This easy vegan boiled dinner (potato and cabbage soup) is a cozy one-pot meal filled with tender vegetables in a deeply savory broth. Mashing a few potatoes gives it just enough body while preserving the broth.
For more cozy plant-based soups, try my tomato lentil vegetable soup, slow cooker black bean soup, or easy vegan lasagna soup.
A Quick Look: Vegan Boiled Dinner (Potato and Cabbage Soup)
- 📝 Recipe: Vegan Boiled Dinner (Cabbage and Potato Soup)
- 💕 Best For: A simple, comforting family dinner
- 🕒 Total Time: 45 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 🌱 Dietary Info: Vegan and dairy-free, with an oil-free option
- 🥔 Main Ingredients: Potatoes, cabbage, onion, carrot, and celery
- ✨ Texture: Brothy, with tender vegetables and potatoes you can mash into the broth
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Boiled dinner goes back at least four generations in my family. Although it wasn’t strictly a Depression-era meal, it was practical during lean times. Ham could be added when available; otherwise, made simply with vegetables, water, and whatever seasonings were on hand.
Boiled dinner is often associated with St. Patrick’s Day, and I make it then too, but in my family it was also everyday comfort food, not something we saved for the holiday.
In this version, I keep the large pieces of potatoes and cabbage I remember, while vegan chicken-style bouillon, tamari, tahini, and a little maple syrup give the broth a rounded flavor without the ham. I use a similar combination to build the broth in my chickpea noodle soup.
What Is Boiled Dinner?
Boiled dinner is a simple one-pot meal traditionally made by simmering cabbage, potatoes, carrots, turnips, and other vegetables with ham, corned beef, or brisket. This plant-based version keeps the familiar vegetables and rustic cooking method but builds the savory broth without meat.
Why This Recipe Works
- It has savory depth without ham. Bouillon and tamari bring the savory flavor, tahini adds a little richness, and maple syrup balances the broth without making it sweet.
- The vegetables finish together. The potatoes get a 10-minute head start before the cabbage is added, so you can cook cabbage and potatoes together without the cabbage becoming too soft.
- The potatoes thicken the broth naturally. I like my boiled dinner fairly brothy, so I mash just a few potatoes into the pot, and usually a few more in my own bowl.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are a few helpful ingredient notes and substitutions for this simple boiled dinner recipe.
- Potatoes: The best potatoes for boiled dinner depend on the texture you prefer. Yukon Gold potatoes become creamy while still holding their shape. If you have extras, use them for these air fryer potato wedges. Russet potatoes break down more and thicken the broth, while red potatoes remain firmer.
- Cabbage: Green cabbage works best, but Savoy cabbage can be substituted. Because it is more tender, begin checking it after about 5 minutes.
- Onion: A medium yellow, white, or sweet onion works.
- Garlic: Regular or roasted garlic works. If using roasted garlic, mash it first so it disperses throughout the broth.
- Broth: Replace the water and vegan bouillon cubes with 6 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth. Taste before adding salt because brands vary considerably.
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredient list and exact amounts.
For more comforting soup recipes with cabbage, try my one-pot vegan cabbage roll soup. You may also like these roasted cabbage steaks.
How to Make Potato and Cabbage Soup
- Step 1: Add onion, carrot, and celery to a large pan, Dutch oven, or soup pot with a splash of water or olive oil. Cook 5-6 minutes, then add garlic.
- Step 2: Add potatoes, water, bouillon, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, bay leaf, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and partially cover. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Stir in cabbage and bring the soup back to a simmer. Reduce the heat, partially cover, and cook for another 10 mins. Then, turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf. Stir in tahini, maple syrup, tamari, salt, and black pepper. Mash a few of the potatoes into the broth, leaving most of the vegetables chunky.
Tested Tips
- Keep the cabbage pieces fairly large: Small pieces can become too soft by the time the potatoes finish cooking.
- Give the potatoes a head start: Simmer them for 10 minutes before adding the cabbage. If adding the cabbage stops the simmer, briefly increase the heat and begin the final 10 minutes once it returns.
- Keep it at a gentle simmer: A hard boil can cause the potatoes to break apart before the cabbage is tender. Partially cover the pot to limit evaporation while allowing steam to escape.
What to Serve with Vegan Boiled Dinner
This is a complete one-pot dinner, so it doesn’t need a side. I like to top individual bowls with sauerkraut, a splash of its brine, and a sprinkle of paprika. Serve whole-grain mustard or prepared horseradish alongside.
Crusty bread is perfect for soaking up the broth, while a cucumber tomato salad adds something cool and fresh.
Make it Your Way
- Add a turnip: Add one small peeled turnip, cut into 1-inch chunks, with the potatoes—or use it in place of one potato. Keep some potatoes so they can thicken the broth when mashed.
- Add protein: Top individual bowls with crispy tofu sausage crumbles just before serving. Keep them separate until serving so they retain their texture.
- Add some spice: Sometimes I add sriracha or whatever salsa I have in the fridge, like my roasted tomato salsa, or when I want more kick, chile de árbol salsa.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover potato cabbage soup in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Add a splash of water or broth when reheating if it has thickened.
- Meal prep: Dice the onion, carrots, and celery and chop the cabbage up to a day ahead. Refrigerate in airtight containers and cut the potatoes when you’re ready to cook.
Vegan Boiled Dinner FAQs
Traditional boiled dinner is not necessarily soup, but this version is intentionally brothy. Mashing a few potatoes into the pot lightly thickens the broth while keeping the rustic vegetables in large pieces.
Yes. Use 5 cups of water instead of 6 for a thicker boiled dinner. You can always add another splash of water during cooking if needed.
More Plant-Based Comfort Food
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Boiled Dinner (Potato and Cabbage Soup)
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Ingredients
- ⅓ cup water, (for sautéing) or use 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add more water as needed
- 1 medium onion, finely diced, about 1 cup
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced, about 1 cup
- 3 celery ribs, finely diced, about 1 cup
- 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 4-5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, about 1 pound 10 ounces, cut into approximately 1½-inch chunks
- 6 cups water
- 2 vegan bouillon cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups green cabbage, about 9 ounces, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon tamari, or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 10-15 grinds black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, for serving, optional
- sauerkraut and sauerkraut brine, for serving, for serving, optional
- paprika, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Add the water or olive oil to a large braising pan, Dutch oven, or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed to prevent sticking.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the potatoes, 6 cups water, bouillon cubes, bay leaf, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne. Increase the heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and partially cover the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the cabbage. Briefly increase the heat, if needed, to return the soup to a soft rolling simmer. Reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the cabbage is softened.
- Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf. Add tamari or soy sauce, maple syrup, tahini, salt, and black pepper. Stir and adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Lightly mash 2-3 potato pieces directly in the pan to give the broth some body while leaving most of the potatoes intact.
- Ladle into bowls. Mash the potatoes a little more in each bowl, if desired. Top with fresh parsley, a sprinkle of paprika, and sauerkraut if desired (see notes).
Video
Notes
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes become creamy while retaining their shape. Russets break down more and thicken the broth, while red potatoes remain firmer.
- Broth and bouillon: I use 2 Not-Chick’n bouillon cubes with 6 cups of water for a light, savory broth. You can substitute 6 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth and omit the bouillon. Because broth, bouillon, and tamari vary in saltiness, taste before adding the salt.
- Turnip option: Add one small peeled turnip cut into 1-inch chunks with the potatoes. You can add it or use it in place of one potato.
- For serving: Top individual bowls with sauerkraut and a splash of its brine. Offer whole-grain mustard or prepared horseradish on the side.
Nutrition
Julie Gaeta is a plant-based recipe creator, certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and mom of nine who's been plant-based for over 20 years. She's cooked approximately 4,382 pots of beans and can't vacation without her juicer and pasta pot. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, Yahoo, YourTango, and other major outlets. She helps others simplify wellness and feel good again through her blog, coaching, and weekly newsletter.
Julie Gaeta says
I like mine extra brothy, and I always mash a few more potatoes in my bowl and add sauerkraut with a little brine. It’s a favorite I always come back to. 😊