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Best Cabbage Soup Recipe

This Cabbage Soup recipe isn’t just boring vegetables, but carrots, celery, green beans, tomatoes, kidney beans and cabbage swimming in the most dynamic Italian spiced tomato broth. It’s healthy, hearty, comforting, naturally gluten free and extremely versatile. You can swap the vegetables for your favorites and even add Italian sausage, beef, chicken, ham or corned beef and/or rice, barley or pasta - all instructions included! This low-calorie meal is quick and easy but full of flavor AKA healthy comfort food. It also keeps extremely well for easy lunch or dinner throughout the week.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 3 medium size carrots thinly sliced (1 ½ cups)
  • 4 stalks celery sliced (1 ½ cups)
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 oz. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, chopped 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 15.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 8 cups low sodium chicken broth - may sub vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp EACH dried basil, dried parsley
  • 1 tsp EACH dried oregano, salt, sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4-5 cups 1/4-inch wide sliced green cabbage
  • A splash of lemon juice

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
  • Add all remaining soup ingredients EXCEPT cabbage. Cover soup and bring to a boil. Uncover and reduce to a gentle simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  • Stir in the cabbage. Cover and simmer for a few minutes more, just until the cabbage has wilted. Stir in a splash of lemon juice. Taste and season with salt, pepper and/or red pepper to taste (I like more salt). Add additional broth for a less chunky soup if desired.

Notes

Tips and Tricks

  • Prep ahead: This Cabbage Soup comes together very quickly – the only prep work you have to do is chop your veggies.  To save time and make this recipe almost “dump and simmer,” you can prep your vegetables in advance, purchase pre-chopped veggies or use frozen vegetables.
  • Scale Down:  This recipe makes a lot of servings so I would recommend scaling down if you don’t have a large family and don’t want leftovers.  If you do love leftovers (raising my hand high), then you will love leftover Cabbage Soup for an easy lunch or dinner!
  • Rice or barley: I am a HUGE rice and barley fan, so I will often add either one to the soup for more textural interest - see post for instructions/cooking  time.  
  • Consistency:  The “chunkiness” of a soup is totally personal preference.  For a less chunky Cabbage Soup, simply add additional water at the end of cooking.

Cabbage Soup recipe VARIATIONS:

This Cabbage Soup is SO versatile and essentially a chameleon when it comes to add-ins. Here’s a snapshot of options which I’ve gone into greater detail IN THE POST with more ideas and exact cooking times.
  • Swap veggies.  The vegetables are super flexible so just toss in whatever you have on hand or your family favorites.
  • Add protein.  You can add leftover ham, turkey, rotisserie chicken or any other cooked protein at the end of cooking or you can add your own raw chicken, ground beef, ground turkey or Italian sausage and cook it with the soup.
  • Add pasta.  Add your favorite small pasta along with additional broth the last 10 minutes or so of cooking.
  • Add grains.  Add rice, leftover rice, quinoa or lentils.
  • Make it spicy.  Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and/or additional pepper for a spicier soup and to awaken all of the flavors.  You can also saute a seeded, chopped jalapeno with the onions.
  • Add Parmesan:  Stir in freshly grated Parmesan at the end of the cooking.

PREPARE AHEAD

Although this Cabbage Soup is very easy to make, it does require some chopping. Fortunately, you can do ALL of the prep work ahead of time:
  • Veggies:  chop all the vegetables and aromatics the night before and place them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator according to when they are added to the soup. 
  • Potatoes:  The only vegetable that needs special attention are the potatoes.  Chopped potatoes need to be submerged in water, covered with plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator or else they will brown due to oxidation.  By keeping them submerged, however, I guarantee they will look as good as new!

Storage & REHEATING

Let Cabbage Soup come to room temperature then transfer the soup to an airtight container or separate containers for meal prep.  Refrigerate for up to 5 days.  To reheat:
  • Crockpot:  Transfer soup to a crockpot and heat on low for 1-3 hours.  The time will depend on how much soup you have remaining.
  • Stove:  Alternatively, you can reheat large batches on the stove over medium low heat, stirring occasionally about 10 minutes.
  • Microwave:  For smaller batches or individual servings, transfer soup to a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lids or paper towel.  Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed.

How to FREEZE

If you are making this Cabbage Soup just to freeze, then I would omit the potatoes because potatoes do not freeze-and-reheat as well.  You can still enjoy potatoes in your current soup and freeze the leftovers without potatoes by cooking the potatoes separately.  To steam your potatoes, place them in a microwave safe bowl with about ¼” of water up the sides, cover, and microwave until tender, about 8 minutes.  Add potatoes to the portion of the soup you are not freezing.
To freeze Cabbage Soup recipe:
  1. Cool: Allow soup to cool completely before freezing to preserve the integrity of the ingredients and so it doesn’t linger in the “danger zone” temperature for too long.
  2. Package:  Transfer soup to a freezer safe container or smaller containers. 
  3. Freeze. Freeze for up to 3 months.
  4. Defrost/Reheat. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat on the stove or microwave per instructions.

Crockpot Cabbage Soup

  • Add all ingredients to a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.
  • Add cabbage and cook an additional 30 minutes or until wilted to desired consistency.