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.
My family loves this recipe. My husband insisted on adding cooked sausage or hamburger. Both are good. For convenience, we also switched to Cole slaw from the cabbage the second time.
As written, this recipe is way too bland. Maybe one’s choice of broth makes a huge difference. It need significant amounts of adjustment to even be edible. It’s a good start, though, just be aware that it needs seasoning.
Really enjoyed my first bowl of this soup and have some now in the freezer. I live alone. 👍
Delicious and easy. I like the crunchy cabbage. Ate it by itself, with rice, and with bread
So glad you loved it, Veda!
Simple to make and tasty! Thanks!
Hi, just made this soup, delicious as usual everything I make from your book, or emails…
Kale soup, lentil soup, banana muffins (the best) potato salad, all salad dressings, bread. Love all of the recipes I have made so far… please keep them coming.
I’m at my cottage and did not have roasted tomatoes, so add 28oz whole tomatoes., but had cabbage. So add some smoked paprika and chili flakes, delicious
With just parsley, thyme, and no salt beyond seasoning and stock, this soup came out very mid. It felt like a watered down minestrone with some cabbage thrown in.
Absolutely needs more flavour.
It’s OK. I think this recipe would be better in a crockpot or at least cook the cabbage down before adding it. I’ve had it on the stove for 2 hours now to try to cook down the cabbage.
I made it in the instapot and it worked a lot better. I also added more salt.
5
Made this a few days ago in the crock pot and it was excellent. So easy and healthy. Thanks for all of your delicious creations.
Hi Paula, yay! So glad you enjoyed it.
Want to try this
Love the soup
Just what I was looking for
Very excited to make this! Do you think it would be okay to do this in the crockpot?
I always read the reviews to pick up tips prior to making a recipe…I can’t believe yours is the first comment I’m reading as I’m planning on making it in a crock pot. I don’t see why not. I’ve converted many recipes for crock pot… so much easier. This one is perfect for a crock pot. I’ll post after making it. I’m making it tomorrow, 6/11/25.
How do you convert it to a crock pot recipe? Throw everything in and set on low for like 8 hours? What if I add ground beef…. Do I cook the beef first?