Indulge in a bowl of warmth and nourishment with this easy homemade Cabbage Soup recipe, packed with a medley of vegetables and spices simmered to flavorful perfection for a light yet hearty meal.
Easy Homemade Cabbage Soup Recipe
There’s a lot to love about this Cabbage Soup! It’s a rainbow of fresh, crunchy veggies cooked in a tasty herbed tomato broth. Every spoonful is a mix of fantastic flavors and textures, making it a comforting yet light meal option. If the thought of cabbage soup conjures up images of just boiled cabbage in your mind, prepare to be surprised! This soup is not only super delicious but also a breeze to whip up – and you know how much I value simplicity. If you haven’t had it yet, it’s high time to dive into this deliciousness ASAP!
Why You’ll Love This Soup
- Delicious: This is a blend of fresh vegetables and spices combined in a seasoned and tasty broth.
- Customizable: The recipe welcomes creativity! Feel free to toss in your favorite veggies or proteins, adjust the spices to your liking, and experiment with additional herbs.
- Easy: With minimal prep, this cabbage soup is a dream for anyone wanting a quick meal.
- Wholesome: Every bowl is a healthful serving of veggies packed with vitamins and nutrients.
Is Cabbage Healthy?
According to Healthline, cabbage is not only a low-calorie food but also a powerhouse of vitamins and nutrients, promoting digestion, reducing inflammation, and supporting heart health.
Ingredients For Cabbage Soup
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Used to sauté and enrich the overall flavor of the soup.
- Yellow Onion: Adds a sweet, tangy depth, ensuring every bite has an aromatic zing.
- Green and Orange Bell Peppers: Their crunch and color bring a subtle sweetness to the mix.
- Carrot: Adds texture.
- Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Garlic
- Fresh Parsley
- Cabbage: Lending its tender, hearty texture and earthy flavor.
- Tomato Paste and Fire Roasted Tomatoes: They combine for a rich, tangy base.
- Italian Seasoning: A sprinkle of spice and everything nice!
- Low Sodium Vegetable Broth: The liquid gold that brings all ingredients together.
- Bay Leaves: Infuse the soup with an extra layer of flavor.
- Zucchini and Broccoli Florets: They add a crunch and nutritional boost.
How to Make Cabbage Soup
- Prep and Saute: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or a large soup pot. Add onions to the pot and cook them for a minute over medium-high heat. Stir in the bell peppers, carrots, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add Cabbage: Add garlic and parsley. Cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the cabbage and cook for 4 minutes or until it starts to wilt.
- Tomatoes: Add the tomato paste and stir until combined, then stir in the roasted tomatoes and Italian seasoning.
- Boil: Stir in the broth and add bay leaves. Increase heat to High and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a steady simmer. Continue to cook for 7 minutes.
- Vegetables: Stir in the zucchini slices and broccoli florets. Cook for 5 more minutes.
- Serve: Remove the pot from the heat. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Remove bay leaves and discard them, then serve.
Tips And Variations For Cabbage Soup
- Vegetable Variations: Feel free to substitute or add any of your favorite veggies into the mix. For a chunkier texture, consider adding diced potatoes.
- Adding Protein: Consider adding diced ham, chopped bacon, shredded chicken, or Italian sausage.
- Meatless Protein: Stir in some canned kidney beans, cannellini beans, or chickpeas. Rinse and drain before using.
- Pasta: Make your soup heartier and throw in some pasta! Orzo or ditalini can be excellent choices.
- Spice It Up: Introduce red pepper flakes for an extra kick, or try it with additional herbs like rosemary or thyme.
- Simmer: Make sure you allow your soup to come to a simmer, you want your veggies to be slightly tender but not mush.
- More Herbs: For more intense flavor, use additional fresh herbs like oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme.
- Frozen Vegetables: You don’t have to use all fresh veggies, feel free to use frozen, instead.
- Vegan Option: This is a great vegan dinner option as long as you use vegetable broth instead of chicken or beef.
Serving Suggestions
- Bread: I enjoy my cabbage soup with a big loaf of rustic skillet olive bread to dip into that fire-roasted tomato broth. To keep it light, try my cloud bread with this soup.
- Salad: Pair your soup with a fresh, crisp green goddess salad or this crunchy kale quinoa salad.
- Grilled Vegetables: Grab some veggies and give them a quick grill. These grilled vegetables with halloumi are a flavorful side that adds a delicious, charred flavor.
How to Store Leftovers
- Let the cabbage soup cool down to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- To freeze this cabbage soup, let it cool completely, then put it into an airtight container and place it in your freezer. It will keep for about 2 to 3 months.
More Cabbage Recipes
- Fried Cabbage with Bacon
- Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
- Classic Southern Coleslaw
- Cabbage Cucumber Salad
- Macedonian Cabbage Rolls
- Corned Beef and Cabbage
ENJOY!
Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, cut into cubes
- 1 small orange bell pepper, cut into cubes
- 1 large carrot, cut into thin coins
- ¾ teaspoon salt, add more or less (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 5 cups chopped cabbage, about 1/2 head of a cabbage
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14.5 ounces canned fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 6 to 8 cups low sodium vegetable broth, you can also use chicken broth or beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 small zucchini, sliced and cut into half moons
- 2 cups broccoli florets
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions to the heated oil and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the bell peppers, carrots, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and parsley, and cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the cabbage and cook for 4 minutes or until starting to wilt.
- Add the tomato paste and stir until combined. Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes and Italian seasoning.
- Stir in the broth and add the bay leaves; increase the heat to High and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a steady simmer and continue to cook for 7 minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini slices and broccoli florets; cook for 5 more minutes.
- Remove from heat. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
- Remove bay leaves and discard.
- Serve.
Notes
- Veggie Swap: Switch up or add veggies as you like, and you could also toss in diced potatoes for a hearty touch. No fresh veggies? Frozen ones work just fine.
- Protein Boost: Add variations like diced ham, bacon, or shredded chicken.
- Plant-Based Protein: Include rinsed kidney beans, cannellini beans, or chickpeas for a meatless protein option.
- Pasta Addition: Make it filling with a handful of orzo or ditalini pasta.
- Spice: A sprinkle of red pepper flakes or extra herbs like rosemary or thyme can elevate the flavor.
- Simmer: Let the soup simmer to ensure veggies are tender but not overly soft.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Ooops forgot to leave a rating!
This recipe provides the base for a wonderful and filling soup. I took your suggestion and added a little bit of mild sausage. I also used chicken broth with some roasted chicken better than bouillon and replaced the diced tomato with a can of rotel for a little bit of a kick and it turned out delicious. I love being able to grab something so filling as a healthy for lunch that’s easy to make during meal prep for the week. Love your site and all the recipes I’m discovering!
Can you tell me how many calories instead of acal
What is considered a serving
1-1/2 cups.
Katerina, thank you ‼️
Make this often! Throw in whatever veggies I have. Always turns out great!
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Really great recipe! I added extra tomatoe paste. Tasty great thank you
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Can I use bag Cole slaw… I have on hand
Yes, that definitely works.
A lot of chopping but turned out really great. Wonderful flavor. Will last many meals. Even freezing half of it. Super healthy.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Can you freeze this soup?
Tried this soup years ago and it really worked. Going to try it again. 😊😊
That’s great! I hope you’ll love it! 🙂
Happy New year 2022
I am trying this soup tonight for the first time. My body is so ready for a healthy soup I cannot wait until it’s finished! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I’ve often made this soup with different veggies just to change it up but what I like to do is add 1/4 cup fat free cottage cheese on top of the hot soup. It melts in and tastes like lasagna. So good and there’s your protein or plain Greek style yogurt.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I love how hearty is this cabbage soup! A must try recipe for sure!
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I love the health benefits that come with this simple, hearty, and comforting soup! I make soup year round and this one is always a go-to.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This is everything a gourmet soup should be, and then some! Looking forward to enjoying this for dinner again this evening!
I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank you so much! 🙂
One scoop is not enough! This is great!
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I’ve been eating so heavy lately that this is the perfect addition to our meal rotation. Light but still filling. Loved it!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This Cabbage Soup is seriously making me hungry!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I love love LOVE cabbage soup! I love that this one had tons of veggies in it – so good! I could eat it every day.
I am glad the you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I can eat this soup any time, it is so delicious! It is one of those recipe that always hits the spot!
Thank you so much! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Love all the flavors going on in this soup! It’s so hearty & healthy, which makes it even better!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂