Creamy Cabbage Soup Recipe
This Creamy Cabbage Soup is rich, comforting, and packed with tender cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, and herbs in a silky cream broth. It’s an easy one-pot soup that turns simple, inexpensive ingredients into a cozy fall or winter dinner.
What Does Creamy Cabbage Soup Taste Like?
Cabbage becomes surprisingly mild and slightly sweet once it's simmered until tender. Combined with potatoes, carrots, garlic, cream, and Parmesan, it creates a savory soup that's much richer than the ingredient list might suggest.
The potatoes also release starch as they cook, helping give the broth a naturally thicker texture.
Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small green cabbage, chopped, about 6 cups
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
Red pepper flakes, optional
How to Make Creamy Cabbage Soup
1. Sauté the vegetables
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Add the cabbage
Add the chopped cabbage to the pot.
It may look like a lot at first, but cabbage cooks down considerably.
Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften.
3. Add the potatoes and broth
Add the diced potatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
Stir everything together and bring the soup to a boil.
Reduce the heat, cover partially, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.
4. Make it creamy
Reduce the heat to low.
Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Cook for another 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the Parmesan melts into the broth.
Don't allow the soup to rapidly boil after adding the cream.
5. Finish and serve
Stir in the fresh parsley and taste the soup.
Add additional salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as desired.
Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and parsley.
Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Creamy Cabbage Soup Variations
Add bacon: Cook chopped bacon first, remove it from the pot, and use some of the bacon drippings to sauté the vegetables. Sprinkle the crispy bacon over each serving.
Add sausage: Brown sliced smoked sausage or crumbled Italian sausage before adding the vegetables for a heartier dinner.
Make it cheesy: Add 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar along with the Parmesan.
Add chicken: Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken during the final few minutes.
Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes, cayenne, or diced jalapeño.
Make it vegetarian: Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
What to Serve With Creamy Cabbage Soup
This soup pairs especially well with:
Crusty French bread
Garlic bread
Grilled cheese
Buttermilk biscuits
Cornbread
Side salad
Roasted chicken
Turkey sandwich
For a simple cold-weather dinner, a big bowl of cabbage soup with toasted bread is plenty filling on its own.
Do You Have to Cook Cabbage Before Adding It to Soup?
No. You can add raw chopped cabbage directly to soup.
However, sautéing it briefly with the other vegetables before adding the broth helps soften the cabbage and develops a little more flavor.
What Kind of Cabbage Is Best for Soup?
Green cabbage is my first choice for this recipe. It's inexpensive, widely available, and holds up well during simmering.
Savoy cabbage can also work and has a softer, more delicate texture.
Red cabbage isn't ideal for this particular creamy soup because its color can bleed into the broth.
How to Cut Cabbage for Soup
Remove any damaged outer leaves and cut the cabbage into quarters.
Cut away the tough core and then chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
You don't need perfectly uniform pieces. The cabbage will soften and shrink considerably while cooking.
How to Make Cabbage Soup Thicker
This soup is creamy without being extremely thick.
For a thicker consistency, remove about 1–2 cups of the cooked soup, blend until smooth, and stir it back into the pot.
This thickens the soup using the potatoes and vegetables without requiring additional flour.
You can also simmer the soup uncovered for several extra minutes.
How to Store Leftover Cabbage Soup
Let the soup cool before transferring it to an airtight container.
Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
The soup may thicken considerably in the refrigerator. Add a splash of broth or cream while reheating if necessary.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or microwave individual portions.
Can You Freeze Creamy Cabbage Soup?
You can, although soups containing potatoes and heavy cream may have a slightly different texture after freezing and thawing.
If you're intentionally making the soup for the freezer, prepare it without the heavy cream.
Freeze the soup base for up to 2–3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, reheat it, and add the cream just before serving.
FAQs
How long does cabbage take to soften in soup?
Chopped cabbage generally becomes tender after about 15–20 minutes of simmering. Cook it longer if you prefer very soft cabbage.
Can I put raw cabbage directly into soup?
Yes. Raw cabbage cooks easily in broth and doesn't need to be boiled separately.
What can I add to cabbage soup for flavor?
Garlic, onion, thyme, Parmesan, smoked paprika, chicken broth, sausage, bacon, and fresh herbs all pair well with cabbage.
Can I make creamy cabbage soup without heavy cream?
Yes. Half-and-half can be substituted for a lighter broth. You can also blend some of the potatoes into the broth to create creaminess without as much dairy.
Can I make this soup in a slow cooker?
Yes. Add the vegetables, potatoes, seasonings, and broth to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for about 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours. Stir in the cream and Parmesan during the final 20–30 minutes.
Final Thoughts
This Creamy Cabbage Soup recipe is an easy way to turn an inexpensive head of cabbage into a hearty, comforting meal. Tender cabbage and potatoes make the soup filling, while Parmesan and cream create a rich broth that's perfect for colder weather.
It's also easy to customize with sausage, bacon, chicken, or extra vegetables, making it a useful soup recipe to keep around throughout fall and winter.