Cabbage Soup
Updated Apr 15, 2026
This Tomato Cabbage Soup is vegan, hearty easy to make. It's loaded with vegetables and has a spicy tomato broth base that's easy to customize
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Make cabbage and tomato soup!
The original tomato cabbage soup I published when I first started the website was inspired by the popular cabbage soup diet. The diet was all about eating cabbage soup 2-3 times a day along with a lot of fruits and vegetables and an allotted list of foods added each day, like brown rice and chicken. I am not a fan of such elimination diets, but I remember trying the soup from a recommendation and loving it so it made its way to the site.
This cabbage soup is definitely not a full meal type of soup, but something you can have as an appetizer or for a light lunch. It’s made with simple ingredients, has a hearty texture and it really tastes so good!
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Cabbage Soup Ingredients
- Cabbage: I use a small green cabbage in this recipe. You can try it with red cabbage, but it will taste more peppery. Red cabbage is also usually a bit firmer, so it may take a few extra minutes to soften. My favorite way to cut cabbage for soup is to shred it using a wide vegetable peeler and then chop it, but you can also chop it into quarters and then slice it into bite-sized pieces. Read more of my tips on how to cut cabbage. It might seem like you end up with a lot of cabbage, but it will shrink and wilt as it cooks in the soup!
- Vegetables: Cook the onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil until softened. Here are quick tutorials on how to chop onions, how to chop celery, and how to chop carrots. Try to cut them into even pieces so the soup is easier to eat.
- Tomatoes: I use low-sodium canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste. You can also use fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce to make the tomato broth.
- Broth: I use low-sodium vegetable broth from the store, but you can also try making your own homemade vegetable stock. If you want to lower the sodium in the recipe or you don’t have any broth, you can just use water.
- Seasonings: When you add the minced garlic, you’ll also add oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
How to Make Cabbage Soup
Tomato Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 3 large carrots chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1 (15-ounce ) canned diced tomatoes low sodium
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 small green cabbage chopped (about 7-8 cups)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
- Add the garlic, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste until well combined. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the cabbage, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook covered for 20 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add protein: This cabbage soup is very light. Try adding plant-based protein like cooked quinoa, green lentils, white beans, or diced potatoes to make it more filling. If it doesn’t have to be vegan, you can also try shredded chicken.
- Try other vegetables: In addition to onion, celery, and carrots, try adding zucchini, bell peppers, or green beans. They blend in really well and make the soup feel more layered.
- Serve it in style: For finishing touches, top the soup with fresh herbs, grated Parmesan, a dollop of yogurt, pesto, croutons, or a drizzle of olive oil.
Recipe Tips
- Keep an eye on the cabbage as it cooks. Let it cook long enough to soften and get sweet, but not so long that it completely disappears.
- Let it sit. Cabbage soup often tastes even better after resting for a few minutes. Leftovers usually taste even better the next day!
Serving Ideas
- Bread: Homemade Dinner Rolls, Air Fryer Bread, Rosemary Focaccia
- Sides: Stuffed Eggplant, Broccoli Mac and Cheese, Balela Salad
- Mains: Instant Pot Butter Chicken, Chicken Gyros, Mediterranean Chicken
FAQs
It likely just needs more time to simmer! Keep an eye on it and check it every few minutes until it’s tender.
It usually needs more salt, acidity, or seasoning. A splash of vinegar or lemon juice at the end can really help brighten the flavor.
That’s normal, especially if it cooks for a long time. Keeping the simmer gentle and not overcooking it can help.
Comments
So good! Perfect recipe for feeling under the weather and craving mom’s cabbage soup. Only swapped fresh carrots for frozen peas and carrots, and the rest were on hand. Thanks Yumna!
Love that! So happy you enjoyed the soup, Amira! Thanks!!
Very good versatile soup. Perfect for a cold rainy day. Sometimes I just miss that distinct cooked cabbage flavor and this soup is a very easy way to get that fix. I often make some complex elaborate soups, but in this case the ingredients and directions are very simple, which is a nice change of pace. My only addition to this recipe is to add a bay leaf like others suggested and a small pinch of dry dill. You can really customize it however you want. Thank you for this recipe Yumna!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! This is exactly the kind of soup I love to make when I want something cozy without a lot of fuss. I agree, sometimes that simple cooked cabbage flavor really hits the spot. Your additions sound wonderful, too. Thanks so much for sharing how you made it your own!
I have to admit, I didn’t really make this exact soup. But I made a very similar soup yesterday, and was looking for good ideas to repurpose it for dinner tonight. And I had half a head of cabbage in the fridge. Could that possibly work?? I found your recipe and followed your instructions to add the cabbage to my soup. And it was delicious! I think we actually liked it better this way. The cabbage added a great texture and almost a sweetness to the tomato flavor. Next time I plan to make it from your recipe from the start. Thanks for a great dinner!
Aww, so happy you found the recipe helpful! Yay!! Thank you, Jofe. I would love to hear what you think when you try it out from the start!!
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!
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