Cabbage Soup
A hearty vegetable soup built around cabbage, with carrots, celery, tomatoes, and a savory broth. Famous as a 'diet' soup but actually a satisfying meal in its own right when made well. The trick is browning some of the cabbage first for depth.
Prep Time
11 min
Cook Time
16 min
Servings
2
Calories
216 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Cabbage½
- Carrot½ medium
- Onion½ medium
- Garlic1 ½ cloves
- Black Pepper¼ tsp
- Bay Leaves½
- Olive Oil1 tbsp
- Salt½ tsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 2 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Cabbage0.5
- Carrot0.5 medium
- Onion0.5 medium
- Garlic1.5 cloves
- Black Pepper0.25 tsp
- Bay Leaves0.5
- Olive Oil1 tbsp
- Salt0.5 tsp
Instructions
- 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add 1 chopped onion, 3 chopped carrots, and 3 chopped celery stalks. Cook 5 minutes until softened.
- 2
Add 4 minced garlic cloves and ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Cook 30 seconds.
- 3
Add half of a head of cabbage (about 4 cups), chopped into 1-inch pieces. Stir to incorporate. Cook 5 minutes — letting some pieces brown adds depth that boiled-only cabbage soup lacks.
- 4
Pour in 1 can (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- 5
Add the remaining cabbage and 1 cup of frozen green beans. Simmer 20 minutes until everything is tender.
- 6
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in juice of half a lemon and a handful of chopped fresh parsley. Taste and adjust salt. Serve with crusty bread or alongside a grilled cheese sandwich.
Watch how to make Cabbage Soup
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Brown some cabbage first. Letting the first batch of cabbage get some color builds depth that pure simmered cabbage lacks.
- 2.Lemon juice at the end. Adds brightness and balances the sweetness of the cabbage and carrots. Skipping makes the soup taste flat.
- 3.Don't overcook the cabbage. Past 30 minutes total, cabbage turns to colorless mush. The second-batch addition keeps some pieces firmer.
- 4.Crushed tomatoes, not diced. Crushed provides body and a uniform texture. Diced gives you chunks in a thin broth.
🔬 Why It Works
Cabbage soup gets its body from cooked-down vegetables (especially the carrots, which release sugar that thickens the broth slightly) and crushed tomatoes. Browning some cabbage first adds Maillard depth that pure boiled cabbage soup lacks — many homemade versions taste washed-out because every ingredient just gets boiled. The two-stage cabbage addition (some browned, some added later) provides textural variety. Lemon juice at the end brightens everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why is cabbage soup considered a diet soup?▾
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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