Easy Vegetable Cabbage Soup

I didn’t grow up eating a lot of cabbage. My mom would make coleslaw for summer barbecues, and that was about it. So when I first tried vegetable cabbage soup at a friend’s house in my twenties, I was surprised by how good it tasted—and how filling it was.

Turns out, cabbage is perfect for soup. It holds up well when you simmer it, it soaks up all the flavors from the broth and seasonings, and it doesn’t turn to mush like some vegetables do. Plus, it’s cheap and you can usually find it at the store year-round. This soup is packed with vegetables—carrots, green beans, tomatoes, bell pepper—so it’s hearty enough to be a meal on its own. Just serve it with some crusty bread and you’re good to go.

What Kind of Cabbage Should I Use?

Green cabbage is your best bet for this soup since it holds up well during cooking and has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that works perfectly with the other vegetables. You can also use savoy cabbage if you prefer a more tender texture, or even mix in some red cabbage for a pop of color, though red cabbage will turn the broth slightly purple. When shopping, look for a head that feels heavy for its size with tightly packed leaves and no brown spots or wilting. Don’t worry about chopping it perfectly – rough chops work just fine since the cabbage will soften as it simmers in the broth.

Options for Substitutions

This soup is really forgiving and works well with whatever vegetables you have on hand:

• Green beans: Fresh or frozen green beans both work great here. You can also swap them for zucchini, snap peas, or even frozen mixed vegetables if that’s what you have in your freezer.
• Cabbage: Green cabbage is traditional, but savoy cabbage or even a mix of green and red cabbage adds nice color. Just keep in mind that red cabbage will tint your broth purple.
• Potato: Any potato variety works – russet, red, or Yukon gold. You can also use sweet potato for a slightly different flavor, though it will add some sweetness to the soup.
• Vegetable broth: Chicken broth is a fine substitute if you’re not keeping it vegetarian. You can also use water with a couple of bouillon cubes, though the flavor won’t be quite as rich.
• Italian seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning, mix together dried basil, oregano, and thyme. A bay leaf or two also adds nice flavor during cooking.
• Diced tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce work in a pinch. If using sauce, you might want to add a bit less since it’s more concentrated than diced tomatoes.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making vegetable soup is adding all the vegetables at once, which leads to mushy carrots and potatoes while the cabbage is still crunchy – instead, add harder vegetables like carrots and potatoes first, then toss in the cabbage during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Don’t skip the step of cooking your aromatics (onions and garlic) until they’re soft and fragrant, as rushing this process means you’ll miss out on the deep, sweet flavor that forms the base of your soup.

A common error is under-seasoning, so taste your soup before serving and add salt gradually – vegetable broth varies in saltiness, and the acid from balsamic vinegar or lemon juice at the end really brightens up all the flavors.

If your soup tastes flat or boring, it probably needs more acid or herbs, so don’t be shy about adding an extra splash of vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon right before serving.

What to Serve With Vegetable Cabbage Soup?

This soup is already packed with veggies, so all you really need is some crusty bread on the side for dipping and soaking up all that flavorful broth. I like to toast the bread with a little olive oil and garlic to make it extra special. If you want to make it more filling, add a simple grilled cheese sandwich or some crackers and cheese on the side. For a complete meal, you could also serve it with a protein like rotisserie chicken or white beans stirred right into the soup.

Storage Instructions

Store: This soup actually gets better after a day or two in the fridge as all the flavors meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It’s perfect for meal prep since you can just grab a portion whenever you need a quick, healthy lunch or dinner.

Freeze: Cabbage soup freezes really well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. I like to freeze individual servings so I can thaw just what I need without defrosting the whole batch.

Reheat: Warm the soup gently on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes. The vegetables might soften a bit more after reheating, but the flavor will still be great. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon and some parsley right before serving to brighten it up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 500-650
• Protein: 15-20 g
• Fat: 2-4 g
• Carbohydrates: 115-130 g

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 carrots (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 2 celery sticks
• 2 tbsp italian seasoning
• 28 oz diced tomatoes (I use Hunt’s for the best juice-to-fruit ratio)
• 1 potato (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1.5 cups green beans
• 2 lb cabbage (cored and chopped into 1-inch ribbons)
• 6 cups vegetable broth (I prefer Swanson Organic for a cleaner flavor)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt
• black pepper

For serving:

• balsamic vinegar
• fresh parsley
• lemon wedges
• crusty bread

Step 1: Prepare All Vegetables

• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 potato
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 lb cabbage
• 1.5 cups green beans
• 28 oz diced tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth

Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, slice the carrots into 1/4-inch rounds, chop the celery into bite-sized pieces, peel and cut the potato into 1-inch cubes, dice the red bell pepper, and chop the cabbage into 1-inch ribbons after removing the core.

Measure out the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and green beans.

Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and ensure ingredients cook evenly.

Step 2: Build the Aromatic Base

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery sticks
• 3 garlic cloves

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Once shimmering, add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery, cooking for about 4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and release their aromatics.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant—this creates the flavorful foundation for the entire soup.

Step 3: Toast the Seasonings

• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning

Stir in the Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

This brief toasting brings out the essential oils in the dried herbs, deepening their flavor throughout the soup.

I find that this technique makes a noticeable difference in the overall taste compared to just dumping everything in at once.

Step 4: Add Remaining Vegetables and Liquid

• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 28 oz diced tomatoes
• 1 potato
• 2 lb cabbage
• 1.5 cups green beans
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Pour in the vegetable broth and water, then add the diced tomatoes (with their juice), potatoes, cabbage, green beans, and bay leaf.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to ensure ingredients are evenly distributed.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid.

Step 5: Simmer Until Vegetables Tender

Maintain a gentle simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The soup is ready when the potatoes and cabbage are fully tender and the flavors have melded together.

I like to check the potatoes around the 20-minute mark—if they’re easily pierced with a fork, the soup is done.

Step 6: Season and Finish

• salt
• black pepper
• balsamic vinegar
• fresh parsley
• lemon wedges
• crusty bread

Remove the pot from heat and taste the soup.

Season with salt and black pepper to your preference, then add a splash of balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors and add depth.

Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges, serving alongside crusty bread for a complete, satisfying meal.

Easy Vegetable Cabbage Soup

Delicious Easy Vegetable Cabbage Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 575 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the soup::

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 carrots (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 2 celery sticks
• 2 tbsp italian seasoning
• 28 oz diced tomatoes (I use Hunt's for the best juice-to-fruit ratio)
• 1 potato (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1.5 cups green beans
• 2 lb cabbage (cored and chopped into 1-inch ribbons)
• 6 cups vegetable broth (I prefer Swanson Organic for a cleaner flavor)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt
• black pepper

For serving::

• balsamic vinegar
• fresh parsley
• lemon wedges
• crusty bread

Instructions

 

• Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, slice the carrots into 1/4-inch rounds, chop the celery into bite-sized pieces, peel and cut the potato into 1-inch cubes, dice the red bell pepper, and chop the cabbage into 1-inch ribbons after removing the core. Measure out the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and green beans. Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and ensure ingredients cook evenly.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery, cooking for about 4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and release their aromatics. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant—this creates the flavorful foundation for the entire soup.
• Stir in the Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. This brief toasting brings out the essential oils in the dried herbs, deepening their flavor throughout the soup. I find that this technique makes a noticeable difference in the overall taste compared to just dumping everything in at once.
• Pour in the vegetable broth and water, then add the diced tomatoes (with their juice), potatoes, cabbage, green beans, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to ensure ingredients are evenly distributed. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid.
• Maintain a gentle simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup is ready when the potatoes and cabbage are fully tender and the flavors have melded together. I like to check the potatoes around the 20-minute mark—if they're easily pierced with a fork, the soup is done.
• Remove the pot from heat and taste the soup. Season with salt and black pepper to your preference, then add a splash of balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors and add depth. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges, serving alongside crusty bread for a complete, satisfying meal.