Cabbage and Sausage Soup Recipe

I recently had an appetite for cabbage soup so I decided to make a sausage and cabbage soup for dinner.  Below is my recipe for a delicious cabbage and sausage soup as well as a photo of  a bowl of that soup that made it to my table.  The soup is made with onion, garlic celery, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, andouille sausage, chicken broth, water, bail, pepper flakes and other herbs and seasonings.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic clove, minced
1 pound smoked andouille sausage, sliced
8 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of water
1/2 head of a cabbage, sliced
3 carrots,  peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon of basil
1/4 teaspoon of pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of  salt
2 potatoes, chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes

You will want to begin by placing your oil and butter into a Dutch oven and placing your pot over a medium high heat.  When the butter melts add in your onions, celery and bell peppers and sauté until tender.  This should take about 4 minutes.  Then add in your garlic and continue to sauté for about 30 more seconds.  You will then want to add in your sausage and cook for an additional 4 minutes to lightly brown your sausage.

At this point add in your broth, water, cabbage, carrots, basil, pepper flakes, pepper and salt and bring your soup to a boil over a medium high heat.  When your soup comes to a boil reduce your heat to a medium low, place your lid on your pot and then let your soup simmer for 40 minutes.  At that time add in your potatoes and tomatoes.  You will want to increase your heat temporarily to a medium high heat to bring your soup back up to a light boil.  Then reduce your heat to a medium and let your soup simmer with the lid off the pot for an additional 20 minutes.  Now give your soup a taste and adjust your seasonings if needed.  Serve with some crusty bread and butter.