Slice the links of kielbasa in half lengthwise and then slice into ½ inch pieces.

Dice the onion and celery into a small dice and thinly slice the garlic cloves.

Remove the dark green outer leaves from the head of cabbage, cut the head of cabbage into quarters, and cut out the tough core from the pieces of cabbage. Thinly slice each piece of cabbage.

Chop the fresh dill and zest the lemon.

Preheat a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the kielbasa and brown, stirring the pieces occasionally so that it browns on all sides, about 4-5 minutes

Remove the kielbasa from the pot and set aside on a tray or plate.

Lower the heat under the soup pot to low, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and add the onion. Sweat for 6-8 minutes, stirring every other minute to ensure the onions don’t get too dark. Add celery and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until the veggies have softened. Add the garlic, cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute.

Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir to incorporate into the aromatics. Let cook until it slightly darkens in color, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the diced tomato, ketchup, and vegetable stock to the soup pan and turn the heat up to medium to bring it to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Add half the sliced cabbage, and let it cook down for a few minutes until the size of the cabbage cooks down slightly. Add the remaining sliced cabbage and stir into the soup. It will look really thick to start.

Simmer the soup for 20-25 minutes, until the cabbage is cooked down and soft. Stir in the kielbasa and let it warm through for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Take the pot off the heat and stir in the chopped dill and lemon zest.

Spoon a serving into a bowl and top with a dollop of sour cream, additional fresh dill, and freshly cracked pepper. Enjoy!