This comforting cabbage soup recipe is an easy favorite!

Chopped cabbage and seasonings are simmered in a beefy tomato broth until tender.

Close up of cabbage soup with a ladle.

A Favorite Take on Cabbage Soup

  • This cabbage soup recipe can be served as a side or main dish.
  • Light & flavorful this soup can be beefed up with proteins like ground beef, ham, or chicken. Stir in cooked rice, orzo, quinoa, or a can of rinsed kidney beans.
  • Double up the recipe and enjoy it all week since the flavors will continue to blend!

Enjoy with thick slices of Irish Soda bread to sop up all that tasty broth!

Quick Cabbage Soup ingredients with labels

Ingredients for Cabbage Soup

Cabbage – Chop cabbage into 1-inch pieces or use a bag of shredded coleslaw to make it even faster!

Other Vegetables – Canned diced tomatoes flavor the broth, while shredded carrot adds a bit of sweetness to balance the acidity from the tomatoes. You can add other veggies like sliced celery, cauliflower rice, or green beans.

Broth – Beef broth or stock flavors is my first choice for this cabbage soup recipe. It can be replaced with either chicken or vegetable broth. Feel free to change up the spices and add thyme or oregano while it’s simmering.

Variations

Bulk up cabbage soup with chunks of potatoes or sweet potatoes, white onions, or shredded Brussels sprouts. You can also add cooked Italian sausage, ground turkey or simmer a ham bone in the soup for extra flavor.

How to Make Cabbage Soup

This classic comforting soup recipe is easy, nutritious, and a family favorite!

  1. In a large pot, sauté onion in oil until tender.
  2. Add cabbage and remaining ingredients (per recipe below) and simmer until the cabbage is softened.
  3. Discard bay leaf, season, and serve.

Tips for Storing Leftovers

Keep leftover cabbage soup in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

More Cabbage Recipes We Love

Did you enjoy this Cabbage Soup Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
Spoonful of Quick Cabbage Soup from a pot
5 from 40 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Cabbage Soup

This wholesome and economical soup is easy to make and tastes delicious.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

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Ingredients  

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • ½ medium onion diced
  • 6 cups chopped green cabbage
  • 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices, 1 can
  • 6 cups beef broth or chicken broth
  • 1 carrot shredded
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions 

  • In a large pot, cook onion in olive oil until tender, 3-4 minutes.
  • While onion is cooking, dice cabbage into ½" pieces. Add cabbage to the pot and cook over medium heat until it starts to soften, about 8 minutes.
  • While cabbage is cooking prepare other ingredients. Add all ingredients to the pot, bring to a boil and simmer uncovered 15 minutes or until cabbage is tender.
  • Discard bay leaf, season with salt & pepper to taste and serve.

Notes

Feel free to add additional spices like red pepper flakes, basil, or a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Cooked meat such as ham, sausage, or chicken can be added. If adding pasta, cook it on the side and add it to each bowl for serving.
5 from 40 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 50 | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 432mg | Potassium: 603mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1461IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine American
Bowl of cabbage soup with a title.
Cabbage soup close up, with a ladle and a title.
Cabbage soup being served with a ladle, with title.
Close up of cabbage soup over a image of a bowl of soup with a title.

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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5 from 40 votes (31 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. I love spendwithpennies recipes, easy to follow and ingredients are easy to find and most of the time i have everything on hand! The only problem I have is picking the recipe I want to make, thank you!

  2. Hello Holly. I just want to say how much I love your blogs and the emails you send. I have a nice saved collection now. My hubby and I both have bad colds so this soup sounds nourishing and easy to fix. Have the ingredients, and will add some cauliflower and carrots too.5 stars

  3. Just made this soup today, we love it. Took your suggestion, and added some extra vegetables that we had on hand: cauliflower, celery, and zucchini. We love that it makes a big pot and we can freeze some. Will definitely make it again. Delicious.5 stars

  4. Hi Holly, I do feel that you have one of the better food blogs around. I can see that
    you have made your recipes quite east to follow with an eye on ingredient expense.
    Your recipes clear and easy to follow. Keep up your winning work that you appear
    to love, as I enjoy it immensely.

  5. Question:
    I can never understand why you mix measuring by volume with measuring by weight. Fine, to give the volume of the stock , but to give tomatoes by weight, and then cabbage by volume ? Why not just weigh the cabbage as well?

    1. Great question David. At times, with ounces being the measure for volume and weight, it can be confusing. The tomatoes are canned diced tomatoes and are sold by volume, and this is a 14 ounce can with juice. Hope that helps.

  6. This is a great, healthy and quick recipe. I added some Honey Crisp Apple Chicken Sausage I had in the fridge to add a bit of protein, and it fit well. I used Better than Bullion Beef for the broth. Made cheesy green chilies corn muffins to make it a meal. Will definitely make this again.5 stars

  7. Hey MizHolly. I’ve been having all kinds of soup for breakfast since I was a little boy. I like bacon and eggs but soup is my usual go-to for breakfast. I made this cabbage soup and it is delicious all by itself. Later I ladled some of it into a smaller pot, added a can of great northern beans, got it simmering and then dropped in a frozen cod fillet. When the fish was done, oh my! What a nourishing and delicious pot of soup. On some days I have this soup for breakfast, dinner and supper. With toasted ciabatta rolls and butter, what’s not to like. Thanks for showing me an easy way to make a really great pot of soup. Another friend for life! P.S. I added the whole little can of tomato paste.

    1. Soup sounds like the perfect way to start your day!! I love your additions to this soup, what a great way to change it up! Thank you for sharing your ideas!

  8. This is incredibly delicious! I had some leftover spinach that was wilting, so I added that. I also doubled the amount of Italian seasoning. So flavorful and great, I’m happy to have discovered your blog, I think I’ve made the healthy blueberry cobbler about five times already. This soup is terrific!5 stars

  9. Love it ! I made a good batch for the two of us. Two days later, using it for left overs, I stir fried some diced chicken, diced carrot and mushrooms. Fabulous ! A new staple.5 stars

  10. WHY does your recipe always disappear when I’m in the process of reading the recipe, or when I’m attempting to comment?

    1. Also, I just want to say that I like to add some good quality Kielbasa slices from our Polish Deli (not from a cryovac pkg. from the supermarket0 to Cabbage Soup.

  11. I just made this with homemade chicken stock. Delicious, healthy and simple recipe I will make again.5 stars

  12. Can I use chicken or vegetable broth? We don’t eat beef of any kind.
    Thanks Holly. I love your recipes (except those with beef, pork, lamb,etc!)

    1. You are so right Sherry. The recipe has been corrected to reflect the appropriate nutrition information!