Hearty Cabbage Soup
Cabbage, tomato, and beans in a garlicky broth — peasant food that eats like a hug.
Ingredients
- ½ head Cabbage
- 400 g Canned tomatoes
- 1 Onion
- 2 Carrot
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1200 ml Stock
- 2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1¼ tsp Salt
- 1 tin Cannellini beans (optional)
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika (optional)
Method
- Dice the onion and the carrots into small even pieces.
- Chop the cabbage into bite-size ribbons and mince the garlic.
- Soften the diced onion and carrot in the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and the smoked paprika and stir for one fragrant minute.
- Add the chopped cabbage, the tomatoes, the stock, and the salt, then simmer until the cabbage is silky, about 20 minutes.
- Stir the drained beans into the pot for the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Taste the soup, adjust the salt, and serve with bread and no apologies.
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About Hearty Cabbage Soup
Hearty cabbage soup belongs to the deep tradition of European peasant cooking, where cheap, sturdy vegetables and a can of beans stretch into a full meal. This American-style version leans Mediterranean in its bones, building on a base of onion and carrot softened in olive oil before cabbage, tomatoes, and cannellini beans join a garlicky broth. What defines it is thrift turned into comfort: nothing here is expensive, yet the long simmer coaxes real depth out of humble parts. Smoked paprika is the quiet trick, lending a whisper of bacon-like warmth without any meat.
The eating experience is exactly what the name promises — soft, silky ribbons of cabbage that lose their bite entirely, a broth made savory and slightly sweet by the tomatoes, and creamy beans that give the spoonful body. It is high in fiber and low in calories, so it fills you up without weighing you down, which is part of why it feels virtuous even as it comforts. Add the beans only for the last five minutes so they warm through without turning to mush. Serve it in a wide bowl with crusty bread for dragging through the broth, and it makes an ideal lunch or a light supper on a cold evening.
Hearty Cabbage Soup: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Hearty Cabbage Soup?
A serving has about 345 calories — 17g protein, 45.3g carbs, 11.5g fat, 10g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Hearty Cabbage Soup gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Hearty Cabbage Soup has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Do I need every ingredient to make Hearty Cabbage Soup?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out cannellini beans, smoked paprika — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Hearty Cabbage Soup make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.