In this Ina Garten cabbage soup dish, carrots, celery, green beans, tomatoes, kidney beans, and cabbage, swim in the most exciting Italian-flavored tomato broth. It’s gluten-free by nature, can be prepared in a wide variety of ways, and is delicious and satisfying.

Instructions are supplied, so you may make it with any veggies you choose, as well as Italian sausage, beef, chicken, ham, or corned beef, and/or rice, barley, or pasta. This low-calorie dish is as flavorful as it is fast to prepare. It also reheats beautifully, so you can have a quick meal during the week.

What Is Cabbage Soup?

Cabbage soup is one of the healthiest and most satisfying soups you can make. Whether you’re in Russia, Ireland, Germany, or Italy, you’ve probably had cabbage soup at some point in your life. There are various ways to prepare this hearty dish, but they all have one thing in common. A savory broth full of veggies and cabbage.

Typically, the Italian-seasoned version of cabbage soup that is simmered in a fragrant tomato broth comes to mind. In the 1980s, when the Cabbage Soup diet was all the rage in the United States, this soup became a national phenomenon. While I don’t recommend subsisting on anything but cabbage soup for a week, I do recommend a few substantial bowls every now and then.

What Does Cabbage Soup Taste Like?

The broth of most cabbage soups is watered-down tomato juice, but this one has a fuller body and a richer, more flavorful flavor than you’ve ever tasted.

Aromatic onions and garlic, tangy Worcestershire, complex chicken bouillon, a hint of tomato from the sauce, and a slew of other carefully selected flavors go into making the soup stock. Each delicious mouthful is the product of a harmonious interplay between all of these elements. The non-vegetable eaters in your life may end up loving our Cabbage Soup.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Versatile. This cabbage soup recipe is the best way to use up random vegetables and fruits in your fridge. You may also incorporate other ingredients, such as meat, pasta, or rice. For the finest cabbage soup ever, make sure you follow the broth recipe to a T.
• Easy. All you have to do to make this easy cabbage soup is cut some veggies, sauté some onions, throw everything in a pot, and let it boil for a while. Vegetable chopping takes the longest time while making this soup, however, it may be done in advance or you can buy bags of already chopped vegetables.
• Meal-in-one. This cabbage soup is packed with veggies and beans for fiber, making it a complete dinner that can be prepared in less than 45 minutes. It’s good enough to eat on its own, but you can also serve it with basic accompaniments like a green salad and some crusty bread if you prefer.
• Makes a lot of food. This simple cabbage soup recipe yields a lot of food, so it’s great for feeding a big group of people (with leftovers, of course) or for using as the basis for your weekly meal prep.
• Prepare ahead of time. Cabbage soup is even better the next day, so you can make it ahead of time and reheat it without losing any of its delicious flavors by separating the individual components.
• Healthy. When you need to warm up, nothing beats a bowl of steaming, savory soup. To make it vegan, simply replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth; it will still be low in calories, high in nutrients, gluten-free, and an excellent source of those things.

Ina Garten Cabbage Soup Ingredients

• Cabbage. Any cabbage will do, but regular green cabbage is what you want to use instead of savoy cabbage (which softens too much).
• Potatoes. can be skipped if desired, but I recommend trying the delicate bites with the hearty cabbage. Use a waxy potato, like a red potato, Yukon, young potato, or fingerling potato. Waxy potatoes don’t lose their form even when cooked at high temperatures for long periods of time since they don’t absorb moisture.
• Carrots. That’s a job for medium potatoes. Don’t use baby carrots; they lack taste.
• Celery. Since celery takes less time to cook than carrots, you may afford to leave some bigger pieces of celery in there.
• Green beans. Although fresh green beans are one of my favorite vegetables, they take a back seat to cabbage in this particular soup recipe. While canned green beans will not have the same flavor, they can be used in a pinch.
• Aromatics. Flavor-boosting onions and garlic are crucial. The finest results may be achieved using fresh ingredients.

For The Cabbage Soup Broth

• Chicken broth. So that we may regulate the salt content, we must use low-sodium broth.
• Tomato sauce. Instead of tomato paste and v8, I like to use tomato sauce to give my cabbage soup more substance.
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Tomatoes that have been roasted get a nuanced smokiness and lose their tartness in the process. You can get fire-roasted tomatoes right next to the regular diced tomatoes; just be sure to get the ones that aren’t seasoned. If fire-roasted diced tomatoes are unavailable, regular diced tomatoes will do.
• Worcestershire sauce. Creates a rich, layered, savory, somewhat sour taste.
• Lemon juice. The addition of a little lemon juice at the end brings out the whole spectrum of tastes.

Can I Use Vegetable Broth?

This Cabbage Soup recipe calls for chicken broth because I find it to be tastier than vegetable broth; however, vegetable broth may be substituted if desired; just be sure to use low sodium stock and season to taste with salt.

Can I Use Fresh Herbs?

For maximum flavor infusion, I recommend using dry herbs in the soup itself since they may be introduced right at the start of the cooking process. You may use fresh herbs instead of dried ones, but you’ll need three times as many of them or they’ll overpower the soup. In order to preserve their flavor, fresh herbs should be added at the very end of cooking.

What Else Can I Add To Cabbage Soup Recipe?

• Beans. While any bean would do, I find that adding kidney beans or cannellini beans to my cabbage soup gives it a touch of sweetness, richness, and meaty texture that I really enjoy. If you don’t like beans, just leave them out of the recipe. No additional changes are necessary.
• Chickpeas. If you don’t like kidney beans, you can substitute 1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans. Ten minutes before serving, stir into the soup.
• Barley. Another great way to add some crunch to your meal is with some barley, which I use in my beef and barley soup. Use pearl and boil for 30 minutes.
• Lentils. Throw in a cup of lentils, either brown or green, that have been thoroughly cleaned with the broth. Lentils should be cooked for around 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are soft but still have some structure.
• Quinoa. To enhance the protein content, cook a quarter cup of quinoa in water until it’s tender, about 25 minutes.

How To Make Ina Garten Cabbage Soup

• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, preheat the olive oil. Add carrots, onions, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, or until the onions have softened. Cook garlic for 30 seconds.
• Add the remaining ingredients for the soup, except cabbage. Bring the covered soup to a boil. Remove the lid and boil for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked.
• Stir cabbage into the mixture. Cover and continue simmering for a few minutes, or until the cabbage has wilted. Add a dash of lemon juice to the dish. Salt, pepper, and/or red pepper can be added to taste (I like more salt). If you like a less chunky soup, add more broth.

What To Serve With Cabbage Soup?

This cabbage soup is loaded with vegetables and may serve as a main dish on its own, reducing the need for additional sides.

• Fruit. The soup is really thick and heavy, so the fruit provides a nice, sweet, refreshing counterpoint. Just use whatever fruit is in season, or try my honey mascarpone berry salad, cranberry pomegranate ambrosia salad, or tropical fruit salad.
• Bread. A winning combination is a bread and soup. Crusty bread, moist, sweet cornbread, soft and fluffy dinner rolls, parmesan breadsticks, my favorite garlic bread, pesto pull-apart bread, and more would all be great accompaniments to a bowl of cabbage soup.

Recipe variations

• Beef and cabbage soup. Mix in some lean ground beef for a more authentic cabbage roll soup taste. To begin, brown the beef with the onions, crumbling it as it cooks until it is almost done; drain most of the oil; then add the carrots and celery and cook for 3 minutes more; drain fat, and proceed with the recipe.
• Italian sausage with cabbage soup. Sausage and onions are browned together and crumbled as they cook; the fat is drained off and the vegetables are added during the last three minutes of cooking.
• Sausage and cabbage soup. Sauté some kielbasa or polished sausage until it’s browned and then transfer it to a platter. Cut into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup to boil with the liquid and veggies.
• Ground turkey cabbage soup. The turkey and onions should be browned until the turkey is almost done cooking, and then the carrots and celery should be added and cooked for a further 3 minutes. In order to impart some of the meaty taste of beef bouillon or better into my ground turkey, I prefer to season it with 2 teaspoons of beef bouillon or better per pound of ground turkey.
• Chicken and cabbage soup. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs should be seared for about 2 minutes on each side and then transferred to a platter. Prepare the vegetables as directed. Onions, celery, and carrots. Simmer the chicken with the remaining ingredients for about 12 minutes, or until it is soft enough to shred; remove, shred, and return to the broth at the end of cooking, just to warm through.
• Cabbage soup with meatballs. Make your own meatballs out of ground beef, hog, lamb, turkey, or chicken; the higher the fat level, the juicier the meatballs will be. For meatballs with a diameter of 1 inch, use a scoop equal to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Throw them into the broth and let them simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until they’re done. The meatballs will increase the volume of the soup. Therefore more broth will be required.
• Corned beef and cabbage soup For St. Patrick’s Day, nothing says “party” like cabbage and corned beef. The recipe works as well with pre-cooked corned meat or with leftover corned beef from another meal. Because corned beef is so savory and salty, you’ll want to tone down the ingredients in the cabbage soup dish. In fact, once the soup has simmered for a while, you can season it to your liking. Shreddable corned beef can be prepared in a dutch oven or slow cooker as per the package’s instructions. If you want to save time and be able to easily scrape out any extra fat that has solidified in the fridge, doing this the day before is a good idea.
• Bacon and cabbage soup. Crisp up some thick-cut bacon in the oven or a pan. Make sure to save some of the fat to use when cooking the veggies. Crumble the bacon and toss it in the soup right before serving.
• Seafood cabbage soup. Salmon and shrimp should be cooked until barely opaque throughout. Mix in the seafood right before serving to ensure it’s heated thoroughly.
• Cabbage soup with rotisserie chicken. Mix in at the very end of the cooking process and reheat.
• Savory ham and cabbage soup. Put in at the very end and reheat. Reduce the amount of salt called for in the recipe and season with additional salt if desired, as ham tends to be rather salty.

How To Store Cabbage Soup?

In The Fridge:

Cabbage soup may be stored for the week in an airtight container or divided into individual servings and refrigerated. Store for up to 5 days in the fridge.

In The Freezer:

For the sake of ingredient safety and to prevent the soup from sitting in the “danger zone” for too long, let it cool to room temperature before putting it in the freezer. Place soup in a freezer-safe container, or many smaller ones. Cabbage soup may be frozen for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stove or in the microwave the next day.

To Make Ahead:

The only time-consuming part of this recipe is the chopping necessary for the cabbage soup. All of the groundwork can, thankfully, be done in advance.

• Veggies. Prepare the soup in advance by chopping all the veggies and aromatics and storing them in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
• Potatoes. The potatoes are the only vegetable that requires any extra care. If you don’t keep chopped potatoes in water, covered in plastic wrap, and chilled, they’ll turn brown from oxidation. However, if you keep them in water, they’ll shine like new.

To Reheat:

• Crockpot. Put the soup in a slow cooker and heat it for a few hours on low. The time required will be proportional to the amount of soup still in the pot.
• Stove. Alternately, reheat large quantities on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring regularly for about 10 minutes.
• Microwave. When reheating soup in the microwave, divide it into smaller containers and cover it with a paper towel or microwave-safe lid. Stir after 2 minutes in the microwave and continue cooking for 30 seconds if necessary.

What Additional Vegetables Can I Add To The Recipe For Cabbage Soup?

• Bell peppers. All hues have a delicious flavor. Cook for an additional 10 minutes after adding them.
• Parsnips. You may use them as a substitute for potatoes or in addition to them.
• Mushrooms. The most flavorful mushrooms are creminis and baby Bellas.
• Broccoli. Roughly dice into bite-sized pieces and add to the broth.
• Cauliflower. The final 10 minutes of cooking time should be spent chopping into bite-sized pieces and adding them.
• Zucchini. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and add it to the pot at the same time as the broth. To prevent the zucchini from becoming mushy before the potatoes are done cooking, cut it into thick slices (approximately a quarter of an inch).
• Corn. Sweet corn may be used straight from the can or thawed directly from the freezer. Combine with the liquid.
• Peas. Add the thawed tiny peas at the very end and heat them for an additional minute.

How To Add Rice To Cabbage Soup?

• White rice. In the final 12 minutes of cooking time, long-grain white rice can be added and cooked until soft.
• Wild rice or brown rice. Brown rice and wild rice blend can be included, however, they will need closer to 45 minutes to simmer. Vegetables should be chopped larger if you choose with one of these two types of rice so that they don’t overcook. Avoid having too much liquid evaporate by covering the pot and moving the lid down by approximately an inch. There’s a chance you’ll need to add more broth at the conclusion of the cooking process.
• Leftover rice. Just before serving, stir in any remaining rice and heat it thoroughly.

Recipe Tips

• Prep ahead. To make this cabbage soup, all you need to do is chop some vegetables. You may save time by buying pre-chopped vegetables, chopping them ahead of time, or using frozen vegetables in this dish.
• Get some mirepoix and cut it up ahead of time. I have a few acquaintances with small children who swear by the convenience of buying mirepoix in a jar and keeping it in the fridge at all times.
• Vegetables can be customized. You may use any vegetables you have on hand to make this cabbage soup your own.
• Including protein is a good idea. When we don’t have any specific meat on hand but still want a hearty meal, I love using this cabbage soup as a basis. It’s great with the addition of shredded rotisserie chicken, ground turkey, beef, Italian sausage, or even meatballs.
• Scale down. If you don’t have a big family and don’t want any leftovers, you may wish to reduce the recipe’s serving size. I’m raising my hand here to show how much I enjoy leftovers, and I can attest that cabbage soup is a great choice for a quick and simple meal the next day.
• Cereal options include rice and barley. Since I enjoy both rice and barley so much, I typically include one or the other in my soups to change the texture.
• Consistency. Soups can vary widely in how “chunky” they are. Adding more water toward the end of cooking will make the soup smoother.

Ina Garten Cabbage Soup Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving

• Calories 73.1
• Total Fat 0.9g
• Saturated Fat 0.1g
• Cholesterol 0mg
• Sodium 478.7mg
• Potassium 222.4mg
• Total Carbohydrate 13.7g
• Dietary Fiber 2.9g
• Sugars 3.4g
• Protein 2.4g
• Vitamin A 20.6%
• Vitamin C 14.5%
• Calcium 3.4%
• Iron 4%

Nutrition Facts Source: Source