This easy vegetable soup with cabbage is the one I make when I want something healthy, hearty, and satisfying. It’s loaded with everyday vegetables, high in fiber, and the broth is full of flavor so every bowl tastes delicious and fresh.
I love eating my veggies in soup form! A couple other delicious vegetable based soups include this 3 Ingredient Cauliflower Soup, and this amazing Butternut Squash with Leeks soup. Or, if you are just looking for quick cabbage side, try this easy air fryer cabbage.
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Why I Love This Vegetable Soup with Cabbage
This vegetable soup with cabbage is hearty, healthy, and ready in about 40 minutes, which makes it perfect for busy weeknights.
It’s a filling and low-calorie soup that’s packed with fiber, so it keeps you satisfied without being heavy.
The recipe is very flexible—you can make it as a vegetarian cabbage soup by using vegetable broth or boost the protein with beans, lentils, or chicken.
This soup is a great way to use up extra veggies from the fridge or garden. It works especially well with carrots, cauliflower, celery, or zucchini.
It freezes beautifully, so you can portion it out and have a batch of homemade vegetable soup with cabbage ready for quick meals.
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Easy Cabbage Soup Recipe
This cabbage soup was based on the WW (Weight Watchers) recipe that they strongly encouraged everyone to eat years ago. I'm assuming it's still a favorite. It was easy, delicious, and quick to make. However, I was not too fond of its specific vegetables, so I've modified this recipe to suit us through the years. That's why I encourage you to do the same!
This makes a large soup pot; I'll include freezing and storage information. My preferred pot is a large Dutch oven. Food simmers nicely in them, and the oval shape is perfect for making chicken stock! If you were looking for a faster lunch recipe, here is a post with over 20 lunch ideas for adults! It's OK; you can feed them to kids, too!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 cup cauliflower (broken into small pieces)
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained
Helpful Tip - chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the same. When I first started cooking with them, that tripped me up in the grocery store!
1 small green cabbage chopped
8 cups chicken broth
(Use vegetable broth if making a vegetarian version)
1 15 oz can of seasoned chopped tomatoes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley (or 2 tablespoons fresh - reserve some for garnish if using fresh)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
(If using salted broth, you may not need to add salt)
Easy Variation
Make it your own: for carrot cabbage soup, double the carrots and add a pinch of paprika!
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Instructions
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot at medium-high heat.
Add onions and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring regularly.
Add carrots, celery, and cauliflower, and cook until vegetables are soft (5 or so minutes).
You can check the tenderness of the veggies with a fork.
Add garlic and cook until it is fragrant.
Add broth, canned chopped tomatoes, drained chickpeas, oregano, parsley, and thyme. Reduce heat to medium heat. I prefer to simmer rather than boil my soups.
Add cabbage and simmer until cabbage is cooked (about 5-10 minutes). Add chopped green cabbage in the last 5–10 minutes of simmering so it softens but stays bright and slightly crisp. Overcooking makes it dull and mushy.
Add salt and pepper to taste. If you have fresh parsley handy, use it to garnish the served bowls of soup.
Optional Ingredients or Substitutions
This recipe is perfect when veggies or herbs need to be used up. I will add items like mushrooms, potatoes, zucchini (when my garden goes zucchini crazy), red peppers, or some shredded fresh basil (or dried or even frozen). If you like your soup spicier, add some red pepper flakes. If you have a bay leaf or two handy, add it! The texture and the flavor will change per batch if you vary the ingredients, but you will quickly find your favorite combo.
If watching your sodium intake, use low-sodium broth. Or, if you would like to make this a vegetarian soup, use vegetable stock.
This is a very flexible veggie soup!
How to Store and Freeze Cabbage Soup
Fridge: 4 days in a sealed container.
Freezer: up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, then reheat gently so veggies don’t over-soften.
Since this is a big batch, I love to freeze it in individual servings. You can freeze this in small freezer bags, 16 oz canning jars, or plastic or glass storage containers. Plan ahead and let your frozen soup thaw in the fridge. I usually take a few items out of my freezer on Sundays, so I have precooked meals/leftovers or ingredients ready for the first few days of the week. I'm trying hard to use my microwave less.
FAQ
As made, it is not because chicken broth is added. However, if you use vegetable stock instead, then it will be.
Stir in a can of beans or lentils during the simmer, or add cooked chicken or turkey just prior to serving.
It’s inspired by that classic idea, but I use a flexible mix of vegetables and seasonings. It’s naturally light and easy to customize.
Other Delicious Soups
Printable Recipe
Easy Cabbage Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 large carrots chopped
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1 cup cauliflower broken into small pieces
- 1 can chickpeas garbanzo beans drained
- 1 small cabbage chopped green cabbage
- 8 cups chicken broth
- Use vegetable broth if making a vegetarian version
- 1 can tomatoes seasoned chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons fresh - reserve some for garnish if using fresh
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a dutch oven or stockpot at medium high heat.
- Add onions, cook for a couple of minutes stir regularly.
- Add carrots, celery, cauliflower and cook until vegetables are soft (5 or so minutes). You can check the tenderness of the veggies with a fork.
- Add garlic and cook until it is fragrant.
- Add broth then add canned chopped tomatoes, drained chickpeas, oregano, parsley, and thyme.
- Reduce heat to medium heat. I prefer to simmer rather than boil my soups.
- Add cabbage and simmer until cabbage is cooked (about 5-10 minutes).
- Add salt and pepper to taste. If you have fresh parsley handy, use it to garnish the served bowls of soup.
Notes
This is a very flexible veggie soup! Since this is a big batch, I love to freeze this in individual servings. You can freeze this in small freezer bags, 16 oz canning jars or plastic or glass storage containers. A suggestion - plan ahead and let your frozen soup thaw in the fridge. I usually take a few items out of my freezer on Sundays so I have either precooked meals / leftovers or ingredients ready to go for the first few days of the week.
Nutrition (estimate)
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Mary Ellen Porter
I am going to try both of these recipes! Thank you so much Susan for these wonderful cold (Wisconsin) weather meals! I always look forward to the recipes you post!
Laura Lee Walker
Sounds perfect for a cool rainy day. Laura
Maria
I love soup and this one is super healthy which is even a plus for me
Michelle Leslie
That sounds delicious, Susan. I love my veggie soup, but the hubby, not so much. I was wondering if I could add a few chicken pieces in with the mix and at what point can I do it?