This simple, yet healthy and delicious Hearty Red Cabbage Soup is perfect anytime you need a filling and hot weeknight dinner. With just a handful of fresh ingredients, this recipe comes together in about 45 minutes and is vegan and gluten-free.
It’s that time of year again where everyone in my household is sick. Maybe it’s the cold, short winter days or the fact my youngest is still in daycare, but it seems like at least one of us is sick all the time. That is why we have soup for dinner pretty regularly. Whether it’s my simple and delicious oven-roasted Easy Cherry Tomato Soup or my filling Butter Bean and Kale Stew made with tomato jam, I love to serve my family hot and delicious soups and stews all through winter.
For this red cabbage soup, I went fairly simple and decided to keep it vegan. Using red cabbage (also called purple cabbage) ensures our soup is packed with Vitamin C, which boosts the immune system and is packed with antioxidants. Plus it turns the soup a bright purple color, which makes for a visually interesting soup. This soup definitely has a borscht flavor with its sweet cabbage and tangy splash of vinegar.
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Ingredients that Matter
This recipe relies mostly on fresh produce along with a couple pantry staples. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Red Cabbage. Also known as purple cabbage, this brassica gets its vibrant color from anthocyanins. It is high in vitamin C and vitamin K and a moderate amount of vitamin B6.
- Aromatics. The backbone flavor for this recipe comes from aromatics that include carrots, celery, leeks and garlic. You can swap out the leeks for onion if preferred.
- Potato. Adding a medium Yukon gold potato makes this soup hearty and filling. You can also use red potatoes or a white potato, if preferred.
- Vegetable Broth. I recommend using broth instead of water for flavor and nutrition. You can swap out vegetable broth for chicken broth, if preferred.
- Olive Oil. A couple tablespoons of olive oil is all you need to cook the vegetables. If you opt to not use oil, simply cook the vegetables in about ¼ cup of the vegetable broth until tender.
- Fresh Herbs. Finishing this recipe with some fresh herbs like parsley and dill packs a ton of flavor. You could also use chives or scallions.
- Red Wine Vinegar. Finish the soup with a splash of red wine vinegar to brighten the flavor. Though note that adding acid to the soup will change its color so I recommend adding it at just before serving. The vinegar will actually help seal in the reddish color of the cabbage.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Putting together this soup is quite simple and most of the time is hands-off as the soup simmers away. Here is how this recipe comes together:
Start by prepping the vegetables. Chop the carrots and celery. To prep the leek, cut off the thicker dark green tops then slice it in half lengthwise. Rinse away any dirt from the inside then slice each half into ¼-inch thick pieces.
Prep the red cabbage by cutting it in half lengthwise. Remove the core and each half into 1-inch thick pieces. You should end up with about 8 cups of chopped cabbage. A medium (2 pound) cabbage is perfect. If you have more, you’ll want to add more vegetable broth.
Add oil to a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper along with the garlic.
Add the chopped cabbage and stir well to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes until the cabbage starts to soften.
Add the (peeled) diced potato and the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, covered, until the cabbage and potatoes are tender, 25-30 minutes.
Remove from heat and sprinkle with more salt. Just before serving add the red wine vinegar and garnish with fresh herbs. You can serve the a dollop of sour cream or plant-based yogurt, if desired.
Substitutions
This recipe is vegan and gluten-free. It is also quite easy to adjust based on your dietary needs and flavor preferences. Here are some suggested substitutions and variations:
- Protein – This recipe isn’t packed with protein as written, so you can add a can of white beans, some lentils or even tofu, if desired.
- Green Vegetables – You can pack in some green vegetables to this recipe. I served leftovers with some edamame, which was a perfect addition! You can also try peas, zucchini, green beans or even spinach. Though note that I recommend adding green vegetables right at the end of cooking as the color of the soup will not look great.
- Vinegar – If for some reason you don’t want to use red wine vinegar, you can instead use apple cider or white wine vinegar. You can even use lemon juice. I do not recommend a dark vinegar like balsamic or sherry as it will make the soup gray.
- Red Cabbage – I strongly recommend using red cabbage for this soup (it’s called red cabbage soup, after all!), but if needed, you can use green cabbage instead. There is more about red cabbage below.
- Toppings – I like to serve this soup topped with a dollop of sour cream. To keep it vegan and dairy-free, you could use a plain plant-based yogurt.
Red Cabbage
One of my favorite things about red cabbage (and all cabbages, for that matter) is its long shelf life. Red cabbage will keep in the fridge for several weeks. I’ve actually never had red cabbage go bad.
Red cabbage, also called purple cabbage, is delicious raw as well as cooked. In fact, one of my favorite slaws is our Purple Cabbage Slaw, which includes other crisp vegetables like radishes and turnips, along with a fresh dressing made with soy sauce and sesame oil.
Did you know the purple and red color of the cabbage depends on the pH level of the soil? More acidic soil makes for a more reddish color cabbage while a more base/neutral soil will keep the cabbage a deeper purple color.
What about the nutrition in red cabbage? Cooked red cabbage has about 1.5 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fibers and a good amount of vitamins and minerals, include vitamin C and vitamin K.
Equipment
For this soup you’ll only need a cooking vessel. I like to use a heavy bottom pot or large Dutch oven. Good options include this Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven or this Le Creuset 5 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven.
Storage
Store leftovers of this hearty purple cabbage soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You could freeze this soup for up to 3 months. To reheat, simple bring the soup to a boil and simmer for about 1 minute.
Note that after adding the vinegar the color of the soup will change. In fact the vinegar will almost seal in the reddish color of the soup. You could add another splash of vinegar to the soup after reheating to further enhance the color.
FAQ
Red cabbage (also known as purple cabbage) can be swapped for green cabbage in most recipes, though note that when cooked red cabbage will release its color, turning the cooking liquid purplish-red.
Yes, red cabbage is high in Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
Cooking red cabbage will inevitably alter the color of the brassica, but you can add vinegar to help seal vibrant purplish red color. Add the vinegar after cooking to get the most impact.
Dinner Ideas
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Vegetarian Ideas
If you want some vegetarian recipe inspiration, try these recipes:
PrintRecipe
Hearty Red Cabbage Soup
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 10 cups 1x
Description
This simple, yet healthy and delicious Hearty Red Cabbage Soup is perfect anytime you need a filling and hot weeknight dinner. With just a handful of fresh ingredients, this recipe comes together in about 45 minutes and is vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2–3 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium leek, rinsed well and sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. table salt, divided
- ½ tsp. black pepper, divided
- 1 medium (2 lbs.) red cabbage, core removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1–2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, more as desired
- fresh parsley and dill, chopped, for serving
- Sour cream or plant-based yogurt, for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and leeks and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cabbage and stir well. Cook until stating to wilt, about 5 minutes.
- Add potato and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, covered, until the cabbage and potatoes are tender, 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Serve garnished with fresh herbs and add more vinegar, if desired. Add a dollop of sour cream or plant-based yogurt, if desired.
Notes
- Adding vinegar at the end of cooking will help seal in the reddish color of the soup.Â
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat leftover by bringing soup to a boil and simmer for at least 1 minute. Add another splash of vinegar after reheating.
- You can keep this recipe vegan by serving with a plant-based yogurt.
- Add plant-based protein like a can of white beans (drained and rinsed), chopped firm (or extra-firm) tofu or even ½ cup of lentils.
- Serve with crusty bread.
- You can also swap out the herbs for chives and scallions, if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soups
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
John
Made this soup with a large red cabbage and extra potatoes, and added more vegetable broth. The soup was very filling, and the broth tasted great. Very surprised at how well the broth tasted as I usually use chicken broth. Left out the sour cream to keep this as a vegan dish. Flavors were even better the next day.
Adam Dolge
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! We always love soup the next day!!