Kapustňak on Beef Broth with Sour Cream

Ingredients

Soup base (per portion)

• White cabbage – 300 g
• Yellow onion – 100 g
• Butter – 25 g
• Tomato paste – 15 g
• Jasmine rice (dry) – 20 g
• Beef broth or water – approx. 120–150 ml

Seasoning

• Bay leaf – ½
• Allspice – ¼ tsp
• Dried garlic – ¼ tsp
• Sweet paprika – ¼–½ tsp
• Salt – to taste

Serving

• Sour cream – 50 g

Method

Making the base

1. Soak the rice for at least 2–3 hours, ideally overnight, then drain.
2. Chop the cabbage and onion as finely as possible, or pulse them briefly in a blender.
3. Melt the butter in a pot over low heat, add the rice and toast it slowly for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste and toast another 5 minutes, until it loses its raw acidity.
5. Add the cabbage, onion and spices and stir well.

Slow cooking

1. Let the base cook down very slowly for 1.5–2 hours, stirring every 5–10 minutes.
2. Add broth or water a little at a time as needed so it doesn't catch on the bottom.
3. Finally, season with salt and remove the bay leaf.

Serving

Serve as a thick soup with a spoonful of sour cream. You can finish it with a few drops of aromatic oil (chive oil or clarified butter).

Key ingredients

White cabbage

Fibre and glucosinolates; slow-cooked, it supports digestion and the gut flora.

Onion

Prebiotic fibre for the gut flora, anti-inflammatory flavonoids.

Butter

Milk fat; carries flavour and rounds things off.

Tomatoes (peeled / passata)

Lycopene (an antioxidant), the umami base of sauces.

Jasmine rice

Slightly sticky aromatic rice; naturally thickens soups.

Sour cream

Milk fat and probiotics; rounds off and cools spicy or sour soups.

Garlic

Antibacterial and antiviral; supports immunity and the circulatory system.

Red bell pepper

High in vitamin C and antioxidants; sweet once roasted.

Ghee (clarified butter)

Clarified butter without milk proteins; in Ayurveda a carrier of spices and 'agni'.

Beef

Quality protein, haem iron and B12; slow braising makes it easier to digest.

Why it’s good for the body

• Cabbage has traditionally supported digestion and gut microflora.
• Rice thickens the soup naturally without flour and makes it more filling.

Traditional and functional notes on the ingredients — not medical claims.

Notes

• Chopping the cabbage finely is key to a creamy texture without blending.
• Kapustňak is also excellent the next day, when the flavors have melded even more.