Classic Cabbage Soup (Printable version)

Warm cabbage soup with vegetables in savory tomato broth. Easy, nutritious, and perfect for chilly days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head green cabbage, cored and chopped (about 6 cups)
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Tomato Base

06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Broth & Seasoning

08 - 6 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make:

01 - Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add a splash of oil, then sauté the onion, carrot, and celery for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the chopped cabbage, stir well, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it begins to wilt.
04 - Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
05 - Add diced tomatoes with juice, vegetable broth, thyme, bay leaf, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
06 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the cabbage and vegetables are tender.
07 - Discard the bay leaf and adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns a humble cabbage into something deeply satisfying without any fancy techniques or hard to find ingredients.
  • The whole pot costs less than a single takeout meal and feeds a crowd or keeps you in lunches all week.
  • You can walk away from it while it simmers and come back to a kitchen that smells like comfort.
02 -
  • Don't rush the initial sauté—those first few minutes of cooking the onion, carrot, and celery build a sweet foundation that makes the whole soup taste richer.
  • If your cabbage tastes too sharp or sulfurous, it needed a longer simmer—give it an extra ten minutes and it'll mellow out beautifully.
03 -
  • Taste the soup before you add the bay leaf at the end—if you accidentally leave it in and someone bites down on it, it's unpleasant and can ruin the experience.
  • Use the ripest, reddest canned tomatoes you can find—pale, watery ones will make the whole pot taste flat no matter how much seasoning you add.
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