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!"
1/2 to 1teaspoonsalt (more or less depending on the saltiness of your stock)
1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
4cupschicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Grind the spices (if using whole spices):
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.
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.
Dried herbs– bay leaf, thyme, basil, and oregano. We always have these in our spice cabinet! Tomatoes– I use diced fire roasted tomatoes for the best flavor! Vegetable broth– use your favorite brand.
Like other very low calorie diets, the Cabbage Soup Diet will likely cause temporary weight loss. But people who follow it tend to regain most of the weight lost unless they make other permanent changes. Additionally, eating only cabbage soup is nutritionally unbalanced and not safe.
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.
Sprinkle just a pinch into your food and mix it in well to see if that helps. This is a good trick for if you're cooking and realize that you added too much of a bitter ingredient. Mix in a pinch of baking soda before the dish is done to fix that.
This diet is very low in calories, and following it can make people feel less energized because of this. It also does not provide enough healthy fats, an important part of a healthy and balanced diet.
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. Here's what you can add: Day 1: Fruit, except bananas. Day 2: Vegetables like leafy greens (not starchy), but no fruit.
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.
To lose 10 pounds in one week, you'll need to burn between 3,500 and 5,000 calories more than you consume each day by restricting your diet to small portions of nutritious yet low-calorie foods, and significantly increasing your aerobic exercise with interval training, sports, and other vigorous activities.
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.
Pros: Lose weight quickly, no portion control needed, I actually really like the taste of the soup. Cons: The soup is not very filling so it's likely you'll feel hunger and it's likely you'll gain the weight back VERY quickly.
The cabbage soup diet allows for unlimited zero calorie beverages like water and unsweetened tea. Some versions also allow specific fruits and vegetables on certain days including vegetables, baked potato with butter, nonfat milk, fruits, beef, fish, poultry, brown rice, and unsweetened fruit juice.
Cabbage is low in calories and offers plenty of fiber that can help fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied. From a culinary perspective, cabbage is fairly mild compared to some of its cruciferous cousins like kale and broccoli.
The cabbage soup diet has low calories. Eat as much cabbage soup as you would like to keep your stamina up and drink plenty of water. If I start to feel sluggish, I cheat and have a baked sweet potato, a protein shake, or some juice.
"Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says. As a general rule, use fresh herbs at or near the end of cooking and dried herbs and spices early on. This helps you get the flavors you're looking for in the right balance.
To season it, we recommend starting with our Vegetable Soup Mix. It contains celery salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, summer savory, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, turmeric and sage, which are all excellent with root vegetables, so you can incorporate things like carrots or potatoes into the soup.
Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.
You can extract a clean, strong broth from a combination of water and several pantry ingredients. It's all about layering powerful flavor-enhancers that you probably already have on hand—bacon, tomato paste, herbs, peppercorns, a Parmesan rind, and, of course, kosher salt.
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