into about 1/2-inch pieces for quick cooking and nice little bites when you eat them.
Corned Beef Cabbage Soup
You need these ingredients for this recipe:
- olive oil
- Onion
- celery
- potatoes
- Beef broth or 6 cups water, plus 2 tablespoons beef base
- Worcester sauce
- pepper
- Kale
- Corned beef
- kosher salt
Remember I said this is a prep and add as you go. That’s one of the reasons I love this recipe. While the potatoes are cooking, chop the cabbage and add to the pot when the potatoes are soft.
While the cabbage is simmering, roughly chop the corned beef and cook for just a minute or two.
Finally, taste the soup and only add salt if necessary. Corned beef is usually very salty, so don’t be surprised if you don’t need any at all.
I’m making more corned beef every year now just so I can play with the leftovers for an extra day or two. We’ve already had corned beef, cabbage, and red mashed potatoes, and I’ve now tucked the last two slices away for my lunch tomorrow, along with the last of the Colcannon. I look forward to it!
Cabbage and corned beef
Some ingredients just work better together than others. Corned beef and cabbage are one of those perfect dinner pairings.
For as long as I can remember, my family has enjoyed a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner on St. Patrick’s Day. However, a while back I noticed this recipe for Baked Corned Beef in the Oven and saved it to try.
This soup takes all the Reuben flavors you love and combines them in a steaming hot bowl of soup, perfect for those chilly nights.
{originally posted 3/20/14 – recipe notes updated 2/10/23}
