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Tomato cabbage soup is inspired by the popular cabbage soup diet. The essence of the diet was eating cabbage soup 2-3 times a day along with a lot of other fruits and vegetables and an allotted list of foods added each day, like brown rice and chicken. While I’m not a fan of the diet, the soup itself is such a flavorful healthy recipe that I would definitely recommend!
The tomato cabbage soup is low in protein, low in complex carbs and low in fats, so it may leave you craving something more satisfying. But I think it works wonderfully as a soup for lunch or an appetizer at dinner when you want something light or want to detox after a weekend of heavy eating. But you need to make sure to get key nutrients in the other foods you eat throughout the day.
RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL
How to make cabbage soup
- Start by cooking the aromatics: I include the usual onions, celery and carrots.
- Sauté them until they’re fragrant and fork tender but not too soft.
- Add in the seasoning you’re using. I keep it simple with salt, pepper, garlic and oregano.
- Then add the tomatoes. I use a combination of diced canned tomatoes and tomato paste. ionBut you can also use fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce or any other variation to get a tomato broth.
- Add vegetable broth, chicken broth or beef broth and bring to a boil.
- Finally add the cabbage and cook until the cabbage wilts, about 20 minutes.
When it’s done cooking, the cabbage will soften and the broth will thicken. The pot can easily feed 6 people and each serving is only about 130 calories. So it makes for a delicious appetizer or soup served with grilled cheese or any other sandwich or soup.
Tips for making tomato cabbage soup
- Use water instead of broth. If you want to lower the sodium in the recipe or don’t have any broth on hand, you can easily make your own vegetable broth or use water. Just be sure to season it properly.
- Set the soup to simmer, not boil. You’re looking for a couple bubbles to rise to the surface, instead of big bubbles. As soon as the liquid comes to a boil, turn the heat to low. This will ensure that the vegetables are not overcooked an dry.
- Season every layer. Whenever you’re making soup, it’s important to season every layer you add to ensure the best flavor. While I include include one part of the instructions for seasoning (as not to sound redundant), it really helps flavor the soup if you season everytime you add new ingredients to the pot.
- Make it a complete meal by adding protein to it. You can add plant-based protein like quinoa or you can add shredded chicken or ground turkey to make it more satiating.
- Check out my quick and easy tutorial for how to cut cabbage.
Frequently asked questions
Can you freeze cabbage soup?
Yes, this soup is very freezer friendly, especially since it doesn’t include any grains. To freeze, make sure to cool it completely. Then transfer it to single serving portions and store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
How do you cut cabbage for soup?
It’s important to make sure to cut the cabbage into bite sized pieces. Keep in mind though that the cabbage will shrink and wilt. My favorite way to cut it for soup is to shred it using a peeler. But you can also use a knife and run through it a few times.
For more vegetarian soup recipes:
- Vegan Asparagus Soup
- Vegetarian Lemon Rice Soup
- Mediterranean White Bean Soup
- Healthy Potato Leek Soup
I am generally not a fan of any diet that limits any food group. So I am not a proponent of the cabbage soup diet, but I am 100% proponent of this tomato cabbage soup, inspired by the diet. It leaves me feeling warm on the inside, satisfied and not weighed down by my meal. And it’s a great way to use up leftover vegetables you have at the end of the week!
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Tomato Cabbage Soup recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories! It’s
This Tomato Cabbage Soup recipe was originally published on April 25, 2017. I’m re-sharing it today with more step-by-step photos.
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Tomato Cabbage Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 3 long carrots chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or to taste
- 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes with their juices
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 4 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 1 small white cabbage shredded (about 4 cups)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery and carrots and saute for a few minutes until fragrant and tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, then season with salt and pepper, oregano and cayenne, and cook for 1 more minute.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste and mix well with the other ingredients. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the cabbage and simmer for 20 minutes until cabbage softens.
- Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed or add more water/broth to adjust the consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Delicious! I added a bay leaf like another reviewer recommended. Otherwise made it as written. YUM!
So glad you liked it!
Hi, Yumna- thank you for the many fabulous recipes you provide us with!
Would red/purple cabbage be an acceptable substitute to the white? I almost always have purple on hand…
THANK YOU, ya Yumna! I look forward to your future cookbook release!
You are so welcome! I definitely think you could use red/ purple cabbage, but the flavor may vary slightly.
It’s ‘vegan’…with chicken or beef broth….errrr, no!
This recipe uses vegetable broth.
This was delicious! I used up so much produce from the fridge and threw in leftover chick peas and mustard greens.
Thank you! That’s perfect!!
Too many words
If it’s easier, you can just scroll down to the recipe card! 🙂
This Tomato Cabbage Soup recipe is so delicious! I used Little Sheep Tomato Based Flavor Hot Pot Soup Base for a more flavorful taste. Love it!
Thank you so much! That’s amazing!