Recipes > Simple Cabbage Soup

Simple Cabbage Soup

Details

Cooked in homemade vegetable stock and flavored with dijon, apple-cider vinegar and tomatoes, this cabbage soup is healthy and simple to make.
  • Serves: 4 to 6
  • Active Time: 1 hr
  • Total Time: 1 hr
  • Views: 102,995
  • Success Rating: 98% (?)
    0% - I fed it to the dog
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Steps

Step 1: Preparing Your Mise en Place

Preparing Your Mise en Place
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 large carrot
  • 7 cups vegetable stock
  • 1/4 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)
  • 6 cups cabbage
  • 1 cup canned whole tomatoes (seeded)

Method

To prepare your mise en place, slice the onion into small dice and emince the garlic. Peel the carrot and cut into medium-dice. Remove the core from the cabbage and cut into chunks about 3/4" -inch x 1 1/2 "-inch. Remove the seeds from the whole tomatoes and roughly chop. Gather the chili flakes and set everything aside.

Place the stock into a large pot and warm to heat through. While the stock is warming, begin cooking the soup.

Step 2: Starting the Soup

Starting the Soup
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp sea salt, (to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

To make the soup, heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil, onions, carrots and a pinch of salt. Let the onions and carrot sweat until they soften but do not brown. You may need to lower the heat. Add the chili flakes and garlic and cook for about 1 minute, making sure the garlic doesn’t brown.

Add the cabbage and a pinch of salt and let sweat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring from time to time until softened. Once done, add the stock, tomatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.

Step 3: Adding the Bouquet Garni

Adding the Bouquet Garni
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Method

As the soup comes to a simmer, gather the herbs and seasonings. Add them to the soup and let simmer for about 15 minutes or so to infuse.

Step 4: Finishing the Soup

Finishing the Soup
  • 2 tbsp Italian parsley
  • extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Method

To finish the soup, check the carrots and simmer for another 10 minutes or so until cooked through and tender.

Roughly chop the parsley. Taste the soup for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or apple cider vinegar as desired.

Ladle into bowls and serve.

54 Comments

  • Linda C
    Linda C
    This is a keeper. All those flavors work really well together. I can't think of a thing I'd change.
  • Christina P
    Christina P
    Simple and light, yet very flavorful. All of the ingredients work well together.
  • Else T
    Else T
    I made this and found it delicious. I think this is a great way to eat vegetables - and I discovered I can add bits of left over meat to make a great one dish meal. Else T.
  • Melissa A
    Melissa A
    This was so delicious! The only thing I changed was that I used turkey bacon. So Good!!!
  • Jan B
    Jan B
    I am not a fan of tomato chunks, so I will mash or puree' them before I put them in. I love tomato flavor, it's a texture thing. I've started making it now! Smells great so far! Can't wait til it's done!
  • Steve C
    Steve C
    My moms coming up this week from NC. Havent seen her in a year. Shes 86 and all with it. Taught me so much in cooking over the years. I was looking for something that will be light and easy for her to digest. I can almost taste it by looking at the ingredients and all your comments. This is going to be great, making it exactly as written except, I too am not fond of the texture of chunky tomatos and mash or puree as Jan has suggested. Thanks all! Steve
  • Marlene S
    Marlene S
    I made it without the bacon and a vegetable stock, a little more apple cider vinegar and it is a keeper. especially since my csa loaded me with cabbage.
  • Charlena P
    Charlena P
    I have some red cabbage that I am not quite sure what do with. I was wondering if I could used it in place of green cabbage in this recipe?
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    Sure you could use red cabbage instead of white cabbage. There are not rules. It may change the color slightly - just kidding, of course it will totally change the color! Sorry, I am feeling particularly funny today (well at least to myself). But yes, you can use purple cabbage. You may also want to search "cabbage" on Rouxbe (top right of any page) and there you will find a few more recipe ideas, including one for Borscht. Cheers!
  • Patti F
    Patti F
    This was the easiest soup I have ever made. And it was quick. The day before I spent the day in the kitchen making stock. With that already made it was a breeze to make this. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It will be a repeat appearance in my house!
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    Glad that you liked the soup Patti—that's the great thing about cooking, once you put in the work (ie, making the stock the day before) it all seems easy and/or quick after that. Keep up the good work!
  • Amanda C
    Amanda C
    I'm sure this much better fresh, but can you freeze the leftovers?
  • Ken R Rouxbe Staff
    Ken R
    You bet, Amanda - soups like these tend to freeze very well. Be sure to label it so you know what it is and when you froze it. Cheers!
  • Betti I
    Betti I
    I have Pancetta, but no bacon. Can I substitute that?
  • Ken R Rouxbe Staff
    Ken R
    You bet... or you omit it altogether if you wish. Cheers.
  • Betti I
    Betti I
    Thanks, I made the soup with the pancetta and added some potatoes, it was great.
  • Ken R Rouxbe Staff
    Ken R
    Great work! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
  • Kevin O
    Kevin O
    Hi, I know someone mentioned having red cabbage and it was stated that it could be substituted. I'm wondering what variety was in mind when listed as an ingredient. The tight leaved white variety? A green cabbage like a savoy? Could you use other leafy greens like spring greens or kale? Thanks
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    For this particular recipe, the "tight leaved white variety" was used, but certainly you could try making the soup with other types of cabbages and/or leafy greens. Of course if you use something like kale, you will no longer be making a "cabbage soup" but that's okay :-) Cheers!
  • Joann L
    Joann L
    I'm a vegan so I like to white beans to my soup for the extra protein value. Maybe a light (really light ) splash of liquid smoke.
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    Good idea Joann, I shall try that next time. This is the perfect time of year for this kind of meal and the additional beans and touch of smokiness, would likely make it that much more filling and comforting. Cheers!
  • Laura C
    Laura C
    This soup is simple and flavorful... an unexpected result with a vegetable with a reputation for having a bland profile. I am glad that I found it! Will add some vegetarian sausage and garbanzos to make it more substantial.
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    I always think of this soup as someone you invite to the party, thinking that they are very nice, but they never say much, but then all of a sudden, once the party starts, they become the life of the party :-) Does that make sense? Anyway, I like the idea of adding a bit more substance to it with the vegan sausage and chickpeas. Yum!
  • Molly B
    Molly B
    Cold outside and I have leftover cabbage and kale - perfect way to spend my morning off. This soup is delicious. I had to make some substitutions - didn't have all the ingredients and it still turned out wonderful. Can't wait to make it again.
  • Ken R Rouxbe Staff
    Ken R
    Enjoy the soup! I love a bowl of soup on a cold, windy day. ~Ken
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    I was inspired by your comment Molly, so I went ahead and made a big pot of this soup as well. Thanks for the reminder :-)
  • Debbie D
    Debbie D
    I made this soup when it was part of the Plant Based class I took, and absolutely was won over!! I kept dreaming of it, and today was the day! I now live with my Mom, and am trying to win her over to more veggies. This soup was just the ticket!
  • Kirk B
    Kirk B
    Thanks so much Debbie - great to hear! We appreciate your sharing your thoughts and wish you the best always! Thanks for engaging with Rouxbe! Chef Kirk
  • Jocelyn G
    Jocelyn G
    Followed this recipe exactly. Possibly the best soup I've ever eaten. Thank you! Now I have to figure out if all that flavor came from the process or possibly the mustard that didn't make the soup taste mustardy at all...
  • Angela W
    Angela W
    This was such an interesting soup and quite easy to make. I love cabbage (a completely underrated vegetable, in my opinion) and just made two huge batches of vegetable stock the other day, so this was the perfect recipe to try. The flavor combinations are new to my palate. Are they German-inspired? It had a sort of hot and sour soup feel to it, which I loved.
  • Lauren L
    Lauren L
    Hi Angela! I appreciate your feedback. I agree that this soup is surprisingly good! Cabbage is my favorite vegetable so I might be biased! Yes, there is German inspiration here that has a hot and sour quality. Lauren
  • Michele C
    Michele C
    I have fresh tomatoes, will that work as well as canned ones? I feel like I should know the answer but I’m just not sure....
  • Char N Rouxbe Staff
    Char N
    Hi Michele: thanks for writing. Of course you can use fresh, chopped tomatoes. Two cups of fresh tomatoes generally equals one, 14.5 ounce can of tomatoes. I like to remove the seeds, and use accordingly. Fresh tomatoes will add such a delicious flavor to your soup. Happy cooking! -Char
  • Sunnie S
    Sunnie S
    I've never been the biggest fan of cabbage (or at least that is what I thought) but this soup may have changed my mind! What an interesting take on a very simple ingredient (cabbage)! I didn't have any vegetable stock on hand, but I did just make the Rouxbe Fresh Vegetable Bouillon recipe, so I used that (reconstituted with water). The soup came out really tasty, light (but still very flavorful) and unlike any other soup I have every had before. It definitely had that hot/sour soup profile. You could really taste the vinegar and mustard which I loved.
  • Char N Rouxbe Staff
    Char N
    Hi Sunnie: Thanks for writing. This recipe for cabbage soup seems to be a total game changer for so many. The layering of the Dijon and vinegar really adds a new element of flavor. So glad you enjoyed it. Excellent work all around. Happy cooking, -Char
  • Jeffrey C
    Jeffrey C
    Made this tonight. I am so surprised by how the mustard and ACV gave it such a rich taste. It will be on my repeat list for sure!
  • Char N Rouxbe Staff
    Char N
    Jeffery: Amazing right? The base of the recipe is delicious--you can turn it into a good minestrone with some white beans! Next time, make a double batch of the stock, and freeze half of the recipe for another soup. Thanks for writing. Cheers, Char
  • Kellie A
    Kellie A
    This soup was good, but I will chop the cabbage much smaller next time. It was certainly flavourful though, and I enjoyed it. Thanks Rouxbe. (By the way, I see how we can rate it, but my rating doesn't enter for some reason. Is there a trick to this?)
  • Sandy S
    Sandy S
    Hi Kellie, We are very happy to hear you are enjoying and playing around with some of the recipes here! I will send along the message about the rating issue to someone much smarter than me, to see if we can get that resolved! Cheers, Sandy
  • Jennifer  S
    Jennifer S
    I made this recipe early on in my course and I LOVED IT!! Looking to make it again, but I currently need to avoid tomatoes. (Ugh!) Is there any substitute or can i just leave them out? Or will it ruin the flavor profile. I’m finding it very hard to make recipes ( especially w/o tomatoes) these days. They seem to be in almost ALL soups. :(
  • Sandy S
    Sandy S
    Hi Jennifer, Tomatoes really do add something here but, that isn't to say you can't omit them. You may want to do a bit of adjustment on the amount of vinegar you use to finish, as tomatoes add some acidic element to the final dish as well. You might also like to use some liquid aminos or perhaps a bit of miso to up the umami characteristics as well. Another option, which may take the soup in a different direction, is to add some mushrooms to the soup, maybe sautéed.... Good luck playing around with this soup, the possibilities are really endless. Cheers, Sandy
  • John D
    John D
    Absolutely loved this soup, the flavours are amazing, this is a keeper for sure.
  • Jack R
    Jack R
    how many grams is the carrot please?thank you.
  • Char N Rouxbe Staff
    Char N
    Jack: Of course, it depends on the length and girth of what is considered to be a “large carrot.” When you go to market, select the carrot you wish to use. An approximate weight is about 124 grams. Have fun making the soup. Cheers, Char
  • Riaz M
    Riaz M
    in what way should i cut the cabbage?
  • Eric W Rouxbe Staff
    Eric W
    Hi Riaz, the cabbage is best cut into pieces that are easy for you to eat. Please see the recipe photos for reference. ~Eric
  • Riaz M
    Riaz M
    i hate using cup measures for recipes as im no good when doing that.whats the estimate for the total amount of cabbage in grams as when i know kinda the exact amount it reduces my anxiety about a recipe.
  • Riaz M
    Riaz M
    to add extra umami im thinking off adding jared kimchito supplement the cabbbage and enhance it with its own flavour how much do you suggest?whats the best way to serve this cabbagge soup?when i think of cabbagge soup i think of the eastern europe block where they serve it with rye bread/would that suit this dish?
  • Eric W Rouxbe Staff
    Eric W
    Hello Riaz. Regarding the weight of a cup of cabbage (or other cut vegetable), it will vary depending on the size of the cut and how tightly you pack the cup. I suggest that you weigh a cup of cut cabbage to get the most accurate number for your situation. And, please handle "to taste" or food pairing situations according to your preference. Give it a try and see how you like it! ~Eric
  • Riaz M
    Riaz M
    for some reason the cabbage still retained its crunchy texture during all the cooking time but i wanted totally soft cabbage? would it be better to cook the cabbage lid on for 45 minutes eo it simmers and steamd while simmmering tomatoes in another pan with the vinegar and mustard as ive learnt through rouxbes lessons that using acids during coooking can toughen up vegetables and prevent softening when added to early.
  • Eric W Rouxbe Staff
    Eric W
    Hello Riaz, consider allowing the cabbage to simmer until cooked halfway or more, then add the tomatoes. Then, add the vinegar and mustard closer to the end, once the cabbage is to your liking. No need to use a separate pan. Enjoy! Eric
  • Riaz M
    Riaz M
    eric do you drain the tinned tomatoes beforehand? im thinking of draining the tinned tomatoes then pureeing in a food processor so that it melts seemless into the stock and cabbage so the soup apart from the cabbage is a smooth liquid for the best mouth feel. i tried tomato juice but i just ended up with a very thin soup with no body so i wont make that mistake again.
  • Riaz M
    Riaz M
    im also going to cook the cabbage for 25 minutes before i introduce the tomatoes then finish with the mustard and vinegar at the very end then place in thr fridge to let the flavours mingle together overnight. thank you eric and everyone here.
  • Riaz M
    Riaz M
    im thinking to make my life easier with this recipe food process the tomatoes mustard vinegar together then add them after all the vegetables have been cooking for 25 minutes then cook further 10 minutes until finished

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