When it comes to healthy, easy dinner recipes, this Mediterranean cabbage soup always makes the cut. It’s loaded with veggies, warming spices like turmeric and ginger, and only requires 10 minutes of hands-on time.
When I Need a Reset I Make This Cabbage Soup Recipe
- I love it because it only takes about 10 minutes of prep time. And I’m not alone! My cabbage soup recipe went viral on YouTube and has more than 2 million views!
- It’s vegan, nutrient-rich, and loaded with vegetables
- Cabbage is one of the most affordable vegetables you can buy, making it not only healthy but also budget-friendly.
- It has one of my favorite flavor combinations—turmeric and ginger, adding warmth and loads of flavor.
Key Ingredients
Aside from its super-ingredients, this soup is comforting, aromatic, and, most importantly, a delicious recipe you’ll want to make on repeat. I call it my detox cabbage soup because everything in it is so good for you!
- Olive oil: Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor and antioxidant-boost.
- Vegetables: Onion and garlic, green cabbage, celery, carrots, canned diced tomato
- Spices turmeric, cumin, coriander, fresh ginger, lemon, parsley, and green onion add complex peppery, earthy, savory, and bright flavors.
- Aleppo pepper adds a mild and bright kick. You can substitute with Urfa biber or red pepper flakes.
- Vegetable broth: Make your own with leftover veggie scraps, use a high-quality store-bought variety, or substitute with chicken stock or broth.
How to Make this Cabbage Soup Recipe
With a vibrant blend of spices and punchy aromatics like garlic and ginger, you can develop a deep flavor in 40 minutes. Here’s how:
- Prep the vegetables. Chop 1 onion. Mince 3 garlic cloves (see my tips for how to mince garlic). Core and chop one head of green cabbage. Chop 2 celery sticks. Slice 2 carrots into thin rounds.
- Sauté the aromatics. In a large Dutch oven or cooking pot with a lid, set over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until fragrant (adjust the heat down to make sure the garlic does not burn).
- Soften the veggies. Add the cabbage, celery, carrots, and a big pinch of kosher salt and black pepper (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon each). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. It helps to cover the pot partway so that the cabbage will wilt easily.
- Season. Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon cumin, coriander, and Aleppo pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables with the spices.
- Simmer. Add a (28-ounce) can of diced tomatoes (with their juices) and 3 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes, then turn the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot part way allowing just a small opening at the top. Simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Finish and Serve. While the soup simmers, slice 3 green onions (both white and green parts). Chop 1 cup parsley, peel and finely grate a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger. Zest a large lemon, then slice it in half and capture its juice. Turn the heat off and stir in the remaining ingredients.
Ways to Make this Recipe Your Own
- Swap green cabbage with Napa cabbage or savoy cabbage. I would avoid red cabbage as it has a pronounced peppery flavor, and the red color will leach into the soup.
- Add a can of chickpeas or white beans like cannellini or navy beans for a boost of fiber and plant-based protein.
- Substitute canned whole tomatoes for a more rustic vibe. Just crush them with the back of a spoon.
- Add shredded poached chicken for extra protein (rotisserie chicken would work well.)
What to Serve with Cabbage Soup
This vegan cabbage soup is hearty enough on its own; you don’t need any sides. But soup, salad, and bread are a classic combination.
- Bread: A quick-rising fresh bread, like simit or challah, is a special treat, but something rich like Rosemary Focaccia or crusty like French baguettes or even Olive Bread are good for dipping.
- Salads: I love a good salad, but the cabbage soup has loads of vegetables in it, so I like to keep my salads simple. Caesar Salad is always at the top of my list, but this butter lettuce salad is a new favorite. If I don’t add beans to the soup, sometimes I will pair the soup with this wilted spinach salad just to get in some extra fiber and dark leafy greens.
I Have a Thing for Cabbage Recipes
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you already know how much I love cabbage. It’s an underappreciated vegetable, so I do what I can to put it front and center. It’s endlessly versatile, totally affordable, and easy to stretch a meal made with cabbage to feed a crowd. If you love this simple cruciferous vegetable as much as I do, try these recipes (after you’ve made the cabbage soup, of course!):
- “Sexy” Roasted Cabbage with Dukkah and Tahini (That’s right! I think cabbage is sexy!)
- Cacio e Pepe Cabbage
- Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Greek Cabbage Rice
- Cabbage Steaks with Chermoula and Toasted Nuts
- Sauteed Cabbage with Garlic and Lime
In this weeknight-friendly recipe, a whole head of cabbage stews with warming Mediterranean spices and aromatic veggies until it's silky-smooth and loaded with flavor. Vegan gluten free, this nourishing soup is where health food and comfort food join forces!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium head of green cabbage, cored and chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomato
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup chopped parsley leaves (from about 1 bunch parsley)
- 3 green onions, trimmed and sliced
- 1- inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics. In a large Dutch oven or cooking pot with a lid, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until fragrant (adjust the heat as necessary to make sure the garlic does not burn).
- Soften the veggies. Add the cabbage, celery, carrots, and a big pinch of kosher salt and black pepper (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon each). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened somewhat, about 5 to 7 minutes (it helps to cover the pot partway so that the cabbage will wilt easily).
- Season. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, and Aleppo pepper and toss to coat the vegetables with the spices.
- Simmer. Add the diced tomatoes (with their juices) and the broth. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes, then turn the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot part way allowing just a small opening at the top. Simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Finish and serve. Turn the heat off and stir in the parsley, chopped green onions, ginger, lemon zest and lemon juice. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Storage: Allow to cool, then store in your refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen soup in your refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stove or in your microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 131.3kcalCarbohydrates: 20.7gProtein: 4.2gFat: 5.3gSaturated Fat: 0.8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.6gSodium: 151.9mgPotassium: 606.7mgFiber: 7.2gSugar: 9.5gVitamin A: 4591.7IUVitamin C: 89mgCalcium: 125.3mgIron: 2.7mg
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*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
Everything started off good but I used a yellow onion and it overpowered the cabbage. I should go with a milder onion. The lemon was a bit much. I’ll need to use half the next time. I’m going to do some comparison with other dishes to get the right combo.
This soup is incredible! Thank you! I’d give 5 more stars if I could!
Wow! Thanks, Jarad! So glad you loved this one!
Thank you! What a wonderful recipe. Love all the spices. I will be making this again and again and again.
I made this today. It came out wonderful. I like the idea of adding lemon & ginger. Hubby loved the heat.
I really enjoyed the soup surprisingly for me, but I will use the Aleppo pepper flakes.
I took a shortcut and used a bag of coleslaw mix but am very happy with the results. Cutting up all of the other veggies was great therapy on a frigid winter day. It’s not only delicious and healthy, it’s beautiful!
horrible measurements and horrible cook times. Did you actually make this? I was looking for a cabbage detox recipe…unfortunately I found this one. Followed to a T; carrots still hard….too much cabbage for the carrots/celery/onion…just wrong on so many levels. I am home cook…but was sous chef/line cook in my younger days.
Just made a big pot. It’s delicious. I have diabetes so this will be a go to for me. Paired with a salad.
Gonna make the cabbage soup today. This recipe sounds like what I’ve been craving.
This soup is incredible!
I have never made a soup where the seasonings are so perfect. My friend does not like vegetable soup EXCEPT HE LOVED THIS SOUP.
THANK YOU,for this great recupe
Yesssss! We love winning over skeptics :).
This recipe popped up on my feed over the holiday whilst I was feeling under the weather and a bit sorry for myself. I had bought a load of fresh stuff over Christmas and New Year and there was loads left as I’d not felt much like eating, never mind standing cooking. I knew straight away I would make this as soon as I felt up to it. All I needed to get in were the canned tomatoes, spring onions and parsley. It was so simple to make and wow! My OH also loved it. Thank you for this tasty & hearty soup recipe.
Thanks, Denyse! So glad you are feeling better!
This is delicious! I added ground turkey & chickpeas for more protein. Do NOT skip the lemon at the end. It’s a must!! Thank you!!
My vegetarian wife loved this. We saw the video together and were both psyched to make this. I made it the next day, today. She was very pleased. A keeper. Thank you so much for your giving culinary heart. ♥️
This was so delicious! Unfortunately we are about to have extreme weather and the market was out of green cabbage so all I had to choose from was red cabbage. But all I can say is, aside from it being a purple soup, it was still soooo good! I can’t wait to make it again with the green cabbage to taste the difference. Thank you!
Lol! Would have loved to see a picture of your purple soup!
Delicious soup! Just wondering which ingredients add a kick (I’m assuming the red pepper flakes…anything else?) and what makes it taste sweet? One last question… which ingredients contribute to the 9.5g of sugar? Thank you!
Hi, Linda. The kick definitely comes from the red pepper flakes. If you need a little less heat, Aleppo pepper is a great substitution. The slight sweetness you’re tasting is coming from the veggies. Vegetables naturally contain sugars and become sweeter when cooked. These are the same things mostly contributing to the 9.5 grams of sugar per serving listed in the nutritional info.
I just made this soup and it’s delicious. I had all the ingredients on hand so got the full intended flavour — loved the spicy notes. I will definitely make this again.
So glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth!