The Cozy Cookbook is here! 
This Cabbage Soup recipe is easy to make on the stove top or in the Crock Pot! It includes a healthy assortment of vegetables, kielbasa, simple seasonings, and a super flavorful broth. It also makes a great freezer meal!
Be sure to try my Cabbage and Sausage and Egg Roll in a Bowl recipes next!
Cabbage Soup
Cabbage Soup might not sound very exciting, but when you add Kielbasa to the mix, all of a sudden you have a protein-packed meal with the most flavorful broth ever! This soup is so forgiving, you can add in any combination of vegetables that you want, and it freezes really well.
Aside from kielbasa, you may choose to use ground sausage or sausage links, ground turkey, or ground beef! I just love using some kind of meat because not only does it make this soup more of a meal, but it also transfers a lot of flavor into the broth.
For even more protein, feel free to add beans to the mix too. Kidney beans, cannellini, and chickpeas all work perfectly.
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions. See notes section of the recipe card for the Crock Pot method.
Sauté the kielbasa, onions, carrots, and celery in butter and olive oil.
Add garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and seasonings.
Add the cabbage, diced tomatoes, and V8. Stir to combine, then add the chicken broth.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer with the lid partially cracked for 25 minutes. Serve!
Pro Tips
- I use Oscar Mayer Polska Kielbasa for this recipe but any variety will work fine.
- Tomato Sauce can be used instead of V8 in this recipe if needed. Tomato Passata can also be used.
- Cabbage: If you have more cabbage to use up after this recipe, be sure to try my Egg Roll in a Bowl, Cabbage and Sausage, and Ramen Noodle Salad!
What to Add to Cabbage Soup
- Meat: Ground Italian sausage, sausage links, ground turkey/chicken, shredded chicken, ground beef, ham, or a crispy bacon garnish.
- Beans: Kidney beans, cannellini beans, or chickpeas all make great additions.
- Vegetables: Green beans, peas, corn, and zucchini are delicious in this soup as well.
- Rice or pasta can also be added, I recommend cooking it separately and adding it directly to serving bowls if you plan on having leftovers as it absorbs a lot of broth during storage. If you prefer to cook it in the soup, I would add 1 cup additional cup of broth.
- Top this soup with Ranch Oyster Crackers for even more flavor!
The Cabbage Soup Diet
- The cabbage soup diet is usually a week-long process during which time cabbage soup is eaten 2-3 times a day along with a limited list of other foods. It’s used as a quick weight-loss technique but isn’t meant to be a long-term sustainable diet.
- Low fat meats are sometimes allowed to be included in the soup.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 4.5 quart Dutch oven– this is what I use for this recipe. (Le Creuset is great quality, you’ll have it forever.)
- Food Storage Containers– These are what I use, they fit exactly 1 cup and are leak proof, microwave safe, stackable, and BPA free.
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
- Pinch Bowls– for measuring out seasonings ahead of time.
- Chefs Knife– I have this one, it’s affordable but high quality.
- 16 oz. storage containers – I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.
Try These Next
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- Pinto Bean Soup
-
- Cabbage and Sausage
-
- Lentil Sausage Soup
-
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
-
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
-
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
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Tried This Recipe?
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Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Soup
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 14 oz. kielbasa, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 3 cups green cabbage, finely chopped
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 8 oz. V8 juice, can sub tomato sauce
- 6 cups chicken broth
- salt/pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the kielbasa, onions, carrots and celery. Sauté it for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and seasonings. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the cabbage, diced tomatoes, and V8. Stir to combine.
- Add the chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes with the lid partially cracked. Taste, and season with salt/pepper if desired. Serve!
Notes
- Heat butter and olive oil in the slow cooker. Add the kielbasa, onions, carrots and celery, toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8.
Pro Tips
- I use Oscar Meyer Polska Kielbasa for this recipe but any variety will work fine.
- Tomato Sauce can be used instead of V8 in this recipe if needed. Tomato Passata can also be used.
- Top this soup with Ranch Oyster Crackers for even more flavor!
- Cabbage: If you have more cabbage to use up after this recipe, be sure to try my Egg Roll in a Bowl, Cabbage and Sausage, and Ramen Noodle Salad!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Oh my goodness. Don’t change a thing on this recipe! I did the crockpot method for a family get together. Always hesitant to try a new recipe on a group. It was absolutely delicious. Definitely saving this recipe. The perfect combination of seasonings and spices.
Hey Dina! I am SOOO happy that this was a hit and that your leap of faith paid off! Thank you sooo much for taking the time to leave a review, I appreciate it so much! -Stephanie
I’ve made this recipe two different ways. The first time I used Turkey Burger and my family didn’t love the ‘meat’ part of it. The next time I didn’t use any meat but added twice the amount of all veggies. Both times I LOVED IT but as mothers, we know it’s not always about us as we’d like to think. 🙂
I’ll definitely be making this again with or without meat; and maybe I’ll use the kielbasa but again, my family isn’t a huge fan of kielbasa so we’ll see
I’m so happy you enjoyed it both ways Kristen! It’s fun to experiment around with this one. Thanks so much for the great review!💗
Although this soup was good, I think next time I will wait to add the kilbasa as I think a lot of the flavor was boiled out of it by putting it in at the beginning.
Hi Heather, totally your call! I do it this way so that the broth is extra flavorful, and I find that the kielbasa is still very juicy as it only reaches a gentle boil. I also like adding a little fond to the skillet by adding it at the beginning and deglazing it with the broth!
This soup is so flavorful! My husband and I both loved it. Another winner that I’ll be sure to make again. Your recipes never disappoint!
I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed this soup Stephanie! I had to beg my husband to try this since he swore he hates everything cabbage. He ended up loving it. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!❤️
I have been looking for new ways to incorporate cabbage into my diet, so I took a chance on this recipe. It was hands down the best soup I have ever made! Very hearty with lots of delicious flavors. This will become a year round favorite in our meal rotation. Thank you!
Hi Tracie! I am sooooo happy to hear that, what you just described was my precise goal when I developed the recipe, to make it delicious to incorporate cabbage into a soup and pack in that nutrition! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
Another keeper in our house! When asked what kind of soup I made, I said cabbage soup and got the “look” but after my hubs tried it he was wowed! Thanks again for another great soup!
lol my husband gives me that same look! “I don’t eat cabbage” lol, and then he loves it! Thanks so much for the great comments and review Natalie!💗
Tasty, as always! I was looking for a recipe to use up some groceries before going shopping. We had some collard greens that I sliced up and added; otherwise I followed the directions exactly.
I’m so happy you liked this one Jennifer! When I told my husband and picky daughter I was making them Cabbage soup they said that sounds yucky😂, but I made them believers lol! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
This was light and delicious! I loved the addition of kielbasa, it made this so flavorful. Will definitely make again.
I am so happy to hear that Nancy!! I love the kielbasa in this too, it’s hard to beat! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! -Stephanie
could you use hamburg instead of kielbasa?
You sure can!
What serving size is the nutritional value for?
It’s for every 1 cup of soup: This recipe makes 12 cups (top middle of the recipe card). And the nutritional value is per serving (cup).