How to Make Cabbage Soup

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Cabbage soup can be comfort food or a weight loss tool, depending on how you look at it. Either way, it's a healthy, delicious concoction that's quite easy to put together. Try making beef cabbage soup, vegetable cabbage soup, and diet cabbage soup, and see which one you enjoy best.

Ingredients

Beef Cabbage Soup

Makes 10 servings

12 cups (3 L) water
1 and 1/2 pounds (675 ml) short rib of beef
1 head of green cabbage, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) ketchup
1 cup (250 ml) canned tomato, drained and chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) lemon juice
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sweet paprika
1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt

Vegetable Cabbage Soup

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1/2 pound (225 g) potatoes, skin on, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 cups (1.25 L) chicken or vegetable stock
1 and 1/2 (375 ml) cups cooked white beans
1/2 head of green cabbage, chopped
Pinch of salt

Diet Cabbage Soup

Makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil
1/2 green cabbage, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) celery, diced
1 cup (250 ml) onion, diced
1 cup (250 ml) carrots, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable broth
1 14-ounce (395-g) can seasoned diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried oregano
1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried basil
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Beef Cabbage Soup

1
Cook the meat. Place the water and the short ribs in a large stockpot. Put the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring it to a full boil. Reduce the heat to low, bringing the water to a simmer, and continue cooking for an hour, skimming the foam off the top every so often.^{[1]
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- Be sure to use a very large pot, or the foam may overflow.
- Keep the pot uncovered as the meat cooks.
2
Prepare the vegetables. While the beef cooks, prepare your vegetables by rinsing them clean and cutting them into the appropriate-size pieces.
- Rough-chop the onion into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) pieces.
- Slice the cabbage into 1-inch (2.5-cm) portions. Discard the thick stem.
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3
Remove the meat from the bone. Take it from the pot with a slotted spoon and place it on a cutting board. Use a fork and a knife to take the meat off of the bone and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- When finished, return the bite-sized pieces of beef to the broth in the stockpot. Mix to re-combine.
4
Add the remaining ingredients. Add the cabbage, onion, ketchup, tomato, sugar, lemon juice, paprika, and salt to the stockpot. Mix well to combine, making sure the cabbage is fully submerged in soup.
5
Simmer to blend the flavors. Simmer the soup for another hour on low heat. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper as desired.
- Once everything is tender and the broth tastes as desired, the soup is ready to serve. Ladle it into individual serving dishes.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Vegetable Cabbage Soup

1
Saute the potatoes. Place the olive oil in a large stockpot and heat it up for a minute or two over medium-high heat. Add the chopped potatoes and the salt, and stir them to coat with olive oil. Cook the potatoes until they are soft, which should take about 10 minutes.^{[2]
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- Don't overcook the potatoes, since they'll keep cooking with the rest of the soup ingredients.
- You can wait and add the salt later if you'd like, but adding it now will allow it to blend more evenly with the natural taste of the potato. Adding it later, however, will make it easier to adjust the final taste of the soup (simply add it when adjusting the seasonings toward the end of the recipe).
2
Add the garlic and onions. Place them in the pot with the potatoes and stir. Keep cooking the mixture until the onions turn translucent, which should only take three to five minutes.
- Stir frequently to prevent the garlic and onions from burning. If either one burns, it could ruin the taste of the potatoes, even if you remove the burnt garlic or onion from the pan.
3
Add the broth and beans. Pour the broth into the pot, then add the beans. Stir the mixture with a long-handled spoon. Bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce it to low so that the broth is at a simmer.
4
Add the cabbage and spices. Stir well after adding them to the soup. Cook the soup for 30 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desires.
- The soup is ready once everything is tender and the taste is to your liking. Serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream or some grated cheese.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Diet Cabbage Soup

1
Sauté the vegetables. Place the olive oil in a large stockpot and heat it up over medium-high for a minute or two. Place the celery, onions, carrots and bell pepper in the oil and sauté until they are tender, stirring every few minutes.
- This should only take approximately five minutes, but exact timing may vary on a case-by-case basis.
2
Add the garlic. Put the garlic in the pot with the vegetables and continue cooking the mixture until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Garlic can burn very quickly, so it's important to stir it constantly and keep a close eye on it as it browns.
3
Add the stock and tomatoes. Place the stock and tomatoes in the pot and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (low to medium-low heat). Stir constantly so no vegetables stick to the bottom of the pot.
4
Mix in the cabbage and spices. After adding the cabbage, keep cooking the soup until the cabbage is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste the soup and add more seasonings if desired.
5
Enjoy. The soup should be finished and ready to enjoy once everything is tender and seasoned to taste.

Expert Q&A

Question

Is it true that the cabbage soup diet is good for weight loss?

Lisa Jubilee
Certified Dietician-Nutritionist
Lisa Jubilee is a Certified Dietician-Nutritionist and the Co-Founder of Living Proof Nutrition Strength Pilates in New York City. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in sustainable weight loss and disease prevention. She earned a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics from New York University and a BS in Chemistry, Foods, and Nutrition from Rutgers University. She also published an e-book, Self Care = Health Care: A Health Empowerment Protocol From a Nutritionist’s Perspective. She has been ranked as one of the Best Nutritionists in New York City by Expertise.com since 2017.

Lisa Jubilee

Certified Dietician-Nutritionist

Expert Answer

The cabbage soup diet can promote weight loss, but it's not a sustainable approach. It's short-lived, very calorie restricted, not scientifically supported, and does not promote long-term body fat loss.
Question

How does cabbage soup help you lose weight?

Community Answer

The cabbage will absorb stomach acid which will make your stomach slimmer. Cabbage is also water based and a diuretic, so it will flush out your system.
Question

Can I store the cabbage soup in a freezer for later use? Will freezing alter the taste or nutrient content in any way?

Negativenate

Community Answer

Yes, if you are not consuming it with in 2-3 days it should be stored in the freezer or disposed of. Freezing generally will alter the taste of most food, but it won't change the nutritional content.