Cabbage, the Rodney Dangerfield of vegetables. It just can't seem to "get no respect"!
While under-appreciated, cabbage really is a wonder vegetable. Not only is it relatively inexpensive, it can easily keep a month or two in the fridge, and it is endlessly versatile in recipes. Whether raw in a coleslaw, blanched with butter, stuffed and wrapped, or made into a simple and delicious cabbage soup as we do here, cabbage is a work horse.
Simple Ingredients for Simple Cabbage Soup
Have you ever looked in your fridge and the only vegetable in good shape looking back at you is a single head of cabbage? Cabbage is like that; it can outlast almost any other vegetable. Now even if all you have in your fridge is some cabbage, there are only a few more pantry ingredients you need to make this easy, nourishing, and light cabbage soup.
To make this simple cabbage soup you only need fresh cabbage, onions, canned tomatoes, chicken stock, and a few spices.
Of course with so few ingredients the quality of the soup relies on the quality of your ingredients. Homemade chicken stock is the best (we'll also use Better than Bouillon in a pinch), and a good quality canned tomatoes makes all the difference (we use Muir Glen).
Ways to Adapt This Recipe
Want a little more oomph with your soup? You can easily add other vegetables, like chopped carrots with the onions, or sliced kale with the cabbage, or even bacon or sausage (cook gently before adding the onions), if you want a meatier version.
What to Serve With Cabbage Soup
Serve this soup with some rye bread or garlic knots for sopping up all the broth. You can also serve this soup as a side dish with roast chicken, pork chops, or roast beef.
Storing and Freezing
This soup will keep in the fridge for about five days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. You can also freeze the soup for up to three months.
Love Cabbage? Try These Other Great Recipes!
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Sweet and Sour German Red Cabbage
Pork Chops with Braised Cabbage
How Our Readers Make This Recipe Their Own
Andy Y: "I am not a big fan of tomato flavor, so I substituted an equal amount of mild green chili salsa. I also added chicken to make it a meal. I cooked 3 chicken breasts in the soup while it was cooking. When everything was cooked, I took out the chicken and shredded it. Delicious soup!"
Corrie: "I add 8 slices of half-cooked chopped up bacon and it’s even more amazing!"
Mark: "We'll add garbanzos sometimes, and we've used shaved brussels sprouts instead of cabbage."
Barbara: "I did a bit of improvising with what I have on hand. Vegetable broth added color and flavor as did stewed tomatoes. I also threw in some leftover country ribs that I cut up and two tired potatoes!"
1/2 to 1teaspoonsalt (more or less depending on the saltiness of your stock)
1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
4cupschicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Grind the spices (if using whole spices):
If using whole spices (coriander, fennel, cumin), grind them in a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder until well ground.
Sauté the onions and spices:
Heat olive oil and butter in a 4-quart, thick bottomed pot on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and stir in the ground spices. Cook until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the cabbage and tomatoes:
Add the sliced cabbage to the pot and stir to mix the cabbage with the onions. If you are using unsalted stock, sprinkle the cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the canned whole tomatoes, with their juices, to the pot. Stir to combine.
Add the stock, simmer till done:
Add the chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a simmer and taste for salt. Add more salt to taste. Lower the heat and cover the pot.
Let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cabbage is thoroughly cooked, breaking up tomatoes that are still whole.
Serve:
Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to serve.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
179
Calories
6g
Fat
24g
Carbs
9g
Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories
179
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g
8%
Saturated Fat 2g
9%
Cholesterol 10mg
3%
Sodium 567mg
25%
Total Carbohydrate 24g
9%
Dietary Fiber 5g
18%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 78mg
391%
Calcium 127mg
10%
Iron 1mg
8%
Potassium 767mg
16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
The Cabbage Soup Diet is a short-term weight loss diet. Proponents of the diet say that it can help you lose up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a single week, but many health experts warn that the diet does not promote health and wellness, and results are unsustainable.
Like many other fad diets, the cabbage soup diet is not a realistic long-term weight loss plan. Eating so few calories will likely not provide enough nutrition for the body to function properly, which may lead to loss of muscle mass, reduced cognitive function, and feelings of illness or exhaustion.
Chebotar recommends adding garlic cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns to the pot of boiling water as this may help reduce gas. Bay leaf tea can help ease an upset stomach, so boiling it with the cabbage can prevent gas after eating the cabbage.
If you want to lose weight, then consuming cabbage can prove to be beneficial for you. You can include cabbage juice, soup, boiled vegetables or chaat in your diet. But remember that cabbage should be consumed only after washing it thoroughly.
You may have heard of something called the Dolly Parton Diet — which consists of eating cabbage soup (yes, cabbage soup!) as your main meals along with fruit and vegetables. It's also known as the TWA Stewardess Diet and, well, the Cabbage Soup Diet.
Does cabbage burn belly fat? Although cabbage is a nutritious low-calorie vegetable, many people associate it with weight loss because of the popular "cabbage soup diet". Some creative marketing has led people to believe that cabbage actually burns body fat. In fact, no food, including cabbage, burns body fat.
You will likely lose weight on any diet if you eat less than 910 calories a day. But losing 10 pounds in 3 days is both unlikely and unhealthy. To lose just 1 pound of body fat, you need to reduce your daily calories by about 500 a day for a whole week. That's giving up 3,500 calories over the course of 7 days.
To lose 10 pounds in one week, you'll need to burn between 3,500 and 5,000 calories more than you consume each day by restricting your diet to small portions of nutritious yet low-calorie foods, and significantly increasing your aerobic exercise with interval training, sports, and other vigorous activities.
Most variations of this diet suggest that people eat this soup two to three times a day, although some variations enable the participants to consume even more of the soup. The cabbage soup used in this diet combines ingredients like broth, nonstarchy vegetables, pepper, herbs and, of course, cabbage.
Beans. It's hardly a surprise to see beans atop the list of bloat-causing foods. After all, the legendary powers of this legume have even captured the attention of lyricists: Beans, beans, the musical fruit… Science is behind that tune, explains Czerwony.
“Additionally, cruciferous vegetables—like cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts—contain raffinose, an indigestible sugar. As it's fermented by bacteria in the gut, gas is produced, which is why you may experience flatulence and discomfort after eating these foods.
These can cause gas in some people. However, there are some herbs that might be useful, cooked with the cabbage, to reduce the amount of gas. These include dill seed, sage, caraway, basil, oregano, ginger, fennel, and allspice.
Fans claim you can drop 10 pounds or more in a week. Some people use it to kick-start their weight loss plan, or to trim a few pounds for a special event. But before you stock up on cabbage, know that this crash diet won't help you in the long run, and it doesn't give your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
Vegetable soup. Lean protein from chicken combined with a variety of vegetables can make a satisfying and low-calorie soup that can help you feel full and satisfied.
They are high in calories and sugar, so they are not recommended on the cabbage soup diet. High-Fat Foods: Foods rich in saturated fats, such as fried foods, fatty cuts of meat, full-fat dairy products, vegetables like avocado, and high-fat sauces or dressings, should be avoided. It is also recommended to avoid eggs.
According to many experts, losing 1–2 pounds (0.45–0.9 kg) per week is a healthy and safe rate (1, 2, 3 ). Losing more than that is considered too fast and could put you at risk of many health problems, including muscle loss, gallstones, nutritional deficiencies and a drop in metabolism ( 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ).
It will likely leave you feeling hungry, weak, and bored. You might even feel sick. And if you follow the Cabbage Soup Diet for more than a week, you could run short on key nutrients. Nor does the diet encourage the necessary lifestyle changes you need to make in order to be healthier and have lasting weight loss.
Most variations of this diet suggest that people eat this soup two to three times a day, although some variations enable the participants to consume even more of the soup. The cabbage soup used in this diet combines ingredients like broth, nonstarchy vegetables, pepper, herbs and, of course, cabbage.
Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cabbage-Soup-LEAD-7-2-3563259ac7ae4f03813a7195a9f1639d.jpg "This Is The Easiest and Best Cabbage Soup Recipe On the Internet (1)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cabbage-Soup-LEAD-6-5-cce01394d430482ab26dfd95688c704f.jpg "This Is The Easiest and Best Cabbage Soup Recipe On the Internet (2)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__simply_recipes__uploads__2014__01__cabbage-soup-method-1-56b147c958d742b29d93d08f564dea9f.jpg "This Is The Easiest and Best Cabbage Soup Recipe On the Internet (3)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__simply_recipes__uploads__2014__01__cabbage-soup-method-2-de2e198ef12d43958ad152724edbabaf.jpg "This Is The Easiest and Best Cabbage Soup Recipe On the Internet (4)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__simply_recipes__uploads__2014__01__cabbage-soup-method-3-d0f7df0a904a402681a34a6f30ac5452.jpg "This Is The Easiest and Best Cabbage Soup Recipe On the Internet (5)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__simply_recipes__uploads__2014__01__cabbage-soup-method-4-1f68469682f04f6fa0e8ebc4dd2db210.jpg "This Is The Easiest and Best Cabbage Soup Recipe On the Internet (6)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__simply_recipes__uploads__2014__01__cabbage-soup-method-5-6be54aa4f3e6425fa5bb4b812d98ba9a.jpg "This Is The Easiest and Best Cabbage Soup Recipe On the Internet (7)")
