Comforting Light Cabbage Soup (Printable version)

Light, comforting cabbage soup with vegetables—budget-friendly, vegan, and perfect for healthy meal prep.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small green cabbage (about 1.5 lbs), cored and chopped
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 medium onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
08 - 1 small zucchini, diced (optional)

→ Broth & Seasonings

09 - 6 cups vegetable broth, low sodium preferred
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
16 - 1/2 lemon, juiced (optional)
17 - Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until slightly softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add bell pepper, zucchini if using, and cabbage. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add thyme, oregano, black pepper, salt, and chili flakes if using.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Stir in lemon juice if desired.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes even better the next day, so you're basically getting two great meals from one cooking session.
  • Your kitchen will smell incredible while it simmers, and nobody needs to know how little effort it actually took.
  • You can swap vegetables based on what's hanging around in your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • Don't cover the pot while you're sautéing the vegetables at the beginning—you want them to soften and caramelize slightly, not steam themselves into mush.
  • If your soup tastes flat after cooking, it's almost always because it needs salt or acid; a pinch of salt or a few drops of lemon juice makes an enormous difference.
03 -
  • If you're chopping everything in advance, keep the cabbage separate from the other vegetables so it doesn't release too much water and get soggy before cooking.
  • Taste the broth before you add salt—some brands are surprisingly salty, and you'd rather add more than have to rescue it later.
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