This updated version of the original cabbage soup diet recipe is packed with nutritious vegetables and cabbage. Make this lovely detox weight loss soup on the stovetop on in the Instant Pot.
Do you remember the Cabbage Soup Diet from the ’90s? The idea was to make a big pot of vegetable soup with cabbage and and eat it for several days. While this is not a sustainable weight loss plan I would recommend, I really enjoyed the soup years ago. I was planning to make the vegetable pot stickers from my new cookbook, Vegan in an Instant, but didn’t get around to it, and this soup seemed the perfect use for my 1/2 head of cabbage. Plus, after an especially indulgent week of cookie recipe testing, a detox “weight loss” soup sounded perfect.
For those here looking for a weight loss soup, a cabbage vegetable soup is ideal, as it’s high in fiber, which keeps you feeling fuller longer. Other nice weight loss soup ideas include my favorite Lentil Soup, , Italian Farro Vegetable Soup, and Chickpea Vegetable Soup.
Is Cabbage Detoxifying?
Why yes, it seems that it is! According to Huffpost, “Cabbage does double detox duty. Its diuretic properties help rid your body of excess liquid, carrying toxins along with it. Like other cruciferous veggies, cabbage is also sulfur-rich, helping your liver break down toxins so they can be more easily expelled.”
Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable, like its cousins the Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Broccoli and Kale. This family of vegetables is known to be high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. For more detox recipes, don’t miss my favorite Apple Cider Vinegar Drink, Beet Detox Juice, Green Detox Smoothie, Detox Water, and Dandelion Detox Tea. This recipe is part of my Meal Prep for Weight Loss collection – don’t miss it!
How to Make Vegetable Cabbage Soup
Start making this vegetable soup by prepping all the veggies so that they are ready to go. While I’ve used the classic detox cabbage soup ingredients here, it would also be great with other veggies like potatoes or zucchini.
First, I saute the mushrooms until they’ve just browned and released some water. All the other veggies get added in next, then the broth and tomatoes on top. While I usually use a can of diced tomatoes, in the summer I’d recommend using a couple of fresh tomatoes instead. And when you’ve got an abundance of fresh tomatoes, be sure to also make our favorite Fresh Salsa, Authentic Bruschetta, Fresh Tomato Soup, and Fresh Tomato Marinara!
Let the soup simmer together until the cabbage and all the veggies are tender, about half an hour. I’ve also tested this recipe in the Instant Pot pressure cooker and it works just as well.
Yield: 6 Servings
Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
This updated version of the original weight loss cabbage soup diet recipe is packed with nutritious vegetables and cabbage. Make it on the stovetop on in the Instant Pot. This healthy detox soup is high in fiber and naturally vegan and gluten free.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz. baby Bella mushrooms, quartered or sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, sliced crosswise into coins
- 1 bunch celery, sliced crosswise
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- ½ head large green cabbage, shredded
- 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
- 32 oz. favorite vegetable broth
- 1 cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until they've released some water and started to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper, and saute until these veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes longer.
- Add the cabbage and saute one minute. Add the tomatoes and broth and stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes. Add more broth or water as needed (You may need about a cup). Season to taste with additional salt and pepper (I like a lot of pepper so it's spicy).
- Serve hot topped with plenty of fresh parsley and extra thyme.
Notes
Feel free to add other veggies you enjoy. Diced potatoes, green bell peppers, zucchini, and broccoli would all work well.
Add 1 ½ cups white beans for a little added protein.
For extra flavor, I like to add a pinch of truffle salt.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Select saute (high) on the Instant Pot. Heat the oil, then saute the vegetables, following the instructions above through step #2. You will still use 4 cups (32 oz.) broth.
- Lock the lid, with valve set to sealing, and select pressure cook (high) for 4 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 15-17 minutes to come to pressure before the countdown begins.
- Let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then carefully, with hand covered, manually release the remaining pressure.
- When cooking vegetable soups in the Instant Pot, you can always simmer on saute mode for a few minutes if the vegetables are not yet tender.
- Serve hot topped with plenty of fresh parsley and extra thyme.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 134Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 5gSugar: 9gProtein: 7g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your favorite calculator.
