Hungarian Potato and Sausage Soup

Ingredients

• 6 oz smoked Hungarian sausage, sliced into rounds
• 2 C chopped green cabbage
• 1½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 5 C chicken broth, or more to taste
• 3 tbs unsalted butter
• 3 tbs all-purpose flour
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 tsp salt, or more to taste
• 2 tsp Hungarian paprika
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbs distilled white vinegar
• ½ C sour cream, or to taste
• 2 tbs sliced green onion, or to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook and stir until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausage to a bowl, leaving behind any butter in the pot.
2. Add onion with 1 tsp salt and cook and stir until onion just starts to turn translucent and picks up a brown color from the meat juices in the pan, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add flour; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and paprika; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the paprika.
4. Stir in 5 cups chicken broth, increase heat to high and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally so flour does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
5. Stir in cabbage and cook until it just loses its stiffness, about 2 minutes. Stir in potatoes and bring back to a simmer. Season with black pepper, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf, plus a splash of chicken broth if desired, and bring back to a simmer.
6. Stir soup and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very soft and tender, about 30 minutes. Add sausage and vinegar and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt.
7. Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Garnish with sour cream, green onions, and cayenne pepper.