This Cabbage Soup recipe is so rich and flavorful! It’s easy to make with veggies you have on hand. Serve it with crusty bread, and dinner is ready!
We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.
joseph campbell
This Cabbage Soup truly hits the spot when you crave a healthy, quick-to-make soup. The cabbage gets melty and tender and sweetens up as it simmers in the flavorful broth. Made with simple ingredients, it’s wholesome and comforting.
Why you’ll love this Cabbage Soup
Cabbage is often underappreciated, but this soup highlights its best features! It’s affordable, versatile, and lasts a long time.
This soup is highly adaptable and can be made with what you have on hand. Want to add protein? See all the variations below!
Cabbage is healthy! Low in glycemic index, and a good source of potassium and fiber, essential for heart health. Here are more of our favorite cabbage recipes!
Cabbage Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Cabbage: the star of the dish! Use one small green cabbage, about a pound.
- Veggies: Carrots, mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Use what you have on hand. Mushrooms add a lovely depth of flavor.
- Tomato Paste: adds sweetness and depth.
- Dijon Mustard: adds a little punchy kick!
- Seasonings: Thyme, bay leaves and smoked paprika create a full flavor base.
- Vegetable broth– try our favorite recipe, or use store-bought.
- Sherry Vinegar– for a little acidity. (Red Wine Vinegar or Apple Cider is fine too).
- Garnish with fresh Parsley. Adds a nice brightness to the soup.
*See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Cabbage Soup Variations
- Add beans. Boost up the protein with beans- white beans, cannellini beans, kidney beans, or chickpeas.
- Add ground meat. Make it heartier with ground meat (ground turkey, chicken, lamb or beef, or plant-based meat). Brown it first, then continue with the recipe!
- Thicken and add texture with diced potatoes, grains, wild rice or barley.
- Like it Spicy? Add red pepper flakes or Aleppo chili flakes.
How To Make The Best Cabbage Soup
STEP ONE– Gather up and chop your ingredients. Cut the cabbage into one-inch chunks.
STEP TWO– Sauté onions with olive oil in a heavy soup pot for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Turn heat to medium and add in mushrooms sauté another 5 minutes. Add more olive oil if needed or put a lid on for a minute this will let the mushrooms sweat and soften without adding more oil.
STEP THREE– Add garlic, cabbage, carrots, smoked paprika, thyme, dijon, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Mix until tomato paste is fully distributed.
STEP FOUR– Add vegetable broth and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add parsley and sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar). Taste and adjust salt and vinegar to taste.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with fresh sourdough bread, cornbread, biscuits or rolls.
How to Store and Freeze
Cabbage soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. It can also be reheated gently on the stovetop.
Freeze cabbage soup in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Faqs
Cabbage is loaded with nutrients, folate, and fiber. Cabbage may help reduce inflammation, help digestion, and lower cholesterol.
Cabbage contains sulforaphane which helps the body fight against toxins. Cabbage also contains glutathione, an antioxidant that may help with the detoxifying function of the liver.
Yes, it freezes great and cabbage will be even more tender when reheated.
More Favorite Cabbage Soup Recipes
Hope you enjoy this soup. Let us know your favorite version!
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
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Easy Cabbage Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 7 cups
- Category: soup
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Simple clean ingredients full of comforting flavors, this Cabbage Soup is healthy, satisfying and easy to make. Perfect for busy weekdays and leftovers are delicious! Vegan.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped (2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 3 cups (8 oz) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small cabbage (1 pound) cut in large chunks about 1 inch
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth, or chicken broth.
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar– a little sharper so start with 1 teaspoon or try champagne vinegar)
Instructions
- Sauté onions with olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium and add in mushrooms sauté another 5 minutes. Add more olive oil if needed or put a lid on for a minute this will let the mushrooms sweat and soften without adding more oil.
- Add garlic, cabbage, carrots, smoked paprika, thyme, bay leaf, dijon, tomato paste, salt, pepper. Mix until tomato paste is fully distributed.
- Add broth and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Add parsley and sherry vinegar (champagne vinegar or red wine vinegar). Adjust salt and acid to taste. If it tastes bland, it probably needs salt.
Makes 7 cups
Notes
- Boost up the protein with Beans: white beans, kidney beans, chickpeas or Meat: veggie meat or ground turkey, chicken or beef. If adding beans, add to the pot with the broth. If adding meat, brown it first, set it aside and continue with the recipe, adding it back in with the broth.
- Thicken and add texture with diced potatoes or grains like wild rice or barley- remember to adjust salt- you’ll need more.
- Like it Spicy? Add red pepper flakes or Aleppo
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 3/4 cup
- Calories: 133
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 513.9 mg
- Fat: 2.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 23.2 g
- Fiber: 5.3 g
- Protein: 9.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I made this tonight and it’s delicious! It’s similar to a soup I love only better. I added 1/2 tsp of caraway seeds, sliced Linguica sausage and a couple of peeled and chopped Roma tomatoes that needed to be used up. Very satisfying on a cold winter night. I would never tire of this soup. Thank you!
Love it, so perfect to add those extras!
Delicious! This one’s going into the winter rotation.
Great to hear Tracey!
Perfect soup for a rainy evening!! Flavors were very good although I did omit 1/2 tsp of salt….it needed that extra bit. I suppose that’s why chefs toss copious amounts of salt into every savory dish! So would I make this again? Yes, it’s easy and doesn’t require hours in the crockpot. Having said that; I’m new to the Instant Pot world and loving your recipes…how long would this recipe take in the IP?
Glad you enjoyed!
This is just a guess on the IP- probably only needs about 2 minutes as it will take 15 to come up to pressure and then let it naturally release for 8-10 minutes. Let us know if you give it a try!
great recipe!I made this soup with beef and it was very tasty!
Sounds great!
This soup has tons of flavor, absolutely delicious and almost stew-like due to all the yummy veggies (I did also add the suggested white beans and pepper flakes). It is super simple to cook and the ingredients are quite inexpensive, so it’s a great frugal option. I often make the Hot & Sour Cabbage Soup recipe and I appreciate that this one has a very different flavor profile, so I have an excuse to eat cabbage soup twice as often 🙂
Happy you like this one too Nicole!
This is my new favorite cabbage soup recipe! I added beans and red pepper flakes after reading the recommendations in the notes section, and it has such a nice kick to it!
Great to hear Kathleen!
Added a dash of white wine and farro. Delicious!
Sounds great.
Wow! This is SUPER delicious! I used Thanksgiving Day turkey’s leftover broth, it it makes the soup more rich! Your recipes are always yummy! Thanks, Sylvia:)
Yum, that sounds amazing! Glad you are enjoying Faith 🙂
Just made it tonight. You had me at smoked paprika, mustard and mushrooms
🙂
Fantastic veggie soup! I’ve made lots of cabbage-centric, vegetable soups over the years and this one is at least one above all the rest. The recipe is clear, easy to follow, and the suggested additions resulted in a hearty and flavorful dish. Thanks FAH team!
So glad you enjoyed Ingrid 🙂
Mmmm … I don’t know how you always get so much flavour into your soups, Sylvia, this is delicious!
This one is Tonia’s and she’s got a way with soups! All those daily soups at our restaurant years ago. 😉
Wonderful soup and so flavorful. Served with the Gorgonzola Pear Salad with Vanilla fig dressing. What a nice way to celebrate
Fall 🍁🍲
Thanks Lynne! Sounds like a yummy pairing.
If adding rice, when would I add it?
Also, is the ingredient dijon referring to dijon mustard?
Yes, dijon mustard, I will make that more clear! I would add cooked rice in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
If adding wild rice in the soup, when would I add it?
If adding in uncooked wild rice, add with the broth (no more then 1/4-1/2 cup), the soup may need to simmer a little longer. If adding in precooked rice, add in the last few minutes of cooking, just to warm. 🙂
Mouthwateringly tasty! So savory and warming. I didn’t have mushrooms or parsley and added cilantro stems and celery leaves. My family loved it with sourdough + chicken, and sweet potato + shrimp. I will be making this again.
Nice Megan, love how you adapted!
Easy and delicious, great soup for chilly autumn days. I have been craving cabbage soup and this did the trick. I didn’t change or add anything, it was great. Thanks again for another wonderful recipe!
Wonderful Dianne!
Light and very tasty! Perfect for fall lunches with a slice of homemade bread. My additions included a bay leaf, 1/4 tsp Aleppo chili flakes, about a 1/2 cup of dried shiitakes and their soaking liquid. Also used champagne vinegar as it seemed like a good match for this soup. Wasn’t feeling like adding beans or grains so went with a diced russet potato and that was perfect.
Love that you made it your own Lyn!
Wow, this is delicious! Just the thing for getting over a cold and returning from long travels with an over abundance of rich food. Thank you!
Glad this soup helped heal you Debra!
Caraway seeds and laurel leave are the must in cabbage soup. I make it often, without the smoked paprika. Next time I’ll give it a try.
Best regards, Mona
Yum! Sounds great.
Delicious! I added the white beans. I am enjoying many of your recipes.
Great Evelyn, so glad you enjoyed!
Lover it! crisp and refreshing used champagne vinegar in substitute for sherry vinegar. Will definitely make it again thanks 😊
Nice Charlie! Sounds great.
This looks delicious, and I can’t wait to try it! Do you think it would work with red cabbage?
Sure! It will just change the color, obviously :).
Another winner. Tonia’s broth is robust and flavorful, and the soup is filling but not heavy. I added a splash of piri-piri spice, a can of cannellini beans. Great with ciabatta bread for lunch on a blustery fall day.
Thanks Gail, so glad you enjoyed!
I’ve made this for years without the Dijon and vinegar; I’ll have to try it. I call it Clean Out The Fridge soup and I’ll even throw any left over meat. My husband likes fall because I start making this again.
Nice!
Tonia, I want to make this, but can’t do nightshades. What would you recommend in place of the tomato paste for texture and acid?
I think it would be ok without the tomato paste? You may up the vinegar and/or dijon. You could also blend 1/2 cup of the finished soup if you want a thicker broth.
Many thanks, Tonia. Will give that a try.
I too avoid nightshades. I’ve had success in substituting tomato paste with sweet potato puree + tamarind paste. Gives body, color and tang.
I steam a whole sweet potato, puree and then batch freeze in ice cube trays. Just thaw and add tamarind.
Today I was out of tamarind and had pumpkin puree on hand. I threw in two teaspoons plus one (additional) teaspoon of sherry vin. Came out great!
I bet this could work with any winter squash.
What a great idea Lara!