Here’s an easy, nutritious cabbage soup for cold winter days. Made with just a handful of ingredients and ready in under an hour, the soup is simplicity at its best.
Cabbage, the Rodney Dangerfield of vegetables. It just can’t seem to “get no respect”!
Although cabbage is underestimated, it really is a miracle vegetable. Not only is it relatively inexpensive, it can easily be stored in the fridge for a month or two and 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 like here, cabbage is a workhorse.
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cabbage soup
Simple ingredients for easy cabbage soup
Have you ever looked in your fridge and the only veggie in good condition that looks out at you is a single head of cabbage? Cabbage is like that; it can outlast almost any other vegetable. Even if you only have some cabbage in your fridge right now, all you need is a few pantry ingredients to make this easy, nutritious, and light cabbage soup.
To make this easy cabbage soup, all you need is fresh cabbage, onions, canned tomatoes, chicken broth and some spices.
Of course, with so few ingredients, the quality of the soup depends on the quality of your ingredients. Homemade chicken broth is the best (we also use Better than Bouillon in a pinch), and good quality canned tomatoes make all the difference (we use Muir Glen).
Ways to customize this recipe
Want a little more pizzazz in your soup? You can easily add other veggies like chopped carrots with the onions, or sliced kale with the cabbage, or even bacon or sausage (gently cook 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 to soak up the broth. You can also serve this soup as a side to fried chicken, pork chops, or roast beef.
Save and freeze cabbage soup
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.
Do you love cabbage? Try these recipes!
- cabbage rolls
- Fried cabbage with bacon gremolata
- Corned beef and cabbage
- German red cabbage sweet and sour
- Pork Chops with Braised Cabbage
cabbage soup
ingredients
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2 teaspoon Extra virgin olive oil
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1 teaspoon butter
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1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds (or 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander)
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1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (or 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel)
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1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (or 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin)
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1 Middle Onionchopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
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1 small or 1/2 large Kalesliced 1/4-inch (4 to 5 cups)
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1/2 to 1 teaspoon Salt (more or less depending on the saltiness of your broth)
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1 (fifteen–ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
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4 cups chicken broth
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Freshly ground black pepper
method
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Grind 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.
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Sweat onions and spices:
Heat the olive oil and butter in a 4-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and stir in the ground spices. Cook until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
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Add cabbage and tomatoes:
Add the chopped cabbage to the saucepan and stir to combine the cabbage with the onions. If using unsalted broth, sprinkle the cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the whole canned tomatoes and their juice to the saucepan. Stir to combine.
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Add broth, let simmer:
Pour chicken broth into the pot. Bring to a boil and taste for salt. Add more salt to taste. Reduce the heat and cover the pot. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until cabbage is cooked through, breaking up tomatoes that are still whole.
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Surcharge.
Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to serve.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 179 | calories |
| 6g | Fat |
| 24g | carbohydrates |
| 9g | protein |
