This cabbage soup recipe is deeply flavorful, thanks to aromatic veggies and fire-roasted tomatoes. Pair it with good bread for a simple, nourishing meal.
This cabbage soup recipe does the impossible: it uses an entire head of cabbage in one go! Nearly every time I buy a cabbage, I whittle away at it for weeks, adding some to a slaw, some to a bowl, more to a taco, and so on. So the first time I made this cabbage soup recipe, I was shocked. I started by adding half of my cabbage. As it wilted down, it melted into the soup with the aromatic veggies and herbs. I didn’t want it to disappear – I was making cabbage soup, after all – so I added more. Before I knew it, every last ounce of my cabbage was in the pot!
If you’re on the fence about cabbage, don’t despair. All that cabbage doesn’t overwhelm the soup at all. Instead, it adds a slight sweetness, which balances perfectly with a touch of tangy white wine vinegar. As a whole, the soup is deeply flavorful and comforting. It’s healthy, nourishing, and soup-er (sorry!) simple to make. I think you’re going to love it.
Cabbage Soup Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy cabbage soup:
- Cabbage, of course! You’ll need one small green cabbage for this recipe, about 1 pound.
- Onion, carrots, and celery – This classic trio fills the soup with aromatic flavor.
- Garlic and dried thyme – They add even more depth to the soup.
- Potatoes – They make the soup nice and hearty.
- White beans – For plant-based protein! I often use little navy beans in this recipe, but other white beans, such as cannellini beans, would work here too. Chickpeas would also be great.
- Diced fire-roasted tomatoes – Along with vegetable broth, they create the soup’s brothy, flavorful base.
- White wine vinegar – For tang.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – It adds richness.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Cabbage Soup Serving Suggestions
When you’re ready to eat, ladle the cabbage soup into bowls, and garnish each one with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Enjoy the soup on its own, with good crusty bread for sopping up the flavorful broth, or pair it with a sandwich or salad for a larger meal. I love it with a classic grilled cheese or this sweet potato salad.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s easy to reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Can you freeze cabbage soup?
Yes! Cabbage soup also freezes well. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to freezer-safe containers and store it in the freezer.
Frozen cabbage soup will keep for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this soup, try one of these delicious soup recipes next:
- Vegetable Soup
- Tortellini Soup
- Cauliflower Soup
- Best Lentil Soup
- Creamy Asparagus Soup
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Or any of these 35 Best Soup Recipes!
Cabbage Soup
Equipment
- Le Creuset Dutch Oven (I like using my Staub for making soup)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can cooked white beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
- 1 small green cabbage, about 1 pound (9 cups chopped)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
- Add the vinegar, stir, and then add the tomatoes, broth, beans, garlic, potatoes, cabbage, and thyme. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.
- Season to taste, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve.
Excellent soup and so easy to change depending if you want to use different veggies or even add some hamburger or sausage . Great recipe !!
Delicious. Nice slight tang from the vinegar. Definitely adding this to my soup rotation.
I love this soup, it changes each time I make it because I put in any leftover veggies from the fridge. This week we added green beans. So delicious.
I’m so glad you love the recipe, Carmen!
I made this for the first time. I knew I would like it without meat but not sure my husband would. I had 3/4 lb leftover ham in the freezer er. So I diced that and added it to the soup. It was DELICIOUS! I also used chicken broth.
Hi Yvonne, I’m so glad you loved the soup!
I’ve made it a handful of times and love it every time. This last time I added sautéed zucchini and some kielbasa for added fiber and protein. All four of my children ate it… mom win!!
I’m so glad it’s been a hit, Danielle!
Loved the beans with soup
Excellent! I added some pepper flakes for an extra zip!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I had half a head of cabbage so I made this recipe but added extra carrots and some cauliflower chopped small. As well, I added 4 cups of chicken broth and a 28 ounce can of chopped tomatoes. Also turmeric, an entire lemon squeezed, bay leaf, reduced balsamic garlic vinegar, extra garlic, and fresh grated ginger. Also a little bit of honey in my bowl as I eat it. I was so sick for two weeks and eating this today has been so healing. Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so glad you loved it and were able to adapt it to what you had on hand!
I made the recipe as described and thought it was decent. I’d describe it not as deeply flavorful but rather a simple, nourishing, slightly sweet vegetable soup. I agree that it would pair nicely with some crusty bread–maybe even good rye flour bread. In ways, it seems like a light version of the cabbage borscht my grandmother would make. I’m curious to see how this tastes on Day 2. If the flavor doesn’t develop much, then I would definitely want to tweak the recipe to give it a bit more pizazz next time I make it.
Can you successfully freeze this soup, as it made a lot?
Thanks
Hi Fiona, yep! It freezes well.
Adding vinegar this early made all vegetables crunchy even after 45 minutes of cooking. I googled and found our vinegar slows down vegetable cooking. Had to miss the concert waiting for the soup to cook. Disaster!
Hi Polina, interesting! We’ve never had that result when making this soup. Did you simmer it covered? I’m so sorry you were disappointed with it.
Classic wholesome, hearty, savory, and healthy! Been making this for a long time! Thank you! Peace!
I’m glad it’s been such a favorite!
Great cabbage soup! Makes a lot for leftovers. Freezes very well.
I’m glad you’ve loved the soup!