This is our vegetable-packed, comforting cabbage soup recipe from our YouTube creator. Not only is it flexible- you can use whatever vegetables you like- but it's also good for your budget, with cabbage being not only nutritious but also cheap. This comes from the same creator as a popular lentil soup recipe, and it can be ready in under 30 minutes.

You can think of this recipe as a blank canvas; use what you have to hand in terms of vegetables and cabbage. Cabbage can be divisive; some people like it, some people hate it. I personally like cabbage; I find it useful in the winter months for soups. I also like to make things like stews with it. These types of recipes are so forgiving and flexible; you can use whatever vegetables, frozen or fresh, you have at home.

My favorite soup for busy weeknights is one I sometimes liven up with spices or curry powder. Comfort to me is a big bowl of savory, warm goodness, something that you will actually crave again after trying it. Make sure you add some fresh herbs to this vegetable soup, and even a little lemon juice just to lift it up at the end.

Key Takeaways

Why Cabbage Soup Brings Comfort to Your Heart

Perfect for Chilly Days

This is the simplest comforting soup, especially on chilly days. It uses a classic base of a mirepoix- celery and onion- sweated down in some olive oil, and uses cabbage as the main ingredient. It's not only forgiving but really flexible. A lot of people tend to use more onion compared to celery in their mirepoix, but I always keep mine simple. If I use one onion, I'll use one stalk of celery and one large cabbage. Try not to overthink it.

In terms of cabbage, think of using half a small or medium head. I think this is forgiving, since you can't really mess it up unless you burn your mirepoix. I do like to add chicken to mine, since I feel it's more filling, and sometimes I will even add brown rice, which can stretch out the servings of your soup.

Cabbage-wise, I like to use a pointed white cabbage or sweetheart cabbage, but you could use whatever your favorite is. Make it your own; that's the fun part.

Wholesome Care for Your Loved Ones

Easy Ways to Change It Up

Getting Your Ingredients Ready

Foundation Vegetables

Getting your ingredients ready is pretty simple. Take your celery and slice it lengthwise, then chop. Take your carrot, halve it, split it lengthwise so that it's stable, and slice. Do the same thing for the onion.

Sometimes, if I'm trying to make this recipe quickly, I use the blender and pulse all the ingredients together three or four times, and you end up with a fine dice. If you opt to cut them, always cut them lengthwise or in half to give you a flat base. This will stop your vegetables rolling around and potentially cutting yourself.

I don't like to measure my mirepoix; I just usually use one of each vegetable depending on how much soup I'm intending to make. I enjoy the work of chopping vegetables, but if you're trying to make this quickly, there's no shame in using the blender. Pulse until you get the desired consistency.

Selecting Your Cabbage

Fresh Herbs for Home Comfort

Basic Steps for Big Taste

Making Your Base Vegetables Ready

To get punchy flavor into your soup, the mirepoix is the most important step. Celery, carrot, and onion give so much flavor to the soup. Depending on the carrot you use, you can either purée them or not purée them, depending on whether they are young carrots. Think about the people eating this soup.

When you cut your vegetables, you don't want them to be too large, so that as much can fit on a spoon. I must admit, though, sometimes I don't bother washing my carrots. It's a step I tend to forget when making a quick soup. If you're making a big batch, then the repeated chopping can become laborious. The good thing about that is it becomes ingrained in your muscle memory, and things like chopping an onion you do without thinking.

Cutting Cabbage Made Simple

Making Fresh Parsley Perfect

Let’s Start Cooking: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Building Sweet Flavors Through Gentle Cooking

When you're ready to cook, get the mirepoix into hot olive oil for around four to five minutes until it's tender and slightly translucent. You want the vegetables to lose their moisture and become naturally sweet. Then you can add the garlic and a spice mix to help get the flavor you're looking for.

Sometimes I will cook a mirepoix on low heat for up to 15 minutes. It reduces in size, and you get so much more flavor for it. Always be careful with adding your garlic. Add it once your vegetables start to smell fragrant; you don't want to burn the garlic.

I used to be a cook who would rush through a recipe and think that using higher heat meant I could cook it faster. I've since learned the hard way, and now I wait and let things like a mirepoix cook slowly, because I know it's worth the wait. The more you do this, you will get used to it.

Building Flavor with Aromatics and Spices

Cooking Your Soup to Perfection

Creating Warm, Comforting Bowls

Brightening with Citrus and Garden Herbs

To make this soup extra special, don't forget the finishing touches. Do this with the soup off the heat. You can add chopped fresh parsley, and then a little fresh lemon juice as the secret ingredient. Taste as you go and add more if needed. I'm a big fan of cracked black pepper in my soup just before serving. It's important you add these off the heat, you're not trying to cook them, just to wake up the flavors of the soup.

I always use fresh lemon juice, but if you have bottled lemon juice, that can work in a pinch. In any soup, I'm a big believer in tasting as I cook. That way you learn to cook with the recipe. I really enjoy adding finishing touches to soup. For the lemon juice, I don't like to add too much, just enough to wake up all the other flavors.

Always keep cartons of your favorite stock in your pantry, and you can make a good soup out of just about anything.

Final Kitchen Magic

Serving Your Family

Mom’s Kitchen Secrets and Storage Solutions

Personal Touch Ideas

Soups really are the backbone of pantry cooking. You can throw just about anything into it: use different veggies, different types of tomatoes, and different types of cabbage, and boost the flavor by adding lemon juice and garlic. You can also use options like fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a slightly different flavor. If I don't have what a specific recipe asks for, I always look for the most similar item in my pantry and go from there.

I always have onions, carrots, and celery on hand; that way I can always make soup. But if I run out of stock, I can make a quick vegetable stock with these veggies too. I also like to keep boxed stocks and stock cubes around. They are a great shortcut if you don't happen to have any means of making stock or buying stock at all. They are great for the pantry and still give a lot of good flavor.

Flavor boosters:

Storage and Warming Tips

Reheating instructions:

Weekly Meal Ideas