This tomato cabbage soup is the perfect way to make cabbage less "ugh" and more "yum", especially in winter. It's got the tart sweetness from the sundried tomatoes, chunky veggies like potatoes to keep you full, and finely chopped savoy cabbage to help you eat your greens! Bonus: it only takes 15 minutes of prep!
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Tomato and cabbage is one of those combos that just works and I bet it will make you like green cabbage just a little bit more! If you don't believe me, try my unstuffed cabbage roll pasta—it's rich, hearty, and full of flavor!
Key ingredients and substitutions
- Savoy cabbage: This dark-green cabbage with frilly leaves is softer and less crunchy than other cabbages, which makes it perfect for soup. If you can't find it at your local grocery store, you can replace it with finely chopped green cabbage but it will be crispier and have more of a bite after simmering.
- Carrots, celery, and potatoes: Choose waxy potatoes that hold their shape well after cooking.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: You want to use both the oil (which is usually already flavored with herbs and garlic) and the tomatoes for extra flavor. Alternatively, you can use dried sun-dried tomatoes, which will naturally rehydrate in the soup.
- Canned chopped tomatoes: They add some tang to the broth and work great as an alternative to fresh tomatoes during fall and winter. Fire-roasted canned tomatoes are a great alternative if you want a smokier soup.
- Red pepper flakes: This tomato and cabbage soup can handle a little spice. If you don't like it spicy, simply leave out the red pepper flakes or chili flakes.
- Vegetable broth: You can use jarred or boxed vegetable soup. But a bouillon cube or vegetable broth powder (that's what I used) works just as well in this soup.
How to cut cabbage for soup
Cut off the thick, dark-green outer leaves and give them a good rinse. Place them flat on a cutting board and slice along the white vein to remove it. Then, stack the leaves on top of each other, cut them lengthwise into ribbons, and crosswise into smaller pieces.
Elo's tips
- Blend a can of whole peeled tomatoes if you don't have canned chopped tomatoes on hand.
- Stir in a can of cannellini beans or some TVP (textured vegetable protein) for an extra dose of plant-based protein and to make to cabbage soup even more filling and satisfying.
- Serve the soup with some of the sun-dried tomato oil for a stunning presentation.
Step-by-step instructions
- Step 1: Chop the veggies. Peel the carrots and the potatoes and cut them lengthwise in half. Cut everything into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 2: Make the base of the soup. Finely chop an onion and the sun-dried tomatoes. Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven with some of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté everything over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
- Step 3: Sauté the veggies. Add in the carrots, celery, and potatoes. Stir until covered in oil and sauté over medium heat for 5-10 minutes while you prep the cabbage.
- Step 4: Finely chop the cabbage. Remove the white veins from the outer leaves as described above. Cut the rest of the savoy cabbage lengthwise, then crosswise into sections to form small bite-sized pieces.
- Step 5: Make the soup. Add the vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, and cabbage to the pot. Stir in the red pepper flakes (if using) and a bay leaf and cover with a lid.
- Step 6: Simmer for 30-35 minutes until the cabbage has softened and the veggies are cooked through. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed (it will mostly depend on the vegetable broth you use).
Storage tips
You can store this tomato and cabbage soup in airtight containers for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
I like to use 16 oz (500 ml) Weck jars or Mason jars for storage. Just make sure to leave a little room at the top for freezing, as the soup will expand when it turns solid.
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The recipe
Tomato Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- ½ (± 400 g) savoy cabbage sub green cabbage for a crunchier texture
- 3-4 carrots
- 4 celery sticks
- 4 potatoes
- ½ cup (80 g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 2 tablespoons oil from the sun-dried tomatoes or olive oil
- 6 cups (1,5 L) vegetable broth I dissolve bouillon powder in water
- 14 oz (400 g) canned diced tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
Chop the veggies: Peel the carrots and potatoes and cut them lengthwise in half. Cut everything into bite-sized pieces.
Make the soup base: Finely chop the onion and sun-dried tomatoes, then sauté them in a large pot with oil from the sun-dried tomatoes for 2-3 minutes until softened.
Sauté the veggies: Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to the pot. Stir to coat and cook for 5-10 minutes while prepping the cabbage.
Chop the savoy cabbage: Cut the cabbage in half and remove the white core. Remove tough veins from the outer leaves and cut them into strips. Then, chop everything into bite-sized pieces.
Make the soup: Add vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, cabbage, red pepper flakes (optional), and a bay leaf. Give it a good stir, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 30-35 minutes.
Adjust seasoning with salt (depending on how salty your vegetable broth is). Serve with a little oil from the sun-dried tomatoes.
Notes
- Use fire-roasted canned tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes if you want a smokier soup.
- Stir in a can of cannellini beans or some TVP (textured vegetable protein) for an extra dose of plant-based protein to make to cabbage soup even more filling.
- Serve the soup with some of the sun-dried tomato oil for a stunning presentation.
- You can store this tomato and cabbage soup in airtight containers for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
- What to do with the leftover savoy cabbage? Try this unstuffed cabbage roll pasta.
Nutrition
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