Bacon, Cabbage, and Potato Soup – This hearty soup is a comforting blend of simple ingredients, yet brimming with flavour. The smoky bacon, tender cabbage, and creamy potatoes come together to create a bowl of warmth that’s perfect for any day.
This recipe brings me right back to my childhood, where hearty, home-cooked meals like this were a staple. It’s a dish that holds memories and makes me think of the simple pleasures of a nourishing, family meal.
Jump to:
Calories in Bacon, Cabbage Potato, Soup
This recipe serves 5 and is 335 calories per serving
If you're looking for more recipes within the same calorie range, you'll find an abundance of options in my dedicated collection of 300+ calorie recipes.
If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie intake using a reliable calorie calculator. Please note that the calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary based on specific ingredients and serving sizes. Personalizing your calculations is essential to meet your individual needs. By using a calorie calculator, you can make informed choices and stay on track with your dietary goals.
See the recipe card for full nutritional estimation.
Ingredients Notes
Here’s a note on each ingredient:
- Thick Sliced Ham, Bacon or Gammon – Adds a rich, smoky flavour that infuses the soup with depth. The bacon's savoury taste enhances the whole dish.
- Onion (Finely Chopped) – A key aromatic base that brings sweetness and savoury richness to the soup.
- Garlic (Crushed) – Adds a fragrant, punchy flavour that perfectly complements the other ingredients.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes – These creamy potatoes hold their shape while adding a smooth, velvety texture to the soup.
- Green Cabbage (Shredded) – Provides a mild, slightly sweet flavour that contrasts beautifully with the smoky ham and hearty potatoes.
- Sweet Potato (Peeled and Cubed) – Adds a touch of natural sweetness and a lovely creaminess to the soup.
- Semi Skimmed Milk – A lighter option that helps create a creamy base without being too rich.
- Chicken Stock – Adds depth and umami to the soup, infusing it with savoury flavour.
- Cornstarch – Used to thicken the soup, giving it a velvety, smooth consistency without altering the flavour.
Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.
See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions.
Why Sweet Potatoes Work in This Irish Soup
Though adding sweet potato to a traditional Irish dish like Bacon, Cabbage, and Potato Soup may raise a few eyebrows, it’s a twist I love. The natural sweetness of the sweet potato balances the savoury ham or bacon, adding a new layer of depth and flavour that’s hard to resist. The creamy texture it brings blends beautifully with the Yukon Gold potatoes, making the soup extra comforting and satisfying.
Choosing the Best Potatoes for Your Soup
For this soup, Yukon Gold potatoes are my go-to. They have a smooth texture that holds up well in the broth, unlike some potatoes that can turn mushy. Their creamy, slightly buttery flavour is perfect for creating a hearty, rustic soup. If you're in the UK and can’t find Yukon Golds, don’t worry—Desiree or Maris Piper potatoes are excellent alternatives. Both have a creamy texture and work wonderfully in soups, providing that perfect balance of softness and structure as they cook. If you’re aiming for a thicker, creamier base, feel free to mash some of the potatoes as you cook to help thicken the soup naturally.
Sides for Bacon, Cabbage, and Potato Soup
A hearty soup like this deserves the perfect side, and there’s nothing better than a slice or two of warm, crusty wholegrain or seeded granary bread to dip into the rich, creamy broth. For another option, I highly recommend my Gluten Free Oat Soda Bread from Slimming Eats. It’s wonderfully soft on the inside with a slightly crisp exterior, and the oats add a lovely earthy flavour that complements the soup perfectly while keeping things wholesome.
More Soup Recipes
Looking for some other delicious Soup recipes to try? Check out these:
See more Soup Recipes →
or if you would like more recipe ideas - head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious recipes with calories and you can search by meal type, ingredients, course, diet and more.
All recipes on Slimming Eats have estimated nutritional information for your convenience.
FAQ for Bacon, Cabbage and Potato Soup
This soup stores really well! Let it cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you want to store it longer, it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Freezing this soup is easy. Once the soup has cooled completely, portion it into airtight containers or freezer bags. Label and date the containers before freezing. When you're ready to enjoy it again, thaw the soup in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of milk or stock if needed to loosen it up.
Yes, you can omit the sweet potato if you prefer a more traditional flavour or don’t have it on hand. If you want to keep the soup hearty and well-balanced, simply increase the amount of regular potatoes or add other root vegetables like parsnips or turnips.
Recipe Card
Bacon, Cabbage, and Potato Soup
Bacon, Cabbage, and Potato Soup – This hearty soup is a comforting blend of simple ingredients, yet brimming with flavour. The smoky bacon, tender cabbage, and creamy potatoes come together to create a bowl of warmth that’s perfect for any day.
Ingredients
- 455g (1lb) of thick sliced bacon, ham or gammon (cooked)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 455g (1lb) of yukon gold potatoes (or similar white potato), peeled and cubed
- 455g (1lb) of green cabbage, shredded
- 200g (7oz) of sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups (480ml) of semi skimmed milk
- 4 cups of chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
Instructions
- Spray a large saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray.
- Add the onion and garlic, and fry until the onion is softened.
- Add the potatoes and cabbage, along with a little more spray oil, and cook for about 5 minutes until the cabbage becomes slightly translucent.
- Stir in the cooked bacon or ham.
- Add the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
- Stir in the milk.
- Mix the cornstarch with a little water to form a paste, then stir it into the soup.
- Simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the soup thickens and becomes creamy.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Enjoy!
Notes
See below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
- ❄️ Freezer Friendly - see FAQ
Please do not copy or paste full recipes or post screenshots of any content from Slimming Eats to any social media or website, as it is strictly prohibited.
All images and content on Slimming Eats are copyright protected.
If you wish to share this recipe, then please do so by using the share buttons provided at top of this post.
Nutritional information etc are an estimate and are to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary in values from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate values yourself by the ingredients you use and the tools provided to you as a member of the programme you are following.
It is the responsibility of the Reader to assure the products or ingredients they use in any recipes from Slimming Eats are allergen-free (gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free and/or dairy-free, for example). Slimming Eats assumes no liability for inaccuracies or misstatement about products, opinions or comments on this site.
Check Legal section, for Full Disclaimer, Disclosure and Privacy Policy.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Yield 5 Serving Size 1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 335Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 38mgSodium 1479mgCarbohydrates 41gFiber 6gSugar 12gProtein 27g
Nutritional information and values etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
Anonymous says
if you have milk as your healthy extra A then its not syns surely ?
Anonymous says
yes you could use the milk as a healthy extra, however that is a whole load of soup for one person, so I added it as syns, plus the milk used in the whole soup is not a full HEa serving and this serves 4 people. Still works out quite low syns.
Paula McElhennon says
Being Irish i will try this (without the Sweet Potatoes though 🙂
Alycia says
I made this on a whim as I had half a cabbage that needed using.I used all white potatoes as it was all I had. The end result is divine, a real winter warmer! I also divided it into 6 portions as it's very filling!
Moira Fox says
I’ve made this many times, due to Irish origins. It’s a firm favourite with my English family! And yes I use the sweet potato.