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The best cabbage soup is hearty, comforting, and packed with carrots, onion, celery, tomatoes, and potatoes. This quick and easy recipe will become a winter favorite.
Cabbage is one of my winter go-to vegetables. When I have a lot of it, I sometimes turn it into crispy roasted cabbage steaks or hearty stuffed cabbage rolls. On lazy days, I just make boiled cabbage with butter. On other days, a simple coleslaw or quick pickled cabbage pairs perfectly with my main dishes. And for those chilly evenings, nothing beats a warm, comforting bowl of this cabbage soup.
I love that it’s such an easy recipe to make (in just one pot, too), yet it’s packed with fresh vegetables and lots of flavor. It’s naturally vegan, so it’s the perfect option for meatless Mondays, vegan January, or if you want a satisfying plant-based meal.
Plus, this cabbage soup recipe freezes well, making it great for meal planning and batch cooking. You can also customize it with veggies you have (Hello, fridge clear out night!) or adjust the spices to what you like. I’m sure this soup will warm you up and become a family favorite.
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Watch how to make it
Ingredients
- Green cabbage: This winter staple veggie is the star of the show. Choose a firm head with crisp green leaves.
- Crushed tomatoes: I love using homemade canned tomatoes (that I pulse or crush before adding to the soup) or store-bought canned crushed or diced tomatoes.
- White beans: For simplicity, I use canned white beans, drained and rinsed.
- Root vegetables: You will need carrots, celery, onion (they will make the mirepoix/soffritto base), potatoes, and garlic. You can also add zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, or sweet potatoes.
- Broth: You can use homemade vegetable broth, homemade chicken broth, or your favorite store-bought option.
- Olive oil: To sauté the vegetables.
- Herbs and spices: I use fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper. You can add other spices like paprika or red pepper flakes.
- To garnish: I love adding some lemon juice and parsley, but they are completely optional.
See the printable recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make cabbage soup
First, prepare the vegetables. Wash and dry them, then peel the carrots, onion, and potatoes. Then, dice the onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes—the smaller the cubes, the faster they will cook. Chop the cabbage and mince or grate the garlic. Drain and rinse the canned beans.
Simmer the base of the soup: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Then add the onions, celery, carrots, salt, and black pepper and sauté them, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes or until the veggies have softened and the onion has become translucent.
Next, stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer the cabbage soup: Pour the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth and stir to combine. Then add the potatoes and cabbage and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
Finish cooking the cabbage soup: Add the beans, cover the pot again, and let the soup simmer for another 5-10 minutes. During this time, the beans will warm through and soften, and the rest of the veggies will finish cooking.
After a few minutes, check for doneness by squishing a potato cube with a fork—it should be soft and cooked through. If needed, cook the soup for a few more minutes.
Finally, remove the cabbage soup from the heat and add lemon juice and fresh parsley if desired. You can also adjust any of the seasonings to your taste. Then, you are ready to serve it paired with crusty bread or homemade croutons.
Storage tips
- In the fridge: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- In the freezer: This cabbage soup recipe can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Let it cool before transferring to freezer-safe containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
More favorite soup recipes
If you enjoyed this soup, check out these other tasty soup recipes next:
Or if you’re looking for more tasty winter soup ideas, check out my selection of easy soup recipes!
If you try this cabbage soup recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Cabbage Soup
Equipment
- Vegetable chopper optional
Ingredients
- 1 lb green cabbage 1 small (7 cups chopped)
- 30 oz crushed tomatoes 2 x 15 oz cans
- 15 oz white beans 1 x 15 oz can, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 2 carrots medium-sized (1 cup chopped)
- 2 potatoes small (1 cup chopped)
- 2 stalks celery small (1 cup chopped)
- 1 onion medium-sized (1 cup chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (2 Tbsp chopped)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 lemon optional
- fresh parsley optional, to garnish
Instructions
- Dice the onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Chop the cabbage. Mince or grate the garlic. Drain and rinse the canned beans.
- In a large, heavy-bottom pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, salt, and black pepper. Sauté them, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes or until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir in the potatoes and cabbage. Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
- Add the beans and simmer, covered, for another 5-10 minutes.After a few minutes, check that the potatoes are cooked through (they should be soft and easy to squish with a fork). Cook longer if needed.
- Remove the cabbage soup from the heat and add lemon juice and fresh parsley if wanted. Then serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, FYI…. In the recipe, you use green cabbage….. In Belgium is the cabbage you use, a white cabbage. Green cabbage has big curled leaves and the colour is dark green. It’s also a totally different taste but that’s ok. We use what we like as long as it Taste good
Hi Nancy! Thanks for pointing that out! I totally get what you mean about the cabbage differences. It’s great to use what we love! thanks very much for the feedback!
I love cooking with cabbage.