Cabbage Soup with Vegetables (Printer view)

A light, nourishing soup filled with cabbage and mixed vegetables in aromatic broth. Ideal for healthy eating.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small green cabbage (about 1.5 lbs), cored and chopped
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 medium onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
08 - 1 small zucchini, diced (optional)

→ Broth & Seasonings

09 - 6 cups vegetable broth (low sodium preferred)
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
16 - Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
17 - Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until slightly softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add bell pepper, zucchini if using, and cabbage. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add thyme, oregano, black pepper, salt, and chili flakes if desired.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Stir in lemon juice if desired.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The vegetables meld together creating this surprisingly rich flavor that belies how few calories are actually in each bowl.
  • You can toss this together on Sunday and have nourishing meals ready all week when youre too tired to cook but still want something that feels like self-care.
02 -
  • Dont rush the initial vegetable sauteing step, as those first 10 minutes of gentle cooking create the foundation of flavor that makes this simple soup taste so much more complex than it should.
  • The soup actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld, which makes this perfect for meal prep even if it seems like youre making too much.
03 -
  • If your cabbage seems tough or strongly flavored, sprinkle it with a little salt after chopping and let it sit in a colander for 15 minutes before adding it to the pot, which draws out some of the moisture and mellows the flavor.
  • The optional lemon juice might seem like a small addition, but it performs magic on vegetable soups, lifting all the flavors without making the soup taste lemony.
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