Healthy Cabbage Soup with Vegetables (Printable)

Light and nourishing cabbage soup with vegetables, ideal 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 - 1 can (14 oz) 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 - Juice of 1/2 lemon (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 garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add bell pepper, zucchini if using, and cabbage. Sauté for 3-4 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 25-30 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes like it's doing something good for you, without any pretense or complicated techniques.
  • Your leftovers actually taste better the next day, which means one batch of chopping feeds you all week.
  • It costs almost nothing and works whether you're feeding yourself or showing up with a pot for someone who needs it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial sauté of the onion, carrot, and celery—those few minutes of heat unlock flavors that raw vegetables never develop, and it's the difference between soup that tastes good and soup that tastes like it was made with intention.
  • Taste it before you add lemon or salt; the longer it simmers, the more concentrated the flavors become, and you might find you need less seasoning than you think.
03 -
  • Keep your broth low-sodium so you can actually taste the vegetables and season at the end rather than being stuck with a salty pot you can't fix.
  • The lemon juice is non-negotiable if you want the soup to sing instead of just being pleasant—it's the difference between a bowl you forget you ate and one you think about the next day.
Return