Simple to make, this one pot cabbage soup is full of the good stuff. Warming and hearty and full of natural and healthy ingredients, this delicious vegetable soup is a must have.
In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, and minced garlic, and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add diced tomatoes, chicken stock, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are tender (40-50 minutes, depending on your preferred consistency).
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve warm.
Notes
To save time when making the soup, prep your vegetables ahead of time or buy pre-chopped vegetables if you are short on time.
Add protein: I like to add any leftover protein we have on hand like cooked shredded chicken or ground meat (turkey, beef, or Italian sausage). For a vegan cabbage soup, you can add cannellini beans, kidney beans, lentils, or chickpeas.
You can add other vegetables like green beans, bell peppers, cauliflower.
Add carbs: You can also add rice or potatoes if you prefer more carbs in your diet.
Allow time to simmer the soup well to get the vegetables nice and tender.
For easy prep, you can cut up all the vegetables and freeze them in a freezer ziplock bag. When you want a warming soup, you can just pull the bag out of the freezer and cook it with stock and spices.
Make this old-fashioned cabbage soup in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. This will distribute the heat more evenly so you are less likely to get hotspots that can burn the bottom.