Cabbage Soup

Whether or not you’re a fan of cabbage like me, you’re sure to love this hearty cabbage soup. Cabbage is perfect in soup recipes because it’s affordable and accessible year round, and a little always goes a long way. It’s the star in this slow-cooker soup, where you’ll use a whole head of cabbage and other vegetables like carrots, onion and celery.

Cabbage is such a versatile ingredient with tons of nutritional value. It’s full of fiber, vitamin C and vitamin K, is antioxidant-rich, and has zero fat and few calories per serving. It can be prepared raw, cooked or fermented. Whatever variety you use—green, savoy or napa—cooked cabbage gets soft and sweet, especially when simmered in a soup.

Our cabbage soup is also loaded with beans, making it flavorful, protein-packed and filling. Best of all, once you start your slow cooker, you don’t have to think about it again until it’s time to set the table.

Cabbage Soup Ingredients

• Cabbage: Green cabbage is best for this recipe for its texture and sweetness when cooked. It’s easy to shred cabbage by hand, but you could buy a bag of pre-shredded cabbage or use napa or savory cabbage in a pinch.
• Chicken stock: Chicken stock and broth are pretty interchangeable. The main difference is that you use bones for stock, which is cooked much longer and tends to be a little more flavorful and thicker. Use one of our recommended store-bought chicken broth brands for a quick soup, or try our homemade chicken stock.
• Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds a depth of flavor and a nice color to this soup. It’s also full of umami!
• Celery: Celery is a vital aromatic that adds flavor and texture to this cabbage soup.
• Carrots: Carrots are essential for mirepoix, the mixture of small diced carrots, onion and celery that forms the base of many soups, sauces and stews.
• Onion: There are many types of onions, but we like yellow onions for this soup because they’re mild and not too sweet.
• Beans: Our recipe uses a can of great northern beans, but if you’re into cooking dried beans, use those instead.
• Garlic: I rarely make a soup without garlic, as it’s such a flavorful ingredient! I always use fresh chopped garlic if possible.
• Seasonings: Dried thyme and bay leaf bring a lot of flavor to this cabbage soup.
• Parmesan cheese: This soup tastes fantastic topped with a heap of shredded Parmesan cheese. I love fresh grated Parmesan, but pre-shredded works as well. If you have a Parmesan cheese rind, pop it in the soup while it simmers!

Directions

Step 1: Cook the soup

TASTE OF HOME

In a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the stock and tomato paste.

TASTE OF HOME

Add the vegetables, drained beans, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and salt. Cover and cook on low until the vegetables are tender, six to eight hours.

Step 2: Serve the soup

TASTE OF HOME

When the soup is done, remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf before serving. If desired, top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Cabbage Soup Variations

• Make a stovetop soup: Slow-cooker recipes are great for set-it-and-forget-it meals, but you can still enjoy this soup if you don’t have a Crockpot. To make on the stovetop, add all of the ingredients to a large pot and simmer for 30 minutes or so, until the vegetables are tender.
• Add other vegetables: Try this slow-cooker cabbage soup with whatever other vegetables you’re trying to use up. It’s excellent with shredded kale, peas, diced potatoes or tomatoes.
• Try it with sausage: Sausage and cabbage go together wonderfully, so it’s a natural addition to this soup. Slice up pre-cooked sausages, like Italian sausage or chorizo, for a quick, meaty addition.

How to Store Cabbage Soup

This cabbage soup stores wonderfully and will be even better after all the flavors come together on day two. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container with a lid for up to one week.

Can you freeze cabbage soup?

Freezing soup is a great way to extend its shelf life, plus it’s helpful to have frozen soup on hand for a busy day. Cool the soup completely, then ladle it into freezer-safe plastic resealable bags. Lay them flat in your freezer until frozen, then stack them up for efficient storage. Frozen soup is good for up to three months.

How do you reheat cabbage soup?

Reheat the cabbage soup on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s bubbling and hot all the way through. If it’s frozen, either allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or heat it straight from frozen on the stovetop until it’s thawed and heated through. I run the frozen container under hot water to loosen up the soup, then pop it in a pot to reheat.

Cabbage Soup Tips

TASTE OF HOME

What else can you make with cabbage?

Cabbage is such a versatile ingredient, and you can serve it raw, cooked or fermented into homemade sauerkraut. Shred it up for coleslaw, or cut it into larger slices and cook it down like in this German red cabbage dish. And follow our tips for cooking cabbage so it’s less gassy!

What can you serve with cabbage soup?

Cabbage soup is practically a complete meal, but I love serving it with some warm, crusty homemade bread and seared sausages. You could even serve your favorite pasta salad recipes alongside cabbage soup.