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My Detox Cabbage Soup has been a staple in my house for years! Light, nourishing, but still flavorful, this is the soup you’ll turn to when you need a reset.
My husband and I are what some people call “gastro travelers”—we basically plan our trips around what we’re going to eat. At home, we’re pretty health-conscious, but when we’re traveling? We are fully committed to eating all the things.
We love experiencing food and the culture behind it, and I come home with endless inspiration for my own kitchen after every trip. I see travel as an opportunity to explore the flavors of wherever we are, which means…self-control can wait. We’ve got plenty of time to eat clean when we get home. Until then? YOLO.
And once we’re back, this Detoxing Cabbage Soup is exactly what I’m craving to reset. It’s light and simple, but packed with flavor from a variety of vegetables, cumin, cayenne, fresh lemon, and more. This low-carb soup is just the reset I need after traveling—or anytime I’m feeling a little off my game.
Ingredients:
- Green Cabbage
- White Onion
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Carrots
- Celery
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Garlic
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth or Bone Broth
- Canned Diced Tomatoes
- Ground Cumin
- Cayenne Pepper
- Lemon
Recipe Step-by-Step:
Step One: Cut Cabbage
Cut the core from the cabbage and discard. Cut the cabbage into 4 large wedges, then set 1 wedge aside for another use. Thinly slice the remaining 3 wedges into long shreds. Set aside.
Step Two: Cook the Veggies
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, and celery and season with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn.
Step Three: Add the Liquids and Seasoning
Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, cumin, cayenne pepper, and the remaining teaspoon of salt, and and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cabbage. When the soup reaches a heavy simmer, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 30 to 45 minutes. The cabbage should be tender and the flavors of the soup melded.
Step Four: Finish and Serve
Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ:
Yes! You could use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
No! It’s not intended to “detox” your body or replace your body’s natural detoxification processes. It is just a great, wholesome, nutrient-rich soup when your body needs a reset.
Defintiely! This would be great with shredded rotisserie chicken or even white beans.
Absolutely! While this soup is delicious as-is, you can add noodles if you’d like to make it a little heartier. I recommend cooking the noodles separately and adding them to individual bowls when serving so they don’t soak up too much of the broth or become mushy. Small pasta shapes like ditalini or orzo would work well.
I hope this Detox Cabbage Soup becomes a regular for you when you need a reset!
For more recipes:
Lemon Chicken, Orzo, and Chickpea Salad
Detox Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 3/4 head of green cabbage
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 2 cups diced celery
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or bone broth)
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- dash of cayenne pepper, plus more to taste (optional)
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Cut the core from the cabbage and discard. Cut the cabbage into 4 large wedges, then set 1 wedge aside for another use. Thinly slice the remaining 3 wedges into long shreds. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, and celery and season with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn.
- Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, cumin, cayenne pepper, and the remaining teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cabbage.
- When the soup reaches a heavy simmer, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 30 to 45 minutes. The cabbage should be tender and the flavors of the soup melded.
- Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, if needed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- To freeze, let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to airtight containers or freezer bags, leaving some space for expansion. Label and date the containers before placing them in the freezer.
- To thaw, move the container to the refrigerator and let it defrost overnight, or for a quicker option, use the microwave’s defrost setting. Further reheat the soup or stew in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it reaches a simmer, or microwave it in intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
- If you feel like the contents of the soup (i.e. noodles, rice, etc.) soaked up most of the liquid, you can add 1 to 2 cups more broth to rehydrate the soup and get it to the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Eat Love Eats.
I love the recipe, Alex (who am I kidding? I love all your recipes!) I also like puréeing half of the veggies when softened, including the tomatoes, into the stock before adding the cabbage. Delicious!
This was excellent! I made it as a side to go with your crispy taco recipe, and even my soup hating husband loved it!
I’m wondering if there is a substitute from the chicken broth I’m allergic to all meats.
veggie broth is great here.
Maybe try vegetable broth, bless your heart!
I made this soup and it is delicious as is, but I ended up puréeing it and it turned out amazing!
Do you have the calorie and carb count on this?
I don’t I’m Sorry!
Does this soup freeze well?
yes!
I did it. It works! Great way to jump start your new eating habits!
Can you eat the soup everyday for several weeks for all meals to loose weight?
I am not a nutritionist nor a doctor; but I personally wouldn’t eat just one thing for weight loss. I think a well rounded, diversified diet with lots of nutrients is a better approach than a cabbage soup diet for 2 weeks.
Just made this for the week. So good! Thank you for sharing!
Do you think this would work with purple cabbage? Thanks!
I defintitely prefer it with green, but yes!! you can definitely use red here!
One of my first and favorite recipes I tried of yours. Soo good! Thank you for teaching me its ok to add cumin to my soups.
ah, cumin is just the best!! so warm and cozy.