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In 45 minutes, you can make a hearty, nourishing cabbage bean soup in just one pot. It’s cozy, comforting, and a naturally gluten-free, meat-free meal bursting with flavor!
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One-Pot Cabbage Bean Soup with Potatoes
Simple and inexpensive ingredients come together in just one pot to create a surprisingly aromatic and complex-flavored cabbage and white bean soup. It’s warm, comforting, and perfect for adding to a weekly rotation of soups for chilly days. For a cold-weather side dish, my braised red cabbage with apples is another tasty way to use a whole head of cabbage.
Plus, unlike tomato-based cabbage soup, this version ditches tomatoes and makes the cabbage soup with white beans and potatoes for a hearty, filling, and nourishing meatless meal loaded with nutrients and plenty of plant-based protein. It’s meal-prep and freezer-friendly, too!
Looking for more hearty vegan soup recipes? You might enjoy lemon orzo soup, vegan split pea soup, vegetable barley soup, kale and bean soup, or alphabet soup.
The Ingredients and Substitutes
Recipe Variations
- Leek: For a milder onion flavor and added sweetness, replace the onion with leek.
- Carrot: For a heartier soup with sweetness, add some sliced or diced carrot.
- Spice: Add a kick with red pepper flakes, cayenne powder, or even hot sauce.
- Umami: Add a little white miso or nutritional yeast (the latter adds ‘cheesy’ flavor, too).
- Smoked paprika: For subtle smoky depth.
- Vegan butter: Just a little added right before serving adds rich, delicious flavor.
How to Make White Bean Cabbage Soup
Step 1: Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, sauté the onion and garlic for 2 minutes, then add the cabbage and sauté for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, scrub and chop the potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Then, add the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
Step 3: Add the broth/bouillon and potatoes, mix, then cover and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer, and cook for 25 minutes or until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.
Step 4: Add the beans and juice from one lemon, then mix, taste, and adjust the amount of seasoning or lemon juice to taste.
FAQs
Absolutely, though you’ll need to soak them overnight, then simmer until tender before using them in this cabbage and bean soup recipe.
You could use about ¼ cup of vegetable broth for an oil-free white bean cabbage soup.
That should be fine. Refer to this cabbage soup recipe for a suggested method that should work.
Cabbage is already a great source of several micronutrients, including potassium, magnesium, folic acid, and vitamins C and K. It also contains plenty of gut-friendly fiber and detoxifying, cancer-fighting, blood sugar-controlling, immune-boosting benefits.
When combined with hearty potatoes, fiber and protein-dense white beans, and minimal fat, this white bean and cabbage soup is an extremely nourishing meal.
Pro Recipe Tips
- To save time: You can use pre-shredded cabbage and/or other prepared ingredients like diced onion and minced garlic.
- Sauté the vegetables: This lightly caramelizes the vegetables, resulting in a deeper, more complex, flavored cabbage soup with cannellini beans.
- Let it rest: When possible, make it in advance. This soup will taste even better after a few hours or on day two.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this hearty cabbage white bean soup either alone or make more of a meal with:
- Crusty bread, baguette, cornbread, or focaccia for dunking
- A simple side salad – like vegan Caesar salad or fattoush salad
- Veggie salad – like broccoli salad, Brussels sprout salad, or raw carrot salad
- Roasted vegetables – like charred broccoli, carrots, thyme roasted veg, etc.
You could also add toppings to cabbage and cannellini bean soup, like croutons, pickles, seeds, a dollop of dairy-free yogurt, or drizzle of olive oil/ melted vegan butter. If you love cannellini beans in soup, my vegan Tuscan white bean soup is another one-pot favorite.
Storage Instructions
Leave the cabbage and cannellini bean soup to cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It tastes even better on day two.
It also freezes well for up to 3 months, either in a Ziplock/Stasher bag (spread flat), freezer-safe container, or silicone souper cubes/muffin tray. Leave it to thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying it – but note the potato texture may change slightly.
Reheat the soup in a microwave (1-2 minutes) or on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through. If needed, add a little more broth or water.
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Cabbage Bean Soup
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 small green cabbage, cut into bite size chunks (about 7 cups)
- 4 medium yellow potatoes, cut into small cubes
- 8 cups of water
- 3 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon of salt, plus more to taste
- 2 (15.5-ounce) cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
- 1 lemon, plus more for garnish (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place a large pot with a lid over medium high heat and heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, mix well and saute for 5 minutes. Regularly mixing to prevent burning.
- Add the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook for one minute constantly mixing.
- Add the water, bullion cubes, and potatoes. Cover with the lid and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Mix well to help the boullion cubes dissolve. Cover with the lid and cook for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked. Cook for longer if you would like for the potatoes to disintegrate a bit for a naturally creamier consistency.
- Add the beans and juice of one lemon. Gently mix and taste. Add more salt or pepper to taste.
- Optionally serve with more lime wedges on the side and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Notes
- To save time: You can use pre-shredded cabbage and/or other prepared ingredients like diced onion and minced garlic.
- Sauté the vegetables: This lightly caramelizes the vegetables, resulting in a deeper, more complex, flavored cabbage soup with cannellini beans.
- Let it rest: When possible, make it in advance. This soup will taste even better after a few hours or on day two.
This is a great soup and recipe! I grew up in a Polish/American home, so it’s very familiar and comforting. I did embellish things a bit by adding some crushed caraway seeds with the salt & pepper and I garnished each bowl with a LOT of chopped fresh dill.
Hi Martin! It makes me so happy that this soup reminded you of the food you grew up with! The caraway and generous helping of fresh dill sound delicious. Thanks so much for sharing your additions with us!
Does this soup freeze well?
Hi! It freezes well for up to 3 months, either in a Ziplock/Stasher bag (spread flat), freezer-safe container, or silicone souper cubes/muffin tray. Leave it to thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying it – but note the potato texture may change slightly. 🙂
This was exactly what i needed. Quick and Easy! Delicious!
So glad you enjoyed this yummy soup!
Such a yummy soup!