Cabbage Soup
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Published Jan 19, 2024, Updated Nov 05, 2024
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This cabbage soup is healthy, comforting and loaded with flavor! It’s packed with veggies and comes together quickly for a nourishing meal that’s perfect for cold days.
Where are my cabbage lovers at?! Because this cabbage soup recipe is for you!
I know, I know, cabbage soup doesn’t sound too exciting, but you’ve got to trust me on this one! It’s nutritious, flavorful, and oh, so comforting—similar to my detox soup or lasagna soup when you’re craving something warm and nourishing.
This one has quickly become one of my favorite EBF soups to make on chilly days, and I can’t wait for you to try it. Once you do, I bet it’ll be on repeat all season long!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comforting – This soup is hearty and cozy. It’s the perfect meal to make on a cold fall or winter day!
- One pot – Made in just one pot, it’s super easy clean up.
- Healthy – It’s loaded with tons of vegetables and a full head of cabbage, which is packed with tons of health benefits. It’s also dairy-free and vegan, making it perfect for those with dietary restrictions.
Cabbage Soup Ingredients
While cabbage is the star of this recipe, this soup is so much more than just cabbage! It’s packed with lots of fresh veggies and tons of seasonings that really amp up the flavors of this soup. Here’s what you’ll need:
- green cabbage – the star of the show! After washing the cabbage, chop into 1 ½ inch chunks. I recommend using green cabbage for the best results.
- vegetables – you’ll sauté chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic for a delicious flavorful base.
- vegetable stock or broth – I recommend using low sodium stock or broth so you can control how salty the soup turns out. You can always add salt but you can’t remove it! If you don’t need this soup to be vegan you can use chicken broth instead.
- unsweetened applesauce – I know this sounds like a strange addition, but it really helps balance the flavors of the soup and adds a touch of sweetness! You can use store-bought applesauce or easily make homemade applesauce.
- diced tomatoes – I used regular diced tomatoes, but feel free to use fire roasted tomatoes if you want more flavor.
- apple cider vinegar – just a splash to deglaze the pot after sautéing the vegetables. It will also help brighten the flavors of the soup. If you don’t have acv you can use white vinegar or lemon juice instead.
- seasonings and spices – dried thyme, bay leaf, sea salt, pepper and cinnamon. The cinnamon is optional, but it adds flavor depth to this soup!
- olive oil – to sauté the vegetables in. Avocado oil also works.
- fresh parsley – optional for garnish but I love adding fresh herbs to my soups!
Cabbage Soup Variations
- Add spice – If you’re a fan of spice feel free to add a dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes! I kept the base recipe on the milder side.
- Protein – Want to add some protein to this soup? Go for it! It would be delicious with ground turkey or ground beef added to it. For a vegan protein option this soup would be delicious with white beans or lentils added in. PS: I do have an amazing cabbage lentil soup if you’re interested in checking that out!
- Add carbs – Make this soup heartier by adding in chopped potatoes or cooked brown/white rice. If adding potatoes, add them with the carrots and onions and if adding cooked rice you can stir it in directly to the soup once it’s done cooking.
- Thicken it up – If you prefer a thicker soup you can easily thicken this soup up by adding tomato paste or even a can of mashed white beans.
How to Make Cabbage Soup
This soup is super easy to whip up. Just sauté your veggies, simmer and enjoy!
Step 1: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, stirring until softened and fragrant, about 7 minutes.
Step 2: Stir in garlic, thyme, cinnamon (if using), bay leaf, salt, and pepper, cooking for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to deglaze the pot.
Step 3: Add vegetable broth, applesauce, canned tomatoes, and cabbage, then bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.
Step 4: Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, and stir in the remaining apple cider vinegar. Taste, adjust seasonings if needed, and top with fresh parsley before serving warm.
Brittany’s Tips
- Sauté for flavor: Don’t rush the sautéing of onions, carrots, and celery. Letting them cook slowly brings out their sweetness, which adds a lovely depth to the soup.
- Add fresh herbs last: If you’re adding any fresh parsley or herbs, stir them in just before serving to keep their flavor vibrant and fresh.
How to Serve Cabbage Soup
This soup can totally be a meal on its own for a light lunch, but I love serving it with a salad and some crusty bread or crackers for a more filling meal. Here are some ideas:
- With bread: Serve with a slice of crusty bread like homemade sourdough, or try this vegan cornbread or whole wheat honey brown bread.
- With crackers: For the crackers, you can make my almond flour crackers or use your favorite store-bought cracker. I’ve been hooked on Simple Mills crackers because they have minimal, clean ingredients and taste delicious!
- With a salad: I love pairing soup with a side salad. Some salads that would go well with this soup are this butternut squash salad, winter salad or simple kale salad.
- With protein: If you’re looking for more protein, serve this soup as a side to this apple cider vinegar chicken, maple turmeric chicken, air fryer tofu or marinated tempeh.
How to Store & Reheat
In the refrigerator: After allowing the soup to cool slightly, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
In the freezer: You can also freeze this soup for up to 3 months. To defrost, take the soup out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, you can place the frozen soup (still in the sealed storage container) in a large bowl or pot of hot water to speed up the defrosting process.
How to reheat: You can easily reheat this soup in a saucepan over the stovetop or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, adding protein is a great way to make this soup more filling. You can add beans (like cannellini or kidney beans), cooked chicken, or even tofu. Just add it during the last 10-15 minutes of simmering.
If the soup thickens too much as it simmers, simply add a bit more vegetable broth or water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Absolutely! Sauté the veggies first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the cabbage is tender.
Cabbage is full of health benefits! It’s loaded with nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin K, fiber, and potassium, all essential for body functions and immune health. Thanks to its high fiber content, cabbage is great for digestion. Plus, it’s packed with antioxidants that help fight inflammation, which may lower the risk of certain chronic diseases.
Popular Soup Recipes to Try
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Easy Vegetable Soup
- The Best Minestrone Soup
- Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Zuppa Toscana Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
- White Bean Soup
Be sure to check out my full collection of healthy soup recipes.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion, chopped, about 1 cup
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped, about 1 ½ cups
- 2 stalks celery, chopped, about 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, optional
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 small green cabbage, about 1 pound, chopped into 1 ½ inch chunks
- fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery, stirring occasionally until veggies have softened and are fragrant, about 7 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, thyme, cinnamon (if using), bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook for 1-2 additional minutes. Add 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to deglaze the pot.
- Add vegetable broth, applesauce, canned tomatoes and cabbage and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until cabbage is thoroughly cooked and tender.
- Remove from heat, remove bay leaf and stir in the remaining apple cider vinegar. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, if needed. Serve warm topped with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Storage: You can keep this soup in the fridge for 5–7 days in an airtight container or freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to reheat, warm it on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
- Substitutions: If you don’t have apple cider vinegar to deglaze your pot, you can use white vinegar or lemon juice instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just made this followed the ingredients exactly but cooked it in the instant pot. It is now my favorite cabbage soup!!! Ive been looking and trying all kinds of recipes. This one is the winner!!! So flavorful and healthy too! I might add garbanzo beans next time.
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Karen. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me.
Ugh yuk… apple sauce!…. why on earth would you put apple sauce in cabbage soup?!. It tastes terrible.
Hi Malou! Have you tried this recipe? I know applesauce sounds like a strange addition, but it really helps balance the flavors of the soup and adds a touch of sweetness! I hope you will give it a try, this recipe is seriously so delicious!
can you add tomato juice
Hi Judy – What would you replace the tomato juice with?
I am really looking forward to making this soup, but I was wondering if I wanted to add some ground beef/turkey to it when would I do so?
Thank you 🙂
Hey Ada – I would either cook the ground beef/turkey in the pot before adding all the rest of the ingredients or you could cook it separately and add it in to the soup at the end. Let me know if you end up trying it and how it turns out.
I am 73 years old and I love some of these recipes. BUT, by the time I get to the recipe and start to read it, ads keep popping in and it jumps to other recipes and I get so frustrated that I usually just close it down and forget about new recipes and just stay with my old ones. Sorry, never made the soup.
Oh no so sorry to hear that you’re having troubles viewing the recipes because of the ads, Janet. Are you looking at the recipes on your desktop or phone? I’ll make sure to chat with my developer about this because the ads shouldn’t be bringing you to new recipes.
Made this for dinner last night and it was great. I had a couple of apples so used them to make a quick applesauce. Recipe was easy and delicious!
Yum! Sounds like a delicious dinner, Judy! Thanks for sharing and leaving a review, I really appreciate it.
I made this yesterday during the great “snowmegeddon.” It is excellent! And perfect after digging my car out of the snow. I added ground turkey and some chopped kale. (I don’t particularly like kale and this dish disguised it well. Thanks!!
So glad you loved this recipe, Lynda! Thanks for the review and for letting me know what changes you made!
This was so yummy and a great weekday lunch or meal. Thank you!
Happy to hear, Rachel! Thanks for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
It smells amazing! We are waiting for it to cool a bit before eating.
I did notice that the vegetables never fully became soft. Cooking them in the broth till soft and then adding the tomatoes and vinegar would have shortened the cooking time and taken away some of the crunch. Acid stops vegetables from softening.
Hi Wendy! I hope you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are going to retest the soup without adding the ACV to deglaze the pan and see if that helps with the veggies.
Hi! This looks delish and I am wondering if you think Nappa Cabbage would be OK to use in place of green cabbage? I have a head of it sitting in my fridge that needs to be put to good use and this recipe seems perfect for it!
Hi Caitlyn! Yes, I’m sure Napa cabbage would be fine to use! Let me know what you think of the soup if you try it!