There used to be a Jewish diner at the corner of Spadina and College streets in Toronto which served the most delicious Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup. It was a tiny place, the windows all fogged over, but it was the perfect spot for lunch. I loved this soup so much that I made it shortly after and I have been making it the same way ever since.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil for searing beef
- 1 lb beef short ribs or beef shank
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 large onions peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 small head cabbage cored and thinly sliced
- 1 18 oz can chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup passata or tomato sauce
- 2 quarts beef stock
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
Instructions
- Gather ingredients before starting the recipe.
- In a large soup pot, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium high heat.
- Add 1 lb beef short ribs or beef shank and sear both sides until the beef loses it's color and starts to brown, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove seared beef to a plate and reserve.
- Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil to the stock pot and add 2 large onions, thinly sliced and generously season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir to combine and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Thinly slice 1 small head cabbage and add to sautéed onions.
- Return seared beef to stock pot, add 1 18 oz can chopped tomatoes and 1 cup passata or tomato sauce. Season well with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add 2 quarts beef stock, bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low.
- Cover stock pot with the lid propped open with a wooden spoon and simmer the soup for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- Cool soup to room temperature then place in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, degrease the soup and gently reheat. Remove the beef and cut into bite sized pieces, then return to the soup.
- Add 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup cider vinegar and taste for seasoning. The soup should taste sweet and sour and should be quite thick.
Author Notes
I changed quantities and added ingredients to this very traditional sweet and sour cabbage soup. I added 1/4 cup of ketchup at the end as ketchup has the same flavor profile as the sugar and vinegar called for in the original recipe and it adds a vibrant red color to the soup.
I also substituted tomato sauce, and I like Italian passata in a bottle for this, and I increased the quantity to make the soup thicker and to add even more color to the soup. The soup was delicious and just as good as my memory of the first time I tried it so many years ago.
How many oz. of beef broth do you recommend? I don’t know what size carton this recipe calls for. Thank you.
Good question, one liter or 940 ml of beef stock per carton. Thank you for bringing to my attention. I have adjusted the recipe for the correct quantity for both the beef stock and the chopped tomatoes. Hope you enjoy!
In answer to your question (“H.L.”), two quarts of beef stock.
Thanks Janet. I did mix US Customary and Metric units in the recipe but have since added the conversion button so it should clarify all ingredient quantities going forward. Two quarts is about the same as 2 liters, give or take.