Best Cabbage Soup Recipe (So Flavorful!) - Kristine's Kitchen (2024)

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This Cabbage Soup is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh cabbage! It’s incredibly flavorful, packed with healthy veggies, and perfect for lunch or dinner.

I never thought I would be singing the praises of a soup made with cabbage, but this cabbage soup is crave-worthy. When I was testing this recipe, it immediately became one of our favorite soups, right along with our most-loved Vegetable Soup and this hearty Lentil Soup.

In this easy soup recipe, a few simple seasonings and lots of healthy vegetables come together to make a soup that’s incredibly flavorful and nutritious. After it simmers on the stove, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is the perfect finishing touch and really brightens up the flavors. We’ve been making this recipe on repeat because it’s just so good.

This cabbage soup comes together quickly and smells so delicious as it simmers on the stove. I like to serve it with some crusty bread for dunking, or homemade Garlic Knots if I’m in a baking mood. The best part about this hearty soup is that it becomes even more flavorful after a day or two in the fridge, as the flavors meld together. The leftovers reheat wonderfully and are perfect for lunches later in the week.

Cabbage Soup Recipe Ingredients

This cabbage soup recipe calls for simple ingredients that combine to make the best cabbage soup!

• Olive Oil: The vegetables are sautéed in a generous amount of olive oil, which adds flavor and richness to this healthy soup.
• Onion, Celery & Carrots: This trio of vegetables is used as the base of many soup recipes. The onion, carrots and celery bring lots of flavor.
• Garlic: There’s no substitute for the flavor of fresh garlic!
• Green Cabbage: Fresh green cabbage is first sautéed to develop its flavor, and then simmered in the soup until tender.
• Seasonings: Dried thyme, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper are a delicious combination of seasonings that gives this cabbage soup the best flavor. It’s a little smoky, savory, and all around delicious!
• Diced Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes are an easy way to add more flavor.
• Vegetable Broth: I recommend using low sodium vegetable broth so that you can better control the amount of salt in the soup.
• White Beans: To add some filling protein and make the soup heartier. Cannellini beans or small white beans work well, or feel free to use chickpeas.
• Lemon Juice: I highly recommend adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the soup after it cooks. It really makes the flavors pop!

How to Make Cabbage Soup

A few simple steps make all the difference in making the most flavorful cabbage soup. Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Then add the onion, celery and carrot to the pot and sauté until the vegetables soften.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the cabbage. Wash it and then cut it into quarters and slice out the core. Chop the cabbage into pieces that are about 1/2-inch by 2-inches in size. See my Coleslaw Recipe for photos that show how to core cabbage.
3. Add the cabbage, garlic and seasonings to the pot. Then cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. This step of sautéing the cabbage with the seasonings adds so much flavor to the soup.
4. Next, stir in the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth and white beans.
5. Cover the pot and simmer the soup for 20-25 minutes, until the veggies are tender.
6. Finally, stir in the lemon juice. Taste the soup and season it with more salt and pepper, if needed. Then serve and enjoy!

What to Serve with Cabbage Soup

Enjoy this cabbage soup with a Green Salad or Kale Salad and some crusty bread, Dinner Rolls or Cornbread.

Storage & Reheating Tips

This soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat soup in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave.

More Vegetable Soup Recipes

If you love this cabbage soup recipe, you might also enjoy these easy soup recipes:

• Cauliflower Soup
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Tomato Soup
• Carrot Ginger Soup
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Crockpot Potato Soup
• Vegetable Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Split Pea Soup

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posted by Kristine Rosenblatt on Feb 21, 2022 (last updated Nov 18, 2022)

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