A soothing Cabbage Rice Soup with lemon and ginger - light, nourishing, and thoughtfully balanced. Finish with chili crisp if you like heat. Make a batch for the week ahead, and you’ll have a healthy vegan meal at the ready.

bowl of cabbage rice soup with scallions and chili flakes on top.

After all the holiday feasting, my body is crying out for gentle, soothing meals. Yes, I love to indulge a bit – but try to balance it out with nourishing everyday meals like this simple cabbage rice soup. What I love about this soup, besides its wholesomeness and affordability, is how simple the ingredients are. Yet the flavor of lemon and ginger has me coming back for more! Finish it with chili crisp for a bit of heat and crunchy texture.

Why You’ll Love This

  1. Simple ingredients. It’s amazing how frugal ingredients, like cabbage, rice, onion, and broth, can come together to create a comforting, cozy, steaming bowl of soup.
  2. Quick & easy. Only 15 minutes of hands-on prep time, it comes together in about half an hour.
  3. Wholesome & nutritious! Vitamin-rich vegetables and broth make this a nourishing soup for a boost during the winter months.
  4. Freezer-friendly. Perfect for meal prep.

Ingredients

ingredients for cabbage rice soup - lemon, ginger, garlic, rice, cabbage, salt, pepper shaker, onion, broth, green onions.
  • Cabbage: Use shredded green cabbage, savoy cabbage, or red cabbage.
  • Rice: Use a sturdy white rice like Basmati rice or Jasmine rice. You can use brown rice, but you’ll need to increase the cooking time.
  • Onion, garlic, and ginger: Sautéed onion, garlic clove, and fresh ginger impart deep, savory, and aromatic flavor. You can substitute ginger paste.
  • Red pepper flakes: For a hint of heat!
  • Vegetable broth: Or use chicken broth. Try our homemade vegetable broth or homemade chicken stock for the deepest flavor. Or use veggie bouillon paste (see notes).
  • Bay leaves: Optional, but adds a lovely fragrant, herbal taste.
  • Lemon: Fresh lemon juice brightens the soup with vibrant, citrus flavor.
  • Scallions: Adds a touch of pungent, aromatic flavor for a bold finish.
  • Garnishes: Scallions, cilantro, crispy shallots, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, a spoonful of chili crisp, or a drizzle of sriracha.

Variations

  • Add meat: Add shredded chicken or any browned ground meat for extra protein.
  • Add plant-based protein: For plant-based protein, add chickpeas, white beans, or lentils.
  • Add potatoes: For a hearty soup, diced Yukon gold potatoes make a nice addition.
  • Add more veggies: Boost the veggie content with carrots, celery, or tomatoes.

How to Make Cabbage Rice Soup

1. Sauté the aromatics. Add olive oil to a large soup pot and turn to medium-high heat. Sauté the yellow onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Reduce to medium heat and stir for a few more minutes, until tender. Stir in the chili flakes.

2. Add cabbage, rice, and broth, and simmer. Shred the whole head of cabbage, then add the shredded cabbage, rice, vegetable broth, sea salt, black pepper, and optional bay leaf to the pot. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. When ready, the cabbage and rice should be tender. Stir in 2/3 of the scallions.

pouring broth into pot with green cabbage and rice.
soup pot with cabbage rice soup topped with green onions.

3. Add lemon juice and taste and adjust. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Taste and adjust, adding more salt and lemon to taste. If it tastes too salty, add a little water.

4. Serve and garnish. Divide the soup into bowls and top with desired garnishes, such as scallions, cilantro, crispy shallots, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, a spoonful of chili crisp (my favorite!), or a drizzle of sriracha.

bowl of cabbage rice soup with spoon, garnished with green onions, chili flakes, and chili crisp.

Chef’s Tips

  1. Don’t be tempted to add more rice. Adding too much rice will result in rice porridge- trust me.
  2. Taste and adjust. When adding lemon juice, taste the soup to adjust the lemon, salt, pepper, and chili flakes to your preference. This is where the magic happens!
  3. Don’t skip the garnishes! The garnishes really elevate the soup, adding extra flavor and texture. Add scallions or cilantro for something fresh and herby, crispy shallots for crunchy texture, toasted sesame oil for depth and complexity, and chili crisp or sriracha for heat.
  4. Make a double batch and freeze the rest for later. This soup freezes beautifully (for 3 months). Make a double batch so that you have a quick and nutritious meal for when life gets busy.

Serving Suggestions

After you load your soup up with garnishes (scallions, cilantro, crispy shallots, toasted sesame oil, chili crisp, or sriracha), serve this cozy soup with warm, crusty bread, like sourdough or a baguette, or serve with scallion pancakes!

Serve with a side salad like Bok Choy Salad or Fennel Orange Salad.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop.

FAQs

What type of cabbage do I use for cabbage rice soup?

Any cabbage works for this recipe! You can use green cabbage, savoy cabbage, or red cabbage.

What spices go with cabbage soup?

We keep it simple here, adding red pepper flakes, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. These spices enhance the natural flavors of the veggies, letting the cabbage and onion be the stars of the recipe.

Can I add meat to cabbage rice soup?

Yes! If desired, you can add shredded chicken or ground beef for extra heartiness and protein.

bowl of cabbage rice soup with spoon, garnished with green onions and chili flakes.

More Soup RECIPES You Might Like

⭐️ After you try this Cabbage Rice Soup recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia

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cabbage rice soup with lemon and ginger

Cabbage Rice Soup Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 19 reviews
  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: fall soup, soup recipe, winter soup
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

A soothing Cabbage Rice Soup with lemon and ginger-light, nourishing, and comforting. Finish with chili crisp for a spicy, cozy bowl.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4–8 cloves garlic ( I like 8), minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated or chopped (or use ginger paste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes ( more or less to taste)
  • 1 1/2 lbs shredded cabbage (6 cups) -green cabbage or savoy cabbage
  • 1/2 cup basmati rice (or jasmine rice)
  • 6 cups veggie broth (or chicken stock)
  • 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves, optional
  • One lemon, add juice to taste ( 2-ish tablespoons)
  • 3 scallions, sliced
  • Garnishes: scallions, cilantro or crispy shallots, a drizzle ot toasted sesame oil, or spoon on chili crisp for heat and color.

Instructions

  1. Sauté: Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in the olive oil over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, and continue stirring for 4 more minutes, until tender. Stir in the chili flakes for 1 minute.
  2. Simmer: Add the shredded cabbage, rice, veggie broth, salt, pepper, and bay leaves,  give a stir, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until cabbage and rice are both tender. Stir in ⅔ of the scallions.
  3. Season:  Squeeze with lemon juice, taste, and adjust the broth with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. You want it flavorful- adding more salt and lemon to taste. If you make it too salty, add a little water.
  4. Serve: Ladle into bowls, top with more scallions (or cilantro), a drizzle of toasted sesame oil if you like, or chili crisp (my favorite) or a little sriracha.

Notes

Tip: Garnishes really elevate this soup- the chili crisp adds great texture too.

Broth: I used 6 cups of water and 3 teaspoons of Veggie Bouillon paste. You can make the soup more brothy at the end if you like.

Rice- do not be tempted to add more rice- you will end up with rice porridge. You can use brown rice, but you will have to increase cooking time. 

Storage. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 ½ cup
  • Calories: 164
  • Sugar: 7.9 g
  • Sodium: 972 mg
  • Fat: 5.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 28.5 g
  • Fiber: 3.4 g
  • Protein: 3.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Comments

  1. I love this soup! second time made and it is just solid and wonderful. Crispy chili was our added little bit.

    Reply

  2. I made this recipe exactly as written and added a few sprinkles of dried dill at the end, and my hubby and I had it for lunch. It was so very delicious and we commented on the fabulous flavours, which had a bit of warmth and fresh bite from the ginger. I’m definitely keeping this on my soup rotation of recipes!

    Reply

  4. This recipe is a keeper. I love that it’s not sweet as are many cabbage soup recipes that I’ve tried. The only change I made was to keep the rice separate, placing some at the bottom of the bowl, with the soup poured over the top. Delicious! Thank you!

    Reply

  5. Îmi plac toate mâncărurile pe care le faci ! Nu le-am încercat pe toate dar folosești multe legume au o prezentare de le mănânci întâi cu “ochii” !

    Reply

  6. Comforting soup, garnishes do elevate it. Made soup in the morning to eat at suppertime rice absorbed all the broth. Next time I will try cooking the rice on its own then add it to soup when consuming, what do you think?

    Reply

  10. Delicious and soothing soup! I made more sticky tempeh and added it on top ☺️ thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

  11. Hi, plan to make it but I’m not a big fan of basmati/jasmine rice and I only have on hand parboiled rice. Can I use it ?
    Thanks
    Joëlle

    Reply

    1. That seems like is would work Joëlle, maybe follow the directions on the package- not sure if that would need more cook time or less.

      Reply

  12. I was wondering if I could add some cod or sole to this soup to add in some protein? Thanks.

    Reply

  13. Im just getting over the flu and this soup really hits the spot! I made it for breakfast and it’s the perfect way to start the day.

    Reply

  15. Thank you for this recipe. Very good soup, healthy, quick to put together, frugal and very tasty. I agree that the garnishes take the soup to another level, especially the lemon. Winter comfort in a bowl:)

    Reply

  16. I have tried and enjoyed many of your healthy recipes. This cabbage soup is a winner for me. I just recently tried your Probiotic Shot recipe and used the tangy, kimchi veg for the Cabbage soup. So delicious. Thank you for all your postings at feastingathome.com!!!

    Reply

      1. Thanks for clarifying! I guessed minced when I made it last night and it was just fabulous. It seems so simple yet it’s so delicious. I used brown rice and added some thinly sliced cremini mushrooms and sliced snow peas for the last few minutes of the cook time and some air fried tofu, chili crisp and Thai basil when serving. This is absolutely going into my regular rotation. Delicious, comforting, satisfying.

        Reply

  20. This wonderful soup recipe utilizes ingredients we regularly have on hand. Very glad I tried it. I’ll be making it again.

    Reply

  21. This soup is so delicious, made it last night and everyone loved it. Will be making a batch for the freezer this weekend.

    Reply

  22. Haha, I noticed another person from Ontario, Canada who was in the same mood as me on a chilly winter’s day! I forgot the chilli flakes but didn’t need them – very comforting! Thank you for another great recipe 🙂

    Reply

  23. Thank you for the recipe. We are having our first snowstorm in Ontario Canada today. I had some leftover cabbage and made this soup with grilled cheese for lunch. Great soup on a cold, snowy day. Thank you.

    Reply

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