Cabbage Soup Recipe
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When I am searching for the perfect recipe that is a mix of comforting, flavorful, and low calorie, I always turn to this cabbage soup recipe. Detox cabbage soup is always a huge favorite and is so easy to make.
Combining cabbage and sausage with fresh herbs and other ingredients makes the best cabbage soup recipe ever! You can make this recipe as-is or use some variations to make it your own. Either way, it will be delicious.
What is Cabbage Soup?
There are so many different versions of cabbage soup and the phrase typically refers to any of the variety of soups that include various cabbages or even sauerkraut. Depending on the location, it may be known under a different name. Cabbage soup is particularly popular in Polish, Slovak and Ukrainian cuisine.
How do cabbage soup recipes differ amount different cultures?
- The Swedish cabbage soup is usually made from white cabbage, which is browned before being boiled, and seasoned with generous amounts of allspice and sometimes served with boiled meatballs.
- Polish cabbage soup (Polish kapusniak) is made with cabbage and sausage.
- German cabbage soup typically uses ground beef along with cabbage.
In addition to cabbage and sausage, this cabbage soup recipe includes white beans, fresh herbs and Parmesan rind to really kick up the flavor!
Ingredients for Cabbage Soup
- Smoked Sausage – You can easily make this ham and cabbage soup by using diced ham in place of the sausage. You could also leave out the meat completely if you wanted to make this vegetarian friendly.
- Onion – I prefer a yellow onion for this recipe.
- Carrots
- Chicken Broth – If you want to make this vegetarian, switch this broth with vegetable broth or stock.
- Diced Tomatoes – Canned diced tomatoes work great in this recipe.
- Tomato Sauce
- Green Cabbage
- Spices and Seasonings – You will need Hungarian paprika, dried oregano, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Parmesan rind
- Cannellini Beans – I used canned beans to make it easy.
Cabbage Soup Tips and Questions
Can you make this in the crockpot? Yes, you could easily make this in the crockpot instead of the stove. I would recommend sautéing the sausage and onions before adding everything to the crockpot to cook. Once in the crockpot, I would recommend 4 hours on low.
Can you freeze this cabbage soup recipe? Yes, cabbage soup is very freezer friendly. Allow the cooked soup to cool to room temperature and then transfer to airtight containers. Store in the freezer for up to three (3) months. I recommend thawing overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What is Parmesan rind used for? I mentioned above that I use Parmesan rind in this soup recipe. What is Parmesan rind used for? You can use Parmesan rind for so many different things and it is a great way to really use up all of the cheese you get. Some great uses, besides add them during cooking of soups, include:
- Toast the rinds and use like cheesy croutons (yes, the rinds are totally edible).
- Store Parmesan rinds and then make Parmesan broth to use in recipes.
- Add to pot when making tomato or pasta sauce.
What are some health benefits of cabbage soup? Cabbage is great for digestion and is loaded with nutrients too. With a relatively low cost, you get a ton of nutritional value from cabbage. The beans in this cabbage soup recipe offer extra fiber.
Cabbage Soup Variations
This cabbage soup recipe is very substitute friendly. Here are some variations to try:
- Replace the smoked sausage with ham or shredded, cooked chicken.
- Make it vegetarian by skipping the meat and replacing the chicken broth with vegetable broth. You’ll want to skip the Parmesan rind in this version too or find one that is vegetarian friendly.
- You can make the soup a little heartier by adding rice or diced potatoes.
- Add other vegetables like zucchini, diced bell peppers, or baby spinach.
- Spice it up by adding crushed red pepper to give it a little bit of spice.
This cabbage stew doesn’t align with the requirements from the original cabbage soup diet from the 1980s. But, it is full of flavor and features all kinds of healthy ingredients that you can feel good about eating.
More Recipes for Weight Loss
If you love this cabbage soup recipe, be sure to try these other great healthy recipes for weight loss:
- Teriyaki Shrimp Vegetable Noodles
- Crockpot Baked Potato Soup
- Skinny Lasagna Rolls
- Instant Pot Minestrone
- Chicken Detox Soup
Cabbage Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 pound smoked sausage sliced
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 4 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/2 green cabbage coarsely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Hungarian paprika
- 2 stalks fresh rosemary
- 1 inch Parmesan rind
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cans cannelini beans drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper
- Shaved Parmesan for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add sausage slices and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan.2 Tablespoons avocado oil, 1 pound smoked sausage
- Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil to pot. Add onion and cook for 1-2 minutes.1 onion
- Add carrots through oregano and bring to boil. Cook for 10 minutes.2 carrots, 6 cups chicken broth, 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, 4 ounces tomato sauce, 1/2 green cabbage, 1 Tablespoon Hungarian paprika, 2 stalks fresh rosemary, 2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 inch Parmesan rind
- Stir in beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes.2 cans cannelini beans
- Remove rosemary stalk and Parmesan rind. Season with salt and pepper and top with shaved Parmesan before serving.Salt and pepper, Shaved Parmesan for garnish
Nutrition
