This Is The Easiest and Best Cabbage Soup Recipe On the Internet (2024)
Cabbage, the Rodney Dangerfield of vegetables. It just can't seem to "get no respect"!
While under-appreciated, cabbage really is a wonder vegetable. Not only is it relatively inexpensive, it can easily keep a month or two in the fridge, and it is endlessly versatile in recipes. Whether raw in a coleslaw, blanched with butter, stuffed and wrapped, or made into a simple and delicious cabbage soup as we do here, cabbage is a work horse.
Simple Ingredients for Simple Cabbage Soup
Have you ever looked in your fridge and the only vegetable in good shape looking back at you is a single head of cabbage? Cabbage is like that; it can outlast almost any other vegetable. Now even if all you have in your fridge is some cabbage, there are only a few more pantry ingredients you need to make this easy, nourishing, and light cabbage soup.
To make this simple cabbage soup you only need fresh cabbage, onions, canned tomatoes, chicken stock, and a few spices.
Of course with so few ingredients the quality of the soup relies on the quality of your ingredients. Homemade chicken stock is the best (we'll also use Better than Bouillon in a pinch), and a good quality canned tomatoes makes all the difference (we use Muir Glen).
Ways to Adapt This Recipe
Want a little more oomph with your soup? You can easily add other vegetables, like chopped carrots with the onions, or sliced kale with the cabbage, or even bacon or sausage (cook gently before adding the onions), if you want a meatier version.
What to Serve With Cabbage Soup
Serve this soup with some rye bread or garlic knots for sopping up all the broth. You can also serve this soup as a side dish with roast chicken, pork chops, or roast beef.
Storing and Freezing
This soup will keep in the fridge for about five days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. You can also freeze the soup for up to three months.
Love Cabbage? Try These Other Great Recipes!
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Sweet and Sour German Red Cabbage
Pork Chops with Braised Cabbage
How Our Readers Make This Recipe Their Own
Andy Y: "I am not a big fan of tomato flavor, so I substituted an equal amount of mild green chili salsa. I also added chicken to make it a meal. I cooked 3 chicken breasts in the soup while it was cooking. When everything was cooked, I took out the chicken and shredded it. Delicious soup!"
Corrie: "I add 8 slices of half-cooked chopped up bacon and it’s even more amazing!"
Mark: "We'll add garbanzos sometimes, and we've used shaved brussels sprouts instead of cabbage."
Barbara: "I did a bit of improvising with what I have on hand. Vegetable broth added color and flavor as did stewed tomatoes. I also threw in some leftover country ribs that I cut up and two tired potatoes!"
If using whole spices (coriander, fennel, cumin), grind them in a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder until well ground.
Sauté the onions and spices:
Heat olive oil and butter in a 4-quart, thick bottomed pot on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and stir in the ground spices. Cook until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the cabbage and tomatoes:
Add the sliced cabbage to the pot and stir to mix the cabbage with the onions. If you are using unsalted stock, sprinkle the cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the canned whole tomatoes, with their juices, to the pot. Stir to combine.
Add the stock, simmer till done:
Add the chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a simmer and taste for salt. Add more salt to taste. Lower the heat and cover the pot.
Let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cabbage is thoroughly cooked, breaking up tomatoes that are still whole.
Serve:
Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to serve.
Budget Dinners
Easy Soups
Cabbage
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
179
Calories
6g
Fat
24g
Carbs
9g
Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories
179
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g
8%
Saturated Fat 2g
9%
Cholesterol 10mg
3%
Sodium 567mg
25%
Total Carbohydrate 24g
9%
Dietary Fiber 5g
18%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 78mg
391%
Calcium 127mg
10%
Iron 1mg
8%
Potassium 767mg
16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
Does it work for weight loss? The Cabbage Soup Diet has never been studied, so it's impossible to confirm its effectiveness. While it may result in temporary, short-term weight loss, it is unlikely to lead to sustainable weight loss.
People who follow the diet strictly will likely lose some weight, potentially 10 pounds per week or more. This is because it involves eating so few calories each day. However, in most cases, people quickly regain this lost weight once they return to their regular diet.
The most common reason your soup doesn't taste that great is because it's missing a brightening element. Soup can be heavy, creamy, and rich (that's why we love it so much). But too much richness tastes flat. Almost every bowl of soup can benefit from a zippy and fresh addition.
If you want to lose weight, then consuming cabbage can prove to be beneficial for you. You can include cabbage juice, soup, boiled vegetables or chaat in your diet. But remember that cabbage should be consumed only after washing it thoroughly.
What You Can Eat. Just like the name says, the bulk of this diet is fat-free cabbage soup, eaten two to three times a day with other allowed foods assigned each day.
Excess sodium intake – if you make the soup using canned vegetable juice. Inadequate caloric intake – it's likely that you'll suffer from weakness, fatigue, and dizziness, meaning you won't be able to exercise properly for the week.
You may have heard of something called the Dolly Parton Diet — which consists of eating cabbage soup (yes, cabbage soup!) as your main meals along with fruit and vegetables. It's also known as the TWA Stewardess Diet and, well, the Cabbage Soup Diet.
The cabbage soup diet allows you to eat all of the cabbage soup you like in addition to adding certain foods on specific days throughout the week. No bread, alcohol, or carbonated beverages, including diet sodas.
DRINKS: Stick with water, unsweet tea, black coffee, unsweetened juices, cranberry juice, or skim milk. Black coffee is permitted, but you may find that you no longer need the caffeine after the third day.
“Additionally, cruciferous vegetables—like cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts—contain raffinose, an indigestible sugar. As it's fermented by bacteria in the gut, gas is produced, which is why you may experience flatulence and discomfort after eating these foods.
It will work in a broad range of dishes from your favorite French onion soup to velvety tomato bisque. It definitely does a great job of amping up the meaty flavors of a beef stew as well as giving vegetable soups a flavor lift, too.
As a natural source of dietary fiber, cabbage aids digestion and promotes regular bowel movements, reducing the risk of constipation. Furthermore, cabbage is a natural source of prebiotics, an indigestible fiber that acts as “fuel” for live and beneficial probiotics.
Cabbage soup is low in calories and can be filling, thanks to the fiber that the veggie provides. Most variations of this diet suggest that people eat this soup two to three times a day, although some variations enable the participants to consume even more of the soup.
The cabbage soup diet stimulates the body's metabolism and fat mobilization. This diet limits your calorie intake and causes your body to burn fat for energy. Low sodium, low calories, and high fiber allow you to lose weight faster if you followed a reasonable long-term dietary plan.
Vegetable soup. Lean protein from chicken combined with a variety of vegetables can make a satisfying and low-calorie soup that can help you feel full and satisfied.
Vegetables are crucial for weight loss, especially cruciferous vegetables like cabbage. These vegetables are low in calories and fibre-rich, making them a fantastic addition to a weight-loss diet. Cabbage, in particular, is a powerhouse of nutrients that can aid weight loss.
Cabbage has diuretic properties that helps get rid your body of excess liquid and toxins. It helps cleanse your liver and colon. Which is why cabbage forms the base for this detox cabbage soup. You can add veggies or proteins of your choice such as egg, ground chicken, lamb!
Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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