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This Vegan Cabbage Soup is the perfect hearty meal for busy weeknights or lazy Sundays. It's easy to make, budget-friendly, and so darn tasty!
My family loves this Vegan Cabbage Soup Recipe, and we enjoy it almost every week during the cooler months. It's savory, filling, and belly-warming!
I always keep a few heads of cabbage in the fridge because I use them for a variety of other recipes. It's such a versatile vegetable and goes well with many foods. It's quite good for you, and it's rich in insoluble fiber, which makes it gut-friendly.
I use it for stir-fry, tacos, burritos, wraps, sandwiches, salad, kimchi, vegan unstuffed cabbage rolls, sauerkraut, vegan coleslaw, and more!
Ingredients needed for Cabbage Soup
The ingredients are simple and easy to find at your local grocery store. You can also switch things up easily. Here's what you'll need.
- Yellow or White Onion - You can also use shallots, leeks, or a blend of both.
- Carrots & Celery - If you don't have/like one, you can replace with leeks, parsnips, or a handful of mushrooms. The flavor will vary, but it will still be delicious!
- Tomato paste - This deepens the flavor of the soup, but it's not required. You can also add depth of flavor by deglazing the pan with ½ cup of dry white wine. Add after the garlic/spices step. Simmer until reduced, about 1-2 minutes.
- Smoked Paprika, Bay Leaf, Thyme, Red Pepper - Feel free to switch it up here. You can use oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, rosemary, sweet paprika, chili powder, ground turmeric, or cayenne pepper.
- Vegetable Broth - I love the deep flavor of Better Than Bouillon broth. They have regular and low-sodium options.
- Green Cabbage - Yields the best flavor for this soup, but savoy is nice too. Just a bit milder in flavor.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes - Fire-roasted or regular will work. You can even use 1 cup of fresh diced tomatoes. I would cool them in the pan for 3-4 minutes (add after the garlic and seasonings).
- Cannellini Beans - Any beans will work, such as great northern, navy, or chickpeas.
- Gold Potatoes - You can also use red-skinned potatoes or even sweet potatoes.
How to Make the Best Vegan Cabbage Soup
It's so easy to make this delicious soup in just 3 easy steps. Take a look.
- Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery over medium heat until aromatic and slightly softened.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, tomatoes, beans, cabbage, potatoes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the beans and continue to simmer until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.
Recipe FAQs
Leftover cabbage soup tastes even better the next day. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 2-3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, adding broth if needed.
First, cut off the stem of the cabbage using a sharp knife and a sturdy cutting board. Then slice the cabbage in half lengthwise. Now cut each piece in half lengthwise (you will have 4 wedges). Then make an angled cut to remove the core from each piece. Here's a visual guide on 3 ways to core a cabbage.
This soup is hearty on its own, but a few simple sides make it even better. Serve it with fluffy rice, a simple garden salad, or a sandwich like vegan grilled cheese or a vegan BLT. A slice of my no-knead artisan bread is also perfect for soaking up the broth.
More Soup Recipes to Try
If you love simple and hearty soups, you may like to give these recipes a try.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and sharing your feedback in the comment section below. It would make my day!
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Recipe
Vegan Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion , diced
- 3 medium carrots , diced
- 2 ribs celery , diced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (*optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 cups vegetable broth , low sodium if preferred
- ½ head medium green cabbage , cored and chopped (about 6 cups)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomatoes , fire-roasted or regular
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans , rinsed & drained (about 1.5 cups)
- 3 medium gold potatoes , peeled and diced (1 lb)
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt , more to taste
- Fresh ground pepper , to taste
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley for topping + more for serving
Recommended Equipment
- Large Pot
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and a sprinkle of salt. Sauté until veggies are aromatic and are slightly softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper. Saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Turn up the heat to get things moving, then reduce heat slightly to maintain a medium simmer. After 15 minutes, add the beans and continue to simmer until the potatoes and cabbage are tender (about another 5-10 minutes). Stir occasionally.
- Remove from heat, taste for seasoning, and add more if needed. Remove bay leaf. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Beans - you can use any type of beans such as great northern, navy, or chickpeas.
- Potatoes - red-skinned or sweet potatoes will work too. You don't have to peel the gold or red potatoes, but you'll want to peel the sweet potatoes.
- Flavor Add-In Ideas - ½ teaspoon ground cumin, caraway seeds, turmeric, ground ginger, a dash of liquid smoke, or chili powder.
- Topping Ideas - vegan parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, sliced green onions, chives, vegan sour cream (makes a creamy broth), a squeeze of lemon, sauerkraut, crushed red pepper, vegan bacon crumbles, hot sauce, or smoked paprika.
- Add-In Ideas - 1- 2 cups of chopped kale, escarole, or spinach. Add in the last 3-5 minutes of cooking time until just wilted.
- Storing - leftovers will last in the fridge for 3-4 days, and it freezes well for 2-3 months.
Jess
This soup hit the spot this past week! Perfect for warming you up on a cold day. I liked the hint of heat too. Great recipe. Will definitely be making again!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Jess, I'm so happy the soup hit the spot for you. It's one of my favorites in the winter. Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂
frizzle
perfect 'clean out the fridge' recipe and turned out so delicious with very little effort. I made small tweaks, like using a veggie bullion cube instead of broth and I had a bunch of cherry tomatoes that needed to be used up so I used them instead of canned tomatoes.
will be adding this to my weekly soup rotation.
Melissa Huggins
I'm so happy you loved the soup. Sounds perfect with the fresh tomatoes. Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂
PJ
I loved the Miso flavoring. Thought if we could add something a little crunchy to this would make it superior. Maybe pistachios or pine nuts?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Pamela, I'm so happy you loved it. For crunchiness, any nuts or seeds will work. Vegan bacon bits are tasty too (more chewy than crunchy). Thanks for sharing feedback.:)
Nancy Andres
Sounds and looks amazing. I'm making it today. May use some lemon juice and organic raisins to make it taste sweet and sour.
Melissa Huggins
I'm so glad you'll try it, Nancy! Thank you 🙂
SisterSage718
With my personal tweaks (added a teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of vegetable based Better than Bouillon), came out amazing!
Melissa Huggins
I'm so glad you loved it! Thank you for taking time to share feedback. 🙂
julianne
This is SO delicious! My husband said how yummy it was at least 3 times while eating. It's truly a 5 star recipe. I made the recipe just as written, with a bit extra on the spices since I tend to like more than a recipe calls for. If you're thinking about trying this recipe, don't hesitate! Thank you so very much for sharing your love of cooking and inspiration.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Julianne, your feedback made my day! I'm so happy you and your husband loved it. Thank you for giving it a try. 🙂