🥬 Cabbage “Fat-Burning” Soup

Original Cabbage Fat-Burning Soup recipe

This is a hearty, vegetable-packed soup made with cabbage, carrots, celery, peppers, zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. The linked recipe uses olive oil, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and paprika, with a suggested simmer of about 25–30 minutes.

A quick note: “Fat-burning soup” is a popular name, but cabbage soup itself doesn’t literally burn body fat. It can be useful for weight management because it’s filling, vegetable-rich, and relatively low in calories.

đź›’ Ingredients

For the soup

  • 1 medium head cabbage, about 2–2½ lb (900 g–1.1 kg)
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 4 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, sliced or diced
  • 1 cup green beans, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) tomato sauce
  • 6 cups (1.4 L) vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • Salt, to taste

Optional finishing ingredients

  • Fresh parsley
  • Lemon wedges
  • Crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1–2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • Freshly ground black pepper

For a lower-sodium version: use low-sodium vegetable broth and taste the soup before adding salt. The original recipe also specifically suggests low-sodium broth as a substitution.

👩‍🍳 Detailed Instructions

1. Prepare all the vegetables

Wash and prepare everything before you start cooking.

Cabbage

Remove the tough outer leaves.

Cut the cabbage into quarters, remove the core, and slice into approximately ½-inch strips.

Carrots

Slice into thin rounds or half-moons.

Celery

Dice into small pieces.

Peppers

Remove the seeds and cut into approximately ½-inch pieces.

Zucchini

Cut into half-moons or bite-size cubes.

Green beans

Trim the ends and cut into approximately 1-inch pieces.

Having everything prepared first makes the cooking process much easier. The original recipe recommends gathering and chopping the vegetables before beginning.

2. Build the flavor base

Place a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add:

1 tablespoon olive oil

Add the chopped onion and celery.

Cook for approximately 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften.

Add the minced garlic.

Cook for another 30–60 seconds.

Don’t let the garlic become dark brown—it can turn bitter.

3. Add the harder vegetables

Add:

  • carrots
  • green bell pepper
  • yellow bell pepper
  • green beans

Stir everything together.

Cook for approximately 4–5 minutes.

The vegetables don’t need to be completely tender yet. You’re simply beginning the cooking process and allowing their flavors to develop.

4. Add the cabbage

Add the shredded cabbage.

It may look like far too much cabbage at first, but don’t worry.

Stir it into the vegetables and cook for approximately 3–5 minutes.

The cabbage will quickly wilt and reduce in volume.

Season lightly with:

  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme

5. Add tomatoes

Pour in:

  • 14 oz diced tomatoes with their juices
  • 14 oz tomato sauce

Stir thoroughly.

The tomatoes provide the soup’s savory, slightly sweet base and complement the cabbage particularly well.

6. Add the broth

Pour in approximately:

6 cups vegetable broth

Add:

  • 2 bay leaves

The vegetables should be mostly submerged.

If your cabbage is particularly large and the pot is very full, add another ½–1 cup broth as needed.

Bring the soup to a gentle boil.

7. Simmer

Once the soup begins boiling, reduce the heat to low or medium-low.

Cover partially with a lid.

Simmer for approximately 25–30 minutes, stirring every 8–10 minutes.

The original recipe recommends this simmering time to allow the vegetables and flavors to meld.

Check for doneness

The soup is ready when:

  • The cabbage is tender but not completely mushy.
  • The carrots can be easily pierced with a fork.
  • The celery is tender.
  • The peppers and zucchini are cooked through.

For softer, more traditional cabbage soup, simmer for 35–45 minutes.

8. Add the zucchini at the right time

If you prefer zucchini to retain some texture, add it during the last 15 minutes of cooking rather than at the beginning.

This prevents it from becoming overly soft.

9. Adjust the seasoning

Remove the bay leaves.

Taste the soup.

Adjust with:

  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Additional paprika
  • Red pepper flakes

My favorite finishing trick

Add 1–2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

You won’t necessarily taste the vinegar/lemon as a separate flavor—it simply brightens the tomato and vegetable flavors.

🌶️ Make It More Flavorful

The basic recipe is intentionally mild. If you want a richer, more satisfying soup, try adding:

Italian-style

  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp basil
  • Parmesan rind while simmering
  • Fresh parsley at the end

Spicy

  • ½–1 tsp crushed red pepper
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • A little hot sauce

Smoky

  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp cumin

More savory

Add 1–2 tablespoons tomato paste when sautéing the vegetables. Cook it for about 1 minute before adding the tomatoes.

🍗 Make It a Complete Meal

The original recipe is primarily vegetable-based. If you want substantially more protein and staying power, add one of these:

  • 1 lb ground turkey, browned separately
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1½ cups cooked white beans
  • 1½ cups cooked lentils

For a low-carb version, chicken or turkey works especially well.

Turkey cabbage soup

Brown 1 lb ground turkey with onion and garlic before adding the vegetables. Season with paprika, thyme, pepper, and a little Italian seasoning.

Then continue with the recipe as written.

🥣 Serving

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and finish with:

  • Fresh parsley
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Lemon wedge
  • A few red pepper flakes

For a richer meal, add a small am