πŸ₯¬πŸ… Classic Cabbage Soup β€” Hearty, Light & Flavorful

This is a big-pot vegetable cabbage soup made with cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, celery, peppers, zucchini and green beans. The recipe is based on the version you referenced earlier, which uses a tomato-rich broth and a 25–30 minute simmer. 

Servings: 8–10
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35–45 minutes
Total: about 1 hour

Note: Despite the common name β€œfat-burning cabbage soup,” cabbage soup does not literally burn body fat. It can be a filling, vegetable-rich, relatively low-calorie meal that may fit into a weight-management eating pattern.

πŸ›’ Ingredients

Vegetables

  • 1 medium head green cabbage, about 2½–3 lb
  • 4 medium carrots
  • 4 celery stalks
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 1 cup fresh green beans
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce

Broth & seasoning

  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Β½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½–1 teaspoon salt, to taste
  • Β½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, optional
  • ΒΌ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Optional finishing ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Fresh lemon wedges
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Extra black pepper
  • Crushed red pepper flakes

The core ingredient combinationβ€”cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, green beans and vegetable brothβ€”comes directly from the referenced recipe.

πŸ‘©β€πŸ³ Detailed Instructions

1. Prepare the cabbage

Remove any damaged outer leaves.

Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the tough core.

Slice the cabbage into approximately Β½-inch strips.

You don’t need perfectly uniform pieces. Slightly larger pieces will retain more texture.

Set aside.

2. Prepare the other vegetables

Peel and slice the carrots.

Dice the celery.

Dice both bell peppers.

Dice the onion.

Mince the garlic.

Slice the zucchini into half-moons.

Trim the green beans and cut them into 1-inch pieces.

Keeping everything chopped before you start cooking makes the soup much easier to prepare.

πŸ§… 3. Build the flavor base

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

Add:

1 tablespoon olive oil

Add the diced onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The onion should become soft and translucent.

Add the minced garlic.

Cook for another 30–60 seconds.

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

πŸ₯• 4. Add the firm vegetables

Add:

  • carrots
  • celery
  • green bell pepper
  • yellow/orange bell pepper

Stir everything together.

Cook for approximately 5 minutes.

The vegetables don’t need to be completely tender yet.

You’re simply beginning the cooking process and allowing them to develop flavor.

πŸ₯’ 5. Add zucchini and green beans

Add the zucchini and green beans.

Cook for another 2–3 minutes.

Stir occasionally.

πŸ₯¬ 6. Add the cabbage

Now add the shredded cabbage.

At first, it may look like an enormous amount of cabbage and may even rise above the rim of the pot.

Don’t worry.

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

The cabbage will begin to wilt and shrink considerably.

πŸ… 7. Add the tomatoes

Pour in:

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

Stir thoroughly.

The tomato sauce gives the soup its characteristic rich red-orange broth.

πŸ₯£ 8. Add the broth

Pour in:

6 cups vegetable broth

Stir everything together.

If your pot is very full, don’t add all the broth at once. Add enough to leave a couple of inches of room at the top.

You can add additional broth later if necessary.

🌿 9. Season

Add:

  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Β½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Β½ teaspoon salt

Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes if desired.

Go easy on the salt initially.

Different vegetable broths contain very different amounts of sodium, so taste again near the end.

πŸ”₯ 10. Bring the soup to a boil

Increase the heat to medium-high.

Bring the soup to a gentle boil.

Once bubbling, immediately reduce the heat to medium-low.

You want a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil.

⏲️ 11. Simmer

Cover the pot partially with a lid.

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

The cabbage should become tender but shouldn’t completely disintegrate.

The carrots should be tender enough to pierce easily with a fork.

The original recipe specifies a 25–30 minute simmer.

For softer cabbage

Simmer an additional 10–15 minutes.

For firmer vegetables

Start checking around 20 minutes.

πŸ₯„ 12. Taste and adjust

Remove the bay leaves.

Taste the broth.

Adjust as needed:

Too bland?
Add a little salt, pepper, garlic powder or Italian seasoning.

Too acidic?
Add ½–1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar or a tiny pinch of sugar.

Too thick?
Add another ½–1 cup broth.

Too watery?
Simmer uncovered for another 10–15 minutes.

Want more heat?
Add crushed red pepper.

πŸ‹ 13. Finish with lemon

This is optional but highly recommended.

Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice into each serving.

The acidity brightens the tomatoes and vegetables and makes the soup taste less heavy.

The referenced recipe also suggests lemon wedges as an optional garnish.

🌿 14. Garnish and serve

Ladle the hot soup into bowls.

Top with:

  • fresh parsley
  • cracked black pepper
  • red pepper flakes
  • a squeeze of lemon

Serve immediately.

⭐ My Favorite Version

For the best flavor, I’d make it with:

cabbage + carrots + celery + onion + garlic + green and yellow peppers + zucchini + green beans + diced tomatoes + tomato sauce + vegetable broth + thyme + paprika + lemon.

The combination gives you a soup that’s sweet from the carrots and onions, acidic from the tomatoes, earthy from the cabbage, and fresh from the herbs and lemon.

πŸ— Make It a Complete Meal

If you want more protein and staying power, add one of these toward the end of cooking:

Chicken

Add 2–3 cups shredded cooked chicken during the final 10 minutes.

Turkey

Add 2 cups cooked ground turkey or diced turkey.

Beans

Add 1–2 cans drained white beans, kidney beans or chickpeas.

Lean beef

Brown 1 lb lean ground beef separately, drain excess fat, then add it to the soup with the tomatoes.

This turns the vegetable soup into a much heartier main dish.

🌢️ Spicy Cabbage Soup

Add:

  • ½–1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • Β½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ΒΌ teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce

For even more flavor, sautΓ© the spices with the onions and garlic before adding the broth.

πŸ₯” Hearty Version

For a more substantial soup, add:

  • 2 medium potatoes, diced

Add them with the carrots and celery.

You’ll probably need an additional 10 minutes of simmering time.

πŸ₯¬ Greens Variation

Replace some of the cabbage with:

  • kale
  • Swiss chard
  • spinach

Add delicate greens during the last 5 minutes so they retain some color and texture.

The original recipe specifically notes kale as a possible substitution.

🧊 Storage

Allow the soup to cool somewhat before refrigerating.

Transfer to airtight containers.

Refrigerator

Keep for approximately 4 days.

Freezer

Freeze for approximately 2–3 months for best quality.

For meal prep, freeze individual portions so you can thaw only what you need.

Reheating

Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until steaming hot.

Add a splash of broth or water if the soup has thickened in the refrigerator.