Okay, let’s be honest for a second. Some days you just feel… blah. A little puffy, a little slow, like you ate one too many handfuls of chips last night.
I get it completely. That’s when you need a reset button for your body, and I’m going to show you how to make it. This isn’t some weird, tasteless diet food; it’s a genuinely delicious soup that just happens to be amazing for you.
You’re about to learn how to make the coziest, most satisfying Cabbage Soup that will fill you up and help you feel great again. It’s my go-to recipe when I need to get back on track, and it works every time.
What You’ll Need
Getting your ingredients ready beforehand is half the battle. I call it “getting your ducks in a row.” It makes the whole cooking process feel less like a chore and more like, well, fun. Don’t just dump everything in a pile; measure it out. It helps, trust me.
Here’s a quick look at the main players for our soup.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 2 tbsp |
| Yellow Onion | 1 large |
| Carrots | 3 medium |
| Celery Stalks | 3 medium |
| Garlic Cloves | 4-5 cloves |
| Green Cabbage | 1 medium head |
| Diced Tomatoes | 1 (28 oz) can |
| Vegetable Broth | 8 cups |
| Dried Oregano | 1 tsp |
| Dried Basil | 1 tsp |
| Bay Leaf | 1 leaf |
| Salt & Pepper | To taste |
A little more detail on these, because the details matter. For the onion, make sure it’s diced up pretty small. Same for the carrots and celery. You want a little bit of everything in each spoonful. For garlic, don’t be shy. If you love it, add another clove or two. Nobody’s judging.
When it comes to the cabbage, you want about half-inch strips. Too big and it’s awkward to eat, too small and it disappears into mush. And for the love of all things tasty, please use low-sodium vegetable broth. You want to control the salt level yourself, not let the box do it for you.
The Tools for the Job
You don’t need a fancy professional kitchen for this. Just a few basic tools will get the job done perfectly. Having the right stuff makes everything easier and safer.
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Large Pot or Dutch Oven | For making the soup |
| Cutting Board | For chopping veggies |
| Chef’s Knife | A sharp one, please! |
| Wooden Spoon | For stirring |
| Ladle | For serving |
Seriously, a sharp knife is the most important tool in your kitchen. A dull knife is way more dangerous because it can slip. So take a second to make sure yours is ready to go. A big pot is also key here—this recipe makes a lot of soup, and you don’t want it bubbling over onto your stove.
Pro Tips from a Chef Who Knows
I’ve made this soup more times than I can count, and I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. Here are a few things I’ve learned that take this soup from “good” to “wow, I can’t believe I made this.”
1. Give Your Veggies Some Color
The biggest mistake people make with soup is just boiling everything together. Don’t do that. Take an extra five minutes to sauté your onions, carrots, and celery in the olive oil until they get a little soft and the onions are see-through. This step builds a foundation of flavor that you just can’t get from boiling. It’s called a “mirepoix” if you want to be fancy, but I just call it “the flavor base.” It makes all the difference.
2. Don’t Drown the Cabbage… At First
When you add the chopped cabbage, it’s going to look like a mountain. You’ll think, “There is no way this will fit.” Relax. It will. Add the cabbage and stir it around for a couple of minutes. It will start to shrink and “wilt” as it cooks down. Then add your broth and tomatoes. If you add the liquid first, the cabbage just boils and gets waterlogged. Wilting it first gives it a much better texture.
3. The Secret Weapon: A Splash of Acidity
This is the tip that separates the home cooks from the pros. After the soup has simmered and all the flavors have come together, it can sometimes taste a little flat. The fix? A tiny splash of acid right before you serve it. I’m talking about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or the juice from a lemon wedge. It wakes everything up and makes all the vegetable flavors pop. You won’t taste the vinegar, I promise. It just makes the soup taste brighter and more complete.
How to Make This Cabbage Soup
Alright, time to get cooking. Follow these steps, and you’ll have a perfect pot of soup in no time. Read through them once before you start.
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in your large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once it’s shimmering a little, add your chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Stir them around with a wooden spoon.
Step 2: Cook these veggies for about 5-7 minutes. You want the onions to be soft and translucent, not brown. This is your flavor base we talked about. Sprinkle in a little salt and pepper here to start building the seasoning.
Step 3: Add the minced garlic and stir it constantly for about 30 seconds. You just want to cook it until you can smell it. Be careful here—burned garlic is bitter and will ruin your soup.
Step 4: Now, dump in all of your chopped cabbage. It will look like way too much. Use your spoon to gently stir and fold it into the hot veggies at the bottom. Keep doing this for about 3-4 minutes as the cabbage starts to wilt and shrink down.
Step 5: Pour in the can of diced tomatoes (with their juice) and the vegetable broth. Add the dried oregano, dried basil, and the bay leaf. Give everything a really good stir to combine it all.
Step 6: Turn the heat up to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, immediately turn the heat down to low, put the lid on, and let it simmer.
Step 7: Let it simmer for at least 20-30 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. If you have more time, an hour is even better. The longer it simmers, the more the flavors will meld together. Just make sure it’s a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.
Step 8: Before serving, taste the soup! It will probably need more salt and pepper. Add a little at a time until it tastes right to you. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf—you don’t want anyone to choke on that. And remember the pro tip: add a tiny splash of vinegar or lemon juice to brighten it up.
Swaps and Fun Add-ins
This soup is a great starting point. You can totally customize it based on what you like or what you have in the fridge. It’s hard to mess up.
| To Add More… | Try This… | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Shredded chicken | Add cooked chicken at the end |
| Cannellini beans | Rinse a can and add in last 10 min | |
| Lentils (brown/green) | Add with broth, may need more liquid | |
| Flavor | Smoked paprika | Add a teaspoon with the herbs |
| Red pepper flakes | Add a pinch for some heat | |
| Veggies | Zucchini or Bell Peppers | Add with the cabbage |
| Green beans | Add in the last 15 minutes |
Want to make it a fuller meal? Add a can of rinsed cannellini beans or chickpeas during the last 10 minutes of simmering. If you’re not vegetarian, some cooked, shredded chicken breast stirred in at the end is awesome. You can also throw in other veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, or green beans. Just be a little mindful of cooking times—add harder veggies earlier and softer ones later.
Making it Ahead & Storing Leftovers
This soup is one of those magic dishes that actually tastes better the next day. The flavors get to know each other in the fridge overnight.
Make-Ahead: You can definitely make a big batch on a Sunday to eat throughout the week. It’s perfect for meal prep. Just let it cool down completely before you put it in the fridge.
Storage: Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Any longer than that and the veggies start to get a little too soft for my liking.
Freezing: This soup freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely, then pour it into freezer-safe containers or bags. Leave a little room at the top because the liquid will expand. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, just let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then warm it up slowly on the stove.
Your Questions, Answered
Here are some questions I get all the time about this recipe.
Q1. Is this soup really going to make me lose weight?
Ans: This soup is very low in calories and packed with fiber and nutrients, which can help you feel full and support a healthy diet. It’s a great tool, not a magic pill.
Q2. My soup tastes kind of bland. What did I do wrong?
Ans: You probably didn’t add enough salt! Salt’s job is to enhance flavor. Also, don’t skip the pro tip about adding a little vinegar or lemon juice at the end—it makes a huge difference.
Q3. Can I use a different kind of cabbage?
Ans: Yep! Savoy or Napa cabbage would work well too. Just be aware they might cook a little faster than regular green cabbage, so keep an eye on them. Red cabbage works, but it will turn your whole soup a funny purple color.
Q4. Can I add potatoes or pasta to make it more filling?
Ans: You sure can. Add diced potatoes with the carrots and celery since they take longer to cook. If you’re adding pasta, cook it separately and add it to each bowl as you serve it to prevent it from getting mushy.
Wrapping Up
See? That wasn’t so hard. You just made a huge, delicious pot of soup that will make you feel good from the inside out. It’s the perfect thing to have when you need a simple, healthy meal that actually tastes like something you want to eat.
Now it’s your turn. Give this recipe a try and see how easy it is. I’d love to hear how it goes for you. Did you add anything different? Did you discover a new trick? Drop a comment below and let me know. Happy cooking
