Friends, hear me out. I know you are thinking – how can cabbage soup be amazing? I understand because cabbage is one of those vegetables that you either love or hate. Since I’m from the LOVE IT side of the aisle, I decided to come up with a recipe that I’d enjoy plus possibly change some of the hater’s minds.
So, for about a month, I schemed and tested different versions of this soup to come up with what would end up being the best cabbage soup ever. Finally, I did it, well, at least in my opinion.
With my new creation complete, I was off to change a few minds about cabbage. I secretly selected a couple of friends to taste my soup. I sent them each a text message asking for a little help with a taste test but didn’t go into detail on what I’d be dropping off – remember, it’s cabbage. One of my buddies responded she’d love to help but wasn’t feeling too good, she had a cold. What? This was just what I needed to hear since all of the ingredients in this soup are full of vitamins and tend to help heal a tired, sick body.
I told my friend, Julie, about my soup and she sweetly declined my offer. I knew that was coming so I pressed on asking her to please just taste it – “it doesn’t even taste like cabbage” I said at least half a dozen times. I finally got the go-ahead and then…yes, it happened, one cabbage hater changed her pretty, little mind! I got the call that she loved the soup and did I have more. Uh, no, I ate it all. Interestingly enough, I got a call from Julie’s husband that next Saturday asking where on my blog could he find the recipe.
Well, have mercy – I hadn’t even written the recipe, it was just all sticky notes at that point, so I just rattled off the ingredient list to him while he stood in the grocery store parking lot! Then after a couple of phone calls with Andy on what to do with all his store-bought goodies, my friends had a big pot of delicious, amazing cabbage soup. The crazy glorious trick is roasting
the cabbage before it goes into the soup pot.
At the end of it all, I’m happy, my friends are happy and there’s something to be said for being open-minded. Thanks, everyone. I’m just gonna hang out over here and keep changing the world one bowl of cabbage soup at a time.
If you make this recipe, let me know!
You can rate it below, leave me a comment or snap a picture. Just tag me on Instagram at #asouthernsoul.
Amazing Roasted Cabbage Soup
Roasting cabbage brings out an incredible rich flavor that add depth to this simple soup. If you think you don't like cabbage, you'll change your mind after one bite of this soup.
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Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 small head of cabbage cut into 1" rounds
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 carrots - diced
- 1 small onion - diced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 8 oz can small diced or crushed tomatoes - drained
- 4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Heat oven to 415 degrees.
- Place cabbage rounds on a 9 X 11 inch sheet pan lined with parchment.
- Pour 1/4 cup olive oil in a small dish. Using a grater or micro plane, grate 1 clove of garlic into olive oil. Brush or spoon garlic oil on each of cabbage rounds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for approximately 20 minutes. When outside of rounds are dark brown and crisp, flip, spread with remaining olive oil. Return to oven and roast for another 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from oven to cool.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot on medium low heat. Add carrots and onions. Saute until onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add red pepper flakes and thyme. Cook with onions and carrots for one minute. Add stock to pot. Stir to incorporate vegetables and herbs. Add tomatoes and stir.
- Cut cabbage rounds into large chunks (discard very dark edges) and add to stock pot. Drizzle in red wine vinegar. Bring soup up to a boil then reduce to a simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Serve soup with a dash of hot sauce or chopped chives.
- Can be frozen in ziptop bags.
Jules
This stuff is truly heaven in a bowl! This coming from a true cabbage hater. Wow. I love this stuff so much. It's slap yo mama good. 🙂
Anonymous
You had me at roasted – I knew I had to try it. Delicious!! It was hard not to eat all of the roasted cabbage alone. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!!
Sno
making it today, will update later…..sounds delish
Melissa P Vosburgh
This looks amazing, I love to cook and roasting cabbage is my favorite way to have it. I bet it adds a whole new level of flavor to this soup! Thanks for sharing on Delicious Dishes recipe party!
Karen
This soup was absolutely delicious! I think roasting the cabbage is the secret. I couldn’t stop eating it as I was cutting it up to add to the crockpot. I added a little cayenne pepper to give it just a bit of heat. Will be making it again. And again!
Donya
AWESOME! I am glad you like this recipe. It’s one of our favorites even though my man is not a fan of cabbage!
Thanks for stopping by.
XO,
~Donya
Karen Rooster Boots
This looks delicious! Have you ever frozen it? Was wondering if that’s a good idea or not. Thank you for the recipe. 🙂
Karen Rooster Boots
Oh geeze…LOL…silly me! It says RIGHT at the end that it can be frozen! My bad! 🙂
Ashley L
I made this last night and it is AMAZING! I added some sliced grilled bratwurst for extra protein add a little red hot to top off each bowl.
T Mox
Can red wine vinegar be replace with any other type of vinegar? Like apple cider vinegar for example?
Donya
Yep, you can use whatever kind of vinegar you have on had or like. Thanks for stopping by!
xo,
~Donya
Liz
This is fabulous! Believe it or not it makes a great change of pace as breakfast, especially with some diced potatoes or cooked wheat berries stirred in. I’ve shared this link with lots of friends who also all love it. Thank you!
Donya
WOW! Thank you so much for sharing, Liz. I can see this as a breakfast dish and I love your ideas. Please keep coming back to share at A Southern Soul.
XO,
~Donya
CATHERINE LEE
Great recipe! I am a cabbage lover though. So inexpensive and healthy for the amount of soup you get too! I like to throw in some green beans, and I roast the cabbage in the air fryer, it’s awesome! As always, love you much, God bless! Thank you!
Donya
Thanks so much!
Debra York
Fabulous cold day soup. Gave it a try tonight, by husband and I who do like cabbage LOVE this soup!
Donya
THANK YOU, Debra! I am so glad you like it. It’s truly a feel good soup.
XO,
~Donya
Vicky
Okay this was amazing. I also accidentally bought what is clearly a large head of cabbage so I had to double the soup portions on the fly but this tasted phenomenal!
Donya
Yippee! Way to go Vicky on working out the recipe. I am so happy you’ve enjoyed it. I hope you’ll keep on cooking with me…I love it!
XO,
~Donya
Diane
Hello Donya. I love cabbage anything, so when I saw this recipe I was very excited. However, I am somewhat confused. In your instructions you say to add 1/2 cup of all olive. Does that mean olive oil, or black olives, or green olives,???.
Donya
Hey there! Thanks for reaching out. Yes, the recipe now reads, “olive oil.” Sorry about that. I hope you’ll enjoy the soup. I must say, it really is amazing especially for cabbage!
Have a great day, Diane!
XO,
~Donya
CATHERINE Pasquinucci
I love any kind of cabbage soup! Must try this, roasting the cabbage has got to be the best idea ever. I grill cabbage a lot, it seems to tame the gassiness my hubby gets from cabbage. And that’s the only thing he doesn’t like about cabbage, the tummy woes. Hopefully roasting helps too. There isn’t a cabbage dish I won’t eat, so I’m already making my grocery list. Just now starting to get chilly too, perfect! Thank you!
Donya
Enjoy, Catherine! It’s one of my favorites.
Have a wonderful day,
~Donya
Rachel
My friends and I make this all the time. The best comfort food! Thank you.
Susan
My dad gave me two big heads of cabbage from gus garden and I used one of them up for this. I have an allium allergy so I omitted the onion and garlic and added a little nutritional yeast and smoked paprika instead. I also through in about a cup of short grain rice and it was delicious!
Anne Marie
I am out of carrots so I came up with the idea of roasting my cabbage to bring out its sweetness and pizazz for my chicken soup. I googled roasted cabbage soup because most of the time if my ideas that seem a little out there will be good they have been done and there is a recipe! Thanks for the inspiration! I will be taking some of your method 🙂
JANE SMITH
I made this without the carrots one time when I had just forgotten them. They do make a difference! I really love this soup, I’ll be making some soon to do penance for all the carbs I destroyed over Thanksgiving…oh my goodness. My jeans are reminding me this week.
Donya
I hear you Jane!
I’m so glad you like the soup. It’s a lifesaver after all the indulgence over the holidays.
Have a great day,
~Donya
Jim Meyers
Great winter dinner. Followed the recipe and enjoyed it immensely
Donya
Thanks so much, Jim!
Have a great day,
~Donya
Liz
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made this soup since I came across the recipe here a couple years ago. I love to saute some baby bella mushrooms in with the carrots & onions, and add a diced potato too. This also makes an incredible gratinee soup, with a thick slice of cheesy toast submerged in the bowl.
Donya
Liz,
You’ve made my day! I love your ideas. You”ve made this recipe your own and I’m just smiling away over here.
Thank you for the great rating.
Have a wonderful, wonderful day!
~Donya