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Meat, South and mountains

Limousin bréjaude soup with country bread

Bréjaude is a Limousin soup made with green cabbage, leeks, potatoes and smoked bacon, poured hot over slices of country bread. It serves 4, takes 1h30, is easy to make, and costs €1.90 per serving. The key to getting it right is using stale bread that soaks up the broth without turning to mush.

Grab the big soup bowls, tonight it's bréjaude, the Limousin cabbage and bacon soup you pour over country bread.

Limousin bréjaude soup with country bread
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
620 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Bréjaude is the kind of soup that sticks to your ribs once the cold sets in. Green cabbage and leeks simmer for a long while with smoked bacon, which flavors the whole broth without ever overpowering it. The potatoes soften during cooking and naturally thicken the liquid, so you end up with a soup that truly fills you up rather than just opening the meal.

It's a weeknight dish that needs little watching once the vegetables are in the pot, perfect for a fall or winter evening when everyone comes home hungry. Kids often love the almost playful bread soaked in broth, along with the bits of bacon hiding at the bottom of the bowl. Mon Chou likes this recipe for its low cost and for turning four simple vegetables into a real hot meal.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green cabbage 0.5
  • Leeks 3
  • Potatoes 500 g
  • Carrot 2
  • Onion 1

Butcher

  • Smoked bacon 250 g

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Pantry

  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 1.5 l
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Place the bacon in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, then drain. 5 min

    This step removes excess salt and smokiness.

  2. Slice the cabbage, leeks and onion thinly, and cut the carrots and potatoes into cubes.

    Remove the thick ribs from the cabbage, they stay tough.

  3. Put all the vegetables and the bacon into the hot broth, add pepper and simmer gently. 50 min

    Skim the surface at the start for a clean broth.

  4. Taste the broth and salt only if needed, the bacon is already salty.

    The soup's flavor really comes together toward the end of cooking.

  5. Place slices of bread in each bowl and pour the piping hot soup over them with a piece of bacon.

    Let the bread soak for a minute before serving.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a country bread that is genuinely stale, even slightly hard, it holds up much better against the hot broth and won't turn into a shapeless mush.
  • Cut all the vegetables to roughly the same size so they cook evenly, otherwise the potatoes fall apart before the cabbage turns tender.
  • Let the soup rest off the heat for five minutes before serving, the bacon and vegetable flavors blend better once cooking has stopped.

The variations

  • Swap the smoked bacon for smoked turkey bacon for a lower fat version, the smoky flavor still comes through.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon and use a well seasoned vegetable broth, add a spoonful of olive oil when serving for richness.
  • To save time, cut the vegetables into small dice instead of large chunks, the cooking time drops to about 30 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry cider
  • A green salad with vinaigrette
  • A slice of local cheese

Storage

Bréjaude keeps 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, without the bread, which is best added right before serving. It freezes well for up to 2 months in portions, as long as you leave the bread out before freezing. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water or broth if it has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can you make bréjaude ahead of time?

Yes, the soup can be made a day ahead and reheats well, it even tastes better after a night in the fridge. Keep the bread separate and add it only when serving so it doesn't get soggy too early.

Can you replace the smoked bacon with something else?

You can use plain bacon bits or diced smoked ham if you want a milder flavor. The result will be slightly less smoky, but the soup still works.

What bread works best for bréjaude?

A real country bread, dense and stale by a day or two, works best. Bread that's too fresh or too soft turns to mush as soon as the hot broth hits it.

Is bréjaude good for kids?

Yes, it's a mild soup with no strong spices, and kids usually love the bread soaked in broth. You can cut the vegetables finer if you want an easier texture for younger kids.

How long does it take to make a Limousin bréjaude with country bread?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Limousin bréjaude with country bread?

About 620 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Limousin bréjaude with country bread cost?

About €1.90 per serving, or €7.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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