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Looking for a light, nourishing meal that actually satisfies? This weight loss cabbage soup is packed with fresh veggies, full of flavor, and ready in under an hour. With plenty of fiber and very few calories, it’s a simple way to reset, beat cravings, and support healthy digestion while still feeling full.
Every bowl is loaded with tender cabbage, naturally sweet carrots, juicy tomatoes, and a savory mix of garlic and onions, all simmered in an herb-infused vegetable broth. The result is a soothing, detox-friendly soup that’s both energizing and comforting.
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Ingredients for Cabbage Weight Loss Soup
More than just a “diet soup,” this recipe is crave-worthy comfort food you’ll actually want to eat—nourishing, wholesome, and delicious down to the last spoonful. These ingredients are where it shines:
- Fire-roasted tomatoes: These smoky, slightly sweet tomatoes bring a deeper, more complex flavor than regular canned varieties. Go to the canned goods aisle for great organic options. Buy and extra can to make my fire-roasted tomato soup.
- Napa cabbage: This tender, slightly sweet cabbage is softer and more delicate than traditional green cabbage, making it perfect for quick-simmering soups. Find it near bok choy and other Asian greens in the produce section. Use any leftovers to make my roasted cabbage wedges.
- Kimchi: The secret ingredient that brings gut health and serious flavor. You can find it at the refrigerated section near sauerkraut and pickles. If you’re vegan, make sure to read the label since some brands use fish products. I like Cleveland Kitchen Kimchi, which is vegan and super flavorful.
- Cannellini beans: Creamy, protein-rich, and full of fiber, these white beans make the soup more satisfying and help keep you full longer. Look for BPA-free cans and low-sodium options when possible.
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How to Make Weight Loss Cabbage Soup
This weight loss cabbage soup recipe comes together in one big pot using fresh veggies and pantry staples you probably already have on hand. With just a little chopping and simmering, you’ll have a nourishing, flavorful soup perfect for any day of the week. Here’s how to make it:
- Heat a splash of avocado oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots, and sauté until softened (about 5–7 minutes).
- Toss in the chopped Napa cabbage and stir well to combine. Let it cook down gently, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened.
- Pour in the fire-roasted tomato, minced garlic and spices. Give everything a good stir to combine.
- Add a good amount of vegetable stock in the mixture.
- Add creamy cannellini beans and kimchi into the simmering pot.
- Reduce the heat to let the soup simmer. Then, take off heat and stir in chopped fresh cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime juice.
Storing and Reheating
This soup is perfect for batch cooking, so don’t hesitate to make a big pot. Once the soup has cooled completely, portion it into airtight containers or mason jars for easy storage in the fridge. For longer-term meal prep, pour the soup into freezer-safe bags or containers and lay them flat in the freezer to save space. When you’re ready to reheat, simply warm it on the stovetop over medium heat or pop it in the microwave.
Recipe Tips
One of the best things about this cabbage soup diet recipe is it’s endlessly customizability. Whether you’re using up veggies in your fridge or craving something a little heartier, these simple swaps and flavorful add-ins make it easy to keep things interesting:
- Have extra produce to use up? Toss in bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, kale, or cauliflower. Add heartier veggies earlier so they have time to cook, and more delicate ones (like greens) toward the end.
- Craving more heat? Adding some sliced jalapeño, or extra red pepper flakes can rev up the metabolism and add a gentle kick that balances the broth perfectly.
- Switch the broth: Swap the vegetable broth for mushroom broth, or even miso broth to deepen the flavor and support digestive health.
- Add a scoop of cooked brown rice, quinoa, or farro before serving. These whole grains soak up the broth beautifully and turn the soup into a satisfying one-bowl dinner.
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If you make this weight loss cabbage soup recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Weight Loss Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 carrots diced
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 1 celery rib diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes with green chilis canned
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 head napa cabbage cored and chopped
- ¼ cup kimchi
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans rinsed
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- dash cayenne pepper if needed
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrot, celery, cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add cabbage; cook, stirring occasionally until slightly softened, about 10 minutes more.
- Add tomatoes, garlic, cumin, kimchi, broth, and beans. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.
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Helpful Tools
Notes
- Storage Tips: Let the soup cool completely before refrigerating. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze in individual portions for up to 2 months.
- Slow cooker: Toss all ingredients in a slow cooker and set to low for 7 hours or high for 3 1/2 hours. Feel free to saute the onions, carrot, celery first and then add to pot for a deeper flavor.
- Cabbage Options: Napa cabbage cooks down quickly and adds a mild flavor, but green cabbage or savoy are great substitutes if that’s what you have on hand.
- Add-Ins: Stir in baby spinach, kale, or chopped zucchini at the end of cooking for extra greens.
- Kimchi Tip: Add kimchi just before serving to retain its crunch and probiotic benefits.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
To make weight loss cabbage soup, start by sautéing onions, carrots, and celery in a bit of avocado oil until softened. Add chopped cabbage and cook until slightly tender. Stir in garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth, spices like cumin and cayenne, and cannellini beans for fiber and protein. Simmer until all the veggies are tender, then finish with fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro for a burst of flavor. The result is a low-calorie, nutrient-rich soup that’s filling and satisfying, perfect for healthy meal prep.
While results vary, some people report losing 5 to 10 pounds in a week on the cabbage soup diet. However, much of this initial weight loss is water weight, not fat. The cabbage soup diet is a very low-calorie, short-term plan, and it’s not meant for long-term use. For sustainable weight loss, it’s best to enjoy cabbage soup as part of a balanced, whole-food diet rather than relying on restrictive meal plans.
Weight loss cabbage soup is made with wholesome, low-calorie ingredients that keep you full and energized. The base includes avocado oil for sautéing, followed by a flavorful mix of yellow onion, carrots, and celery. Crisp Napa cabbage adds bulk and fiber, while fire-roasted tomatoes bring smoky richness. Garlic and warming spices like ground cumin and cayenne pepper enhance both taste and metabolism support.
Vegetable broth ties everything together, and cannellini beans provide plant-based protein to help you stay satisfied. Optional additions like kimchi offer a gut-healthy probiotic boost, while a splash of lime juice and fresh cilantro brighten the final flavor.
The reason I rated this one a three is because it was way too spicy for me. And I’m sure that came from the kimchi which I’ve never tried before. I know the recipe said it was optional, but I wanted to give it a try. I will say it was an experience. Unfortunately, I’m not a real big fan of cabbage either. But I’m not a quitter so I was determined to try this one.
Great job cooking it up anyways, Deena. We won’t love every recipe, but sometimes they can be such a delightful surpise.
A good cabbage soup, light but tasty. I added a little salt and some cooked rice into it; I didn’t want it too spicy since the black bean soup was very spicy. I like the mild taste better, definitely a keeper
I prefer milder foods too. I love that you made it work for you.
Best cabbage soup we’ve tasted. “Put this in the meal rotation,” said my Beau.
We eliminated the beans, used mild kimchi, and didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes (used canned diced tomatoes instead). Took your advice and added spinach at the end.
It was still so delicious. Thank you for the recipe. Introduced us to a new flavor of soup!
FANTASTIC. So great that you have another healthy flavor profile for the books.
This soup is really good full of flavor even though I had to make it mild without kimchi etc. Omitted the lime juice. though I love the combination of cabbage, carrots, onions, garlic and tomatoes. I did stir in baby spinach and spooned in some brown rice ate this for my dinner this was so good..
Great news. Glad you tailored it to your taste, Nancy.
This reminded me of a WW soup I made year’s ago. I was surprised that it had a sweetness to it. Perhaps that is because of the carrots. I had never used Napa cabbage before so that as fun for me. It was ok. Not a favorite but it was good.
Thanks for giving it a try, Ann Marie. Yes, carrots are healthy way to add sweetness.
I enjoyed the soup – really easy to make and tasty. I used my homemade vegetable stock which was not seasoned at all, so I added some salt after I tasted it. Next time I will add some pepper as well, but this time I wanted to taste the soup as was. I usually prefer blended soups but this was great for dinner unblended and texture was great.
The kimchi I chose was spicy and I served it on the side instead of adding to the soup. Glad I did as it was really very spicy.
Serving the Kimchi on the side is a good option for those a bit nervous about it. Keep rawking, Nicola.
I made this soup with a few substitutions. First, as I could not find Napa cabbage, I had to use regular. While I would have preferred the Napa, the regular was perfectly fine. Second, I decided to use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth tonight, as I was in the mood for a more savory flavor. While the soup was in the final stage of cooking, I tasted it to see if the cabbage and carrots were done and at that time, found the soup to be bland. However, the lemon juice (another substitution) and parsley (final substitution) added at the end gave the soup exactly what it was lacking. The tanginess of the lemon juice complemented the sweetness of the carrots and the spice of the cumin, as well as the other flavors of the soup. This cabbage soup was delicious and I will definitely be making it again.
Nice. Glad you stuck with it and enjoyed the finished product. Thanks for taking the time to post, Kelley.
This was a surprise for me, a pleasant surprise. I usually do not like cabbage but, I didn’t taste it. The flavor was fabulous even the family enjoyed the soup.
Win and another big win. Bravo to you for making it even though you don’t like cabbage. And that your family liked it, fantatic nutrition for all!
Update: I added coconut aminos to assist w/not tasting the lime juice (I messed up and added a entire lemon my fault) and it is perfect now!!! I really LOVE this soup!!!!
Well done, you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the final product, however you got there, Michelle.
LOVE! LOVE!! LOVE!!!
I used the kimchi and cayenne, I love the spice. Hearty and light at the same time. This is the perfect meal for me, I’ll be making this one often
Best news! We love that you loved it! Thanks for participating.
Another one of my favorite which I have had cabbage soup as a weight loss plan several years ago lost around 30 lbs but of course gain it all back over the next few years. The smell in the house has everyone lifting the lid “what are you cooking, smells wonderful”. I followed the full recipe and directions turned out amazing.
Now that is a sign of a good dinner time to come, Marguerite. Thanks for letting us know how it turned out.
I used tomatoes with green chiles which gave this a tiny kick that I liked. I also blended the beans before I added them in order to hide them from the child with a bean prejudice It was yummy.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing, Esther.
I was surprised I liked it. I’m not a big cabbage person, but it was delicious! Came together easily
Yes! 100% agree with you. Cabbage can be surprising.
I might have this for breakfast the rest of the week. I use chick peas instead of cannellini beans. I also used a mix of Napa and green cabbage. Soup came together quickly.
Sounds like a healthy, energy boosting plan, Sara. We’re glad that you liked it.
I wasn’t real thrilled when I saw this recipe . But I have to say that the Napa cabbage has a sweet flavor that is a surprise and my husband and I both liked it! It won’t be something I will fix often, but I will be fixing it again.
We’ll count that as a win. Also, you have new food to add to your list of likes and can probably be used a substitute in other dishes as well. Thanks for giving it a try, Louann.
This tasted so much better than the cabbage soup that I had in my 30s!
Love that you liked it! Thanks for trying it.
Despite Napa cabbage being weirdly hard to obtain where I am, I was able to find it and make this soup! To be honest I was a bit hesitant sitting down to eat this that it wouldn’t be good, still have a little PTSD from the first recipe of this challenge . Happy to say this soup is quite delicious for a cabbage soup! The spice level was just perfect, I love the addition of the beans to give it some girth. I would make this again. Thanks for the recipe.
I hear you about produce being hard to find in some places. It was a challenge for us for about 5 years. But that has not been stopping you, Paula, and I think that is to be noted. I’m happy that this recipe worked out for you. Pleased you’re still going for it.
First time I had napa cabbage. For some reason I thought it would be more tender than regular green cabbage. The soup was full of flavor, but too spicy for me. but others in my household enjoyed it.
Thanks for giving it a try and I’m glad your family enjoyed it. Using less kimchi should tone that spice down next time. Did you use the lime as well? The acid from the lime will counteract some of the spice from the kimchi.
This weight loss cabbage soup was easy to make, which I loved. I think I should have left out the lime; not a big fan of the taste, but the soup was good. I believe it would have been better without the lime. Love cabbage, all cabbage, so that’s a win for me!
For sure, figure out a way to make it that you enjoy. You’ll be more likely to eat it again and again. Thanks so much for giving it a try, Michelle.
Made this soup for lunch today. Very flavorful! I’ve never had kimchi before but I think that’s what gave it such a great flavor. Will be making it again this winter. Now I’m excited to see how much weight I’ve lost tomorrow! 😉
Nice!! So happy you’re losing weight, Karen. Great job.