Corned beef and cabbage soup

Corned Beef and Cabbage Chowder is everything you love about a cooked dinner but in soup form and a great way to use up leftover corned beef! Tender pieces of corned beef, red potatoes, cabbage with carrots, celery and onions in a tangy creamy soup, studded with Irish stout. Garnish with chopped chives and toasted rye croutons. For 6 to 8 people.

Do you have any spare corned beef? turn it into a delicious chowder!

You may have noticed that I love taking leftovers and turning them into completely different meals. Especially if those meals are soups. And corned beef that’s left over from St. Patrick’s Day dinner (if you’re lucky!) is perfect in chowder.

It’s still soup season in Michigan and will most likely continue to be soup season well into May. June probably too.

So, for starters, enjoy this comforting chowder that’s not only easy, but incredibly delicious.

To make this Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup you will need:

• olive oil – Adds fat for frying and flavors the soup.
• yellow onion – Adds a sweet and subtle onion flavor to the soup.
• celery – Imparts earthy flavor and delicious texture.
• carrot – Gives the soup a subtle sweetness.
• kosher salt – Helps soften the vegetables and improves the flavor of this soup.
• Garlic – Adds a distinct, bold flavor.
• red potatoes – Adds texture and earthy flavor to the soup.
• Bay leaf – Adds a slightly subtle minty or piney flavor with a hint of black pepper.
• low sodium chicken broth – Homemade or store bought.
• cabbage – Gives a mild sweet taste when cooking.
• whipped cream – Adds flavor and creaminess.
• Irish stout (Guinness) – Imparts a subtle hint of bitter malt flavor.
• leftover corned beef – Cut into bite-sized pieces.
• unbleached all-purpose flour – Used to thicken the soup.
• freshly ground black pepper – Adds some subtle bite and flavor.
• chives (fresh) – Used as a garnish for serving. (Optional)
• rye croutons – These are optional (but delicious!). See the printable recipe at the end of the post for instructions.

Stew vegetables:

First, in a Dutch oven, add 1 tablespoon oil, 1 medium diced onion (about 1-1/2 cups), 3/4 cup chopped carrots, and celery with a pinch of kosher salt. Stir and cook over medium to medium heat until almost tender. About 8 minutes.

Then add 1 clove of minced garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute.

Cook potatoes and cabbage:

Next, add 2 pounds diced potatoes (about 1 to 1-1/2 inch cubes), 1 bay leaf, 4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth, and 2 cups water.

Cover and bring to a boil.

Once cooked, reduce to medium-low and quickly stir in the cabbage. Simmer with the lid tilted for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the cabbage is soft.

How So.

Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf!

Light puree the soup. I like to use an immersion blender (hand blender). You don’t want to go crazy here because you still want bigger chunks, this is chowder after all. I do this so I can add less cream to the recipe.

Pour in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup Irish stout (aka Guinness).

WHAT CAN GUINNESS BE SUBSTITUTED FOR?

If you skip alcohol, you can either use non-alcoholic Guinness or replace the beer entirely with more broth.

Add 2 cups of chopped leftover cooked corned beef.

To thicken the soup slightly, place 1 tablespoon flour in a bowl and stir in 3 tablespoons hot soup liquid. It should form a paste. Stir this paste into the soup and let the soup simmer on low for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. It shouldn’t be as creamy as a cream soup, but not thin like a broth either.

This chowder falls somewhere between the two.

Season to taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

If only My mouth was wide enough.

Pour the soup into bowls.

I garnish our chowder with freshly ground black pepper, chopped chives and toasted rye bread croutons. I love the cumin in the rye in combination with the soup. It is delicious. Don’t worry, I left the crouton instructions in the printable recipe.

I hope you love this hearty, soul-warming chowder as much as we do!

How do you store corned beef chowder?

Once cool, store in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze.

How Long Does Corned Beef Chowder Keep?

When stored properly, it should last 4 to 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Enjoy! And if you try this corned beef and chowder recipe, let me know! Take a picture and tag me chirp or instagram!