Hearty Cabbage and Bean Soup
This simple yet satisfying Cabbage and Bean Soup is packed with flavor and nourishing ingredients. It’s a budget-friendly meal that’s great for meal prep, making it perfect for both lunch and dinner.
To start, grab a large soup pot or Dutch oven. The cabbage may seem like a lot at first, but as it cooks down, it will fit perfectly. This recipe yields about eight hearty servings, making it great for feeding a crowd or saving leftovers for later.
For this soup, regular green cabbage works well, but if you prefer a milder flavor, try using napa or savoy cabbage. The beans, chicken broth, and cream provide a good amount of protein, but you can easily swap in vegetable broth to make it a vegetarian dish.
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Ingredients
- Olive oil – Use regular olive oil, not extra virgin. Extra virgin oil can taste bitter when cooked at high heat.
- Onion – I use yellow onions (also called brown onions). White onion works too. Red onion is too sweet for this soup.
- Fennel bulb – Remove the stalks and tough outer layer, then slice thinly. Don’t skip the fennel—it adds sweetness and depth that onion alone can’t provide.
- Cabbage – Cut into ½-inch pieces by slicing the cabbage into rounds, then chopping the rounds into squares. Green cabbage works best. Savoy cabbage gets too soft.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic only. Jarlic has a harsh, metallic taste.
- Rosemary sprig – Fresh rosemary only. Remove it before serving—whole rosemary leaves are tough and unpleasant to eat.
- Thyme sprigs – Fresh thyme sprigs work best for simmering. Remove them before serving.
- Cannellini beans – Also called northern beans or white kidney beans. Drain and rinse them well or the liquid will make the soup cloudy.
- Chicken stock – Use low or no-sodium-added chicken broth or stock.
- Lemon juice – Use juice from a fresh lemon; it has a much brighter and better flavor than the bottled stuff.
- Heavy whipping cream – Half-and-half works if you want to lighten it up, but the soup won’t be as rich.
- Thyme leaves – For garnish; fresh thyme leaves only. Stripped from the stems.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper – Season to taste.
How To Make Cabbage and Bean Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced onion and sliced fennel, stirring occasionally, and cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped cabbage and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Tie the rosemary and thyme sprigs together with kitchen string and add them to the pot along with the crushed garlic. Stir and cook for another minute to release the flavors.
- Add the drained cannellini beans and chicken stock, stirring everything together.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Once done, remove the bundled herbs and discard them.
- Blend about half of the soup using an immersion blender or a regular blender, then return it to the pot and stir in the lemon juice.
- Pour in the heavy whipping cream, season with salt and black pepper, and stir to combine.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh thyme leaves.
Step-By-Step Process
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Cannellini beans work well, but any white bean variety can be used.
- Blending part of the soup creates a creamy texture without making it too thick.
- Using fresh herbs tied in a bundle makes removal easy after cooking.
- Letting the soup sit for a few hours or overnight enhances the flavors.
Make It A Meal
Pair this soup with crusty bread, a green salad, or roasted root vegetables for a complete meal. If you want extra protein, top it with shredded chicken or crispy pancetta.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. For longer storage, freeze in individual portions in freezer-safe containers for up to three months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if needed to thin it out.
Cabbage and Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 small fennel bulb sliced
- 1 pound cabbage chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 14 ounces canned cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- thyme leaves for garnish
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced onion and sliced fennel, stirring occasionally, and cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped cabbage and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Tie the rosemary and thyme sprigs together with kitchen string and add them to the pot along with the crushed garlic. Stir and cook for another minute to release the flavors.
- Add the drained cannellini beans and chicken stock, stirring everything together.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Once done, remove the bundled herbs and discard them.
- Blend about half of the soup using an immersion blender or a regular blender, then return it to the pot and stir in the lemon juice.
- Pour in the heavy whipping cream, season with salt and black pepper, and stir to combine.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh thyme leaves.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Cannellini beans work well, but any white bean variety can be used.
- Blending part of the soup creates a creamy texture without making it too thick.
- Using fresh herbs tied in a bundle makes removal easy after cooking.
- Letting the soup sit for a few hours or overnight enhances the flavors.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.