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    Herby White Bean Soup with Cabbage

    September 4, 2024

    A zippy (there’s lemon), hearty (those beans), and herbaceous (yes dill and parsley!) soup to warm your bowl any time of year.

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    a bowl White Bean Soup with Dill and Cabbage with crusty bread alongside
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    A Lemony White Bean Soup To Bring The Sunshine

    There’s a soup for every season, and there’s soups that work for every season, like this white bean soup with lemon juice and lemon zest, fresh herbs, flavorful fennel, and crunchy green cabbage. This can easily be made as vegetarian white bean soup, just use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

    shallots, fennel, cabbage, spices, vegetable stock, white beans, parsley, dill, lemon juice & zest in prep bowls
    shallots, fennel and salt being cooked in olive oil in a large soup pot
    shallots, fennel, salt, cabbage and garlic being cooked in olive oil in a large soup pot
    stock, beans, parmesan rind, shallots, fennel, salt, cabbage and garlic being cooked in olive oil in a large soup pot

    An Easy White Bean And Cabbage Soup To Fill ‘Yer Bowl

    There are as many white bean soup variations as there are feelings. You’ve got your Tuscan white bean soup, Mexican white bean soup, White Bean Soup with Bacon, white bean and kale soup, Italian white bean soup, White Bean Chicken Soup, white bean and escarole soup, and don’t forget about creamy white bean soup. Basically, there’s a white bean soup to suit any mood. We recommend this herby white bean soup with cabbage when you’re craving a hearty white bean soup with a little spring in its step. Our best white bean and cabbage soup recipe requires little more than opening a can of beans and a little chopping.

    White Bean Soup with Dill and Cabbage being cooked in a large soup pot
    a pot of White Bean Soup with Dill and Cabbage made with fennel, cabbage, white beans, stock, spices and herbs

    How To Make White Bean Soup

    1. Cook shallots and fennel until soft and golden.

    2. Add the garlic, cabbage, and a little more olive oil, and cook until cabbage is bright green.

    3. Add the stock, beans, and parmesan rind. How to prepare white beans for soup: Open a can! Or start with your own Cannellini Beans from dry and add at this step. Cook until the beans are tender and the parmesan rind is soft. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley. Zing!

    4. Serve, it’s that easy.

    5. If you’d like to freeze white bean soup for later, you can pour it into individual containers (like quart size deli containers), leaving a little head room in case it expands when it freezes. Once it’s cooled to room temperature, you can put the lids on, mark the date, and put it in the freezer for up to three months.

    a bowl White Bean Soup with Dill and Cabbage being served with crusty bread

    What To Serve With White Bean Soup?

    Vegetable sides are great for keeping this soup part of a meatless meal! You can add Pesto Green Beans or Za’atar Roasted Carrots with Feta and Pumpkin Seeds for a nice crunch. A fresh side salad like Asian Chopped Salad or Broccoli Salad would also be great. If you’re looking to add protein, a simple side of Baked Chicken would be super tasty.

    a pot of White Bean Soup with Dill and Cabbage made with fennel, cabbage, white beans, stock and spices

    Tools You’ll Need

    More Beans Please!

    There’s more than one way to eat your beans. Here’s a few of our favorites:

    a bowl White Bean Soup with Dill and Cabbage being served with crusty bread

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    Please show us those bowls of cabbage and white bean soup. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

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    Herby White Bean Soup with Cabbage

    Updated on September 4, 2024

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  10 min
    • Cook Time:  25 min
    • Calories:  342
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    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
    • 2 medium heads fennel, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
    • 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    • 1 (10-ounce) head green cabbage, cored and roughly chopped
    • 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
    • 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 Parmesan rind, optional
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for serving
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, (from one lemon)
    • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
    • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
    • ¼ cup Fresh dill, finely chopped, plus more for serving

    Method

    1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the shallots, sliced fennel, and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring often, until the fennel is softened and golden, about 10 minutes.

    2. Stir in the garlic, cabbage, and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and cook until cabbage is bright green, about 3 minutes.

    3. Add the stock, beans, parmesan rind, if using, pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender and the parmesan rind is soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley.

    4. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve topped with pepper, reserved fennel fronds, and dill.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 342
    • Protein 12 g
    • Carbohydrates 42 g
    • Total Fat 15 g
    • Dietary Fiber 10 g
    • Cholesterol 10 mg
    • sodium 688 mg
    • Total Sugars 18 g

    Herby White Bean Soup with Cabbage

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Vanessa

      Could I add pork or chicken to this recipe... If so which one would be best?

      Chicken would probably go best. Hope you enjoy!

    • DebS

      This looks great! I have some fennel and cabbage to use too, so it would be perfect. Can this be frozen??? I like to cook soup on the weekend, freeze them in mason jars and then take them during the week to work for easy and healthy lunches.

      Sure!

    • Gia

      Do u think this would taste good with some ham in it?

      Definitely! Hope you enjoy Gia!

    • M

      Has anyone tried adding shredded chicken to this?

      Not that we've heard but we are sure it would be delicious! Hope you enjoy!

    • Jenni

      Fantastic soup! I love to keep a hearty bean soup in the fridge for a healthy and filling lunch but was getting tired of my standard minestrone. This is a delicious alternative. I used Bob's Red Mill dried 13 bean mix rather than canned beans, and added some shredded rotisserie chicken, but otherwise followed the recipe. A dollop of Greek yogurt is also a nice addition when serving.

      Thanks Jenni, glad you loved it!

    • Elizabeth

      My favorite soup. I did modify and made in the Instapot.
      I used 32 onces chicken stock, 3 cans canelli beans, a large onion vs shallot, a head puple and head green cabbage, added celery, carrots, oregano, a bay leaf, and cayenne for heat. I didn’t have fresh fennel, but used dry fennel, and we LOVE this soup.
      Very hearty. I did add 16 ounces more chicken stock and 1.5 cups of shredded chicken at the end, and we have a weeks+ worth filling lunches for two..
      (I also just threw the veggies in, without sautéing in oil, and cooked on high for 30 minutes, added the shredded chicken, additional stock at the end.
      (Sometimes I buy bagged coleslaw mix, bagged purple cabbage and a mirepoix mix if I’m in a hurry.)

      Thanks Elizabeth, we are so glad you love it!

    • Ashley

      So comforting and delicious! Added some chicken parm meatballs for extra protein and several more cups of stock.

      Thanks Ashley, so glad you enjoyed it!

    • Lindsey

      Can’t believe how amazing this was with very little effort. This soup is incredible and so comforting during these PNW rainy spring days! Perfect weeknight meal as it comes together so quickly and easily. But also wonderful recipe to keep up your sleeve for when you have vegan friends/family over (just omitting the Parmesan rind obviously :) ). Thanks for a new staple recipe!

      Thanks Lindsey! So glad you loved it!

    • Jamie

      This was delicious! I added an extra tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 garlic cloves. Will definitely be making this again

      Thanks Jamie! So glad you enjoyed it!