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 – I often use little navy beans in this recipe, but other white beans, such as cannellini beans, would work here too.
- 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.
Leftover cabbage soup will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, and it also freezes well. Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers and storing it in the freezer. Frozen cabbage soup will keep for up to 3 months.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this soup, try one of these delicious soup recipes next:
- Many-Veggie Vegetable Soup
- Tortellini Soup
- Cauliflower Soup
- Best Lentil Soup
- Creamy Asparagus Soup
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Or any of these 30 Best Soup Recipes!
Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 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
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, salt, and several grinds of fresh 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.
What is a serving size of this soup? Trying to track on weight watchers
Joined a winter CSA, and I’m not a huge cabbage eater, so I’ve not been taking them. (After I fermented 3 and a half quarts of kimchi, that is.). But I took one this week, it weighs just under three pounds, and I used half to make this soup. Had no celery, so I used celeriac, added a turnip that needed to be used, didn’t have the fire roasted tomatoes, so I added some smoked paprika, added about a quarter teaspoon of hot pepper flakes. The soup was delicious, very hearty without being heavy. I’ll be making it again!
Hi Marie, I’m so glad you enjoyed it and I’m happy you’re finding uses for your csa cabbage!
I made this recipe, adding about a cup of chicken bone broth for my mother, who is undergoing chemotherapy. I’m always looking for nutritious and easy to eat meals for her. She really liked it and said she could feel the nutrients soaking into her body 🙂
Made this version of Cabbage Soup tonight and must say it is the best yet!
I had half a large head of cabbage that I didn’t want to go bad so I went looking for a cabbage soup recipe and decided on this one. Glad I did it was delicious! I didn’t have celery so I added celery seed and celery salt, used white balsamic vinegar and white cooking wine, chickpeas, and cilantro instead of parsley. So good and versatile. Thank you for helping me use up the ingredients in my fridge in such a satisfying way!
I’m so glad you loved the soup!
I made this soup without the potatoes and added some lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice instead of vinegar. Absolutely delicious.
Hi Dorothy, I’m so glad you loved it!
The thyme made this soup kind of bitter, I would leave it out and use seasoned salt instead of sea salt for some more savory goodness 🙂
I made this soup tonight and we both loved it!! It had complexity of flavors.- the vinegar and tomato was a new combination in a soup for me.
I modified the recipe- I did not add beans- and I did not have celery. So, I added celery salt and more tomato because in addition to the one cabbage, I also wanted use Chinese cabbage that needed to be cooked.
This recipe will become a stable in our household.
Delicious!
I am not a very experienced cook, so I didn’t pay close attention. Instead of fire roasted tomatoes I used fire roasted tomatoes WITH GREEN CHILIES. I actually really liked the heat. I don’t know what it was supposed to taste like, but I make the same mistake again.
Hi Brian, I’m glad you enjoyed the soup even with the green chiles!
I made this and it is wonderful. I added a teaspoon of smoked Spanish paprika and used apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar. My people loved it….