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    Cabbage Soup

    January 15, 2024

    Are you looking for a hearty soup studded with bacon, and subtly spiced with paprika and thyme? Well, grab a bowl! This warming bowl of vegetables is just like grandma's cabbage soup.

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    A large pot of homemade cabbage soup topped with fresh chopped parsley with a ladle scooping out a a serving
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    More Hearty Soups

    We Present Our Best Cabbage Soup Recipe For Super Cozy Times

    We love cabbage for a number of reasons. It’s a vegetable that really goes the extra mile – extremely filling and densely packed with good-for-you nutrients. And why is cabbage soup so healthy? Cabbage is full of vitamin K, vitamin C, and dietary fiber and is also known for its anti-inflammatory qualities (yay for heart health!). Can you lose weight with cabbage soup? The cabbage soup diet was a fad diet from the 1950s, and we now know that a balanced diet featuring a variety of foods is necessary for any healthy diet. So while we really love this easy cabbage soup, we don’t want it to be the only thing we eat! Cooked in a flavorful broth with paprika, thyme, and mustard powder, this recipe for cabbage soup is a great meal any day of the week.

    cabbage, celery, onion, carrot, canned tomatoes, bacon vegetable stock and spices in bowls to make cabbage soup

    There’s More Than One Way To Make Cabbage Soup

    There are many types of cabbage soup, with ingredients that vary depending on where you are eating it. Cabbage soup is beloved from Russia, to France, to Sweden, with each country adding its own special touch. Russian cabbage soup often features potatoes and a big scoop of sour cream and fresh dill. In France, you might find milk and butter in your soupe aux choux. And in Sweden, you’ll likely discover the savory Nordic flavor of caraway seeds. There’s so many wonderful variations, and we offer this easy cabbage soup recipe as a starting place for you to explore the many ways to make it.

    chopped bacon being cooked in a pot for cabbage soup
    chopped onion, carrot and celery being cooked in a soup pot with bacon fat to make cabbage soup
    cabbage and garlic added to a pot with cooked onion, carrots and celery for making cabbage soup
    vegetable stock being poured into a soup pot with all of the other ingredients for homemade cabbage soup

    Soup’s On! Grab These Cabbage Soup Ingredients And Your Trusty Soup Pot

    • Bacon (a 12 ounce package is just the right amount)

    • A small head of green cabbage

    • Vegetables for the mirepoix - these are the essential flavors of the soup - onion, celery, carrot, and garlic for our cabbage soup recipe

    • A can of diced tomatoes and vegetable or chicken stock

    • All of the seasonings! Garlic and onion powder, paprika, thyme, mustard powder, and of course salt and pepper

    • And a little dash of brown sugar to enhance the soup’s flavor

    homemade cabbage soup being simmered in a large soup pot made with cabbage, onion, carrot, celery, tomatoes and spices
    cooked bacon added to a pot of homemade cabbage soup
    a pot of cabbage soup made with cabbage, carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes, spices, vegetable stock and bacon
    a pot of cabbage soup made with cabbage, carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes, spices and bacon topped with fresh parsley

    How To Make Cabbage Soup

    For this old fashioned cabbage soup we’ll build the flavor in layers. Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll soon be on your way to a warming bowl of cabbage soup.

    1. Start by cooking the bacon until crispy. Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel lined dish.

    2. Leave about two tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot to cook the mirepoix (that’s the onion, carrot, and celery) until tender.

    3. Add the chopped cabbage and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about three minutes more.

    4. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, mustard powder, salt, and brown sugar, stir to combine.

    5. Bring the soup to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.

    6. Cook the soup until the cabbage is tender, about 25-30 minutes.

    7. At the end of the cooking time, add the bacon back to the pot and season the soup with salt and pepper.

    A large pot of homemade cabbage soup with a ladle in it next to bowls of fresh parsley and black pepper for garnish
    a large pot of homemade cabbage soup made with other vegetables, bacon, spices and topped with fresh parsley for garnish

    Tools You’ll Need

    Are You On a Cabbage Roll After Making This Soup?

    Cabbage is a solid cornerstone of any wholesome meal, and we have some more of our favorite cabbage recipes for you to try:

    a bowl of cabbage soup with a spoon in it topped with fresh parsley and cracked black pepper next to other bowls of soup

    Let’s Do The Cabbage Patch Dance

    We hope this soup makes you feel like doing the cabbage patch dance in your kitchen. Snap a photo of your cabbage soup and maybe even a video of your sweet dance moves. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

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    Cabbage Soup

    Updated January 15, 2024

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  45 min
    • Calories:  327
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    Ingredients

    • 12 ounces bacon, chopped
    • 1 large yellow onion, diced
    • 1 large carrot, finely chopped
    • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 small head of green cabbage roughly chopped, about 1 1/2 pounds
    • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
    • 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
    • ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
    • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
    • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
    • Finely chopped italian parsley, for serving

    Method

    1. In a large pot set over medium high heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook until the carrots are nearly tender and the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pot with a few tablespoons of the chicken stock if the veggies start to burn from the bacon fat.

    2. Add the cabbage and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, mustard powder, salt, and brown sugar, stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Add the bacon back to the pot, stir to combine. Add the pepper and additional salt to taste.

    3. To serve top with more pepper and parsley.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 327
    • Protein 11 g
    • Carbohydrates 19 g
    • Total Fat 24 g
    • Dietary Fiber 5 g
    • Cholesterol 37 mg
    • sodium 492 mg
    • Total Sugars 10 g

    Cabbage Soup

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Mary

      Do you cover the soup as it simmers?

      No need! Hope you enjoy!

    • Loren

      Could I make this soup ahead of time and freeze it?

      Yes, that should work just fine!

    • Brad

      Great flavor, really warmed me up on a 20 degree day. The brown sugar complements the natural sweetness of the cabbage, and brown sugar and bacon always work well together. I'll make this again for sure. Thanks for the recipe!

      Thanks Brad, so happy you loved it!

    • Ryan

      Purchased a new Le Creuset 7.5qt chef's oven- immediately came home, washed it and made this soup. The amount of flavor should be illegal. Paired it with a slice of homemade seeded sourdough bread. Absolutely awesome.

      Thanks Ryan, so happy you loved it! Congrats on the new Le Creuset. All the love for Le Creuset!

    • Ana

      This was delicious and simple! I added a can of beans

      Thanks Ana, so glad you loved it!

    • Jenn

      PERFECTLY COZY for fall and extremely simple. This was a delicious way to pack a ton of veggies into one bowl. I will definitely make this again.

      Thank you Jenn!