This vibrant Red Cabbage Soup is a show stopper with it's bright purple colour. And this creamy soup is not only beautiful, but also super nutritious and absolutely delicious. Everyone will want a second helping!
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Health Benefits of Red Cabbage
This purple soup is so nutritious because the more colorful the produce is, the more nutrient-dense it usually is. (Learn more in this article by Harvard Health). The gorgeous, vibrant colour of purple (or red) cabbage indicates the abundance of antioxidants, flavonoids, and vitamins A and C in the crunchy cruciferous cabbage. Bonus: purple cabbage has twice the amount of vitamin C as green cabbage.
Why We Love This Purple Cabbage Soup
- This vegetable soup is thick and creamy but has no dairy.
- It's a delicious comforting soup that's perfect on a cold day.
- This red cabbage soup recipe is easy to make and takes only 30 minutes. (20 minutes of cooking).
- The fun, purple colour of the soup will have even kids asking for more. And it's a great way to get them to eat their veggies.
- It's a vegan recipe and it's also gluten free, so everyone can enjoy this delicious comfort food.
- Nutritious ingredients make this a very healthy bowl of goodness.
Ingredient Notes
- Red Cabbage Fresh cabbage should be shiny, firm, and heavy for its size. For this recipe we are using a small cabbage, which yielded about 6 cups when sliced.
- Potatoes Potatoes thicken the soup and add creamy texture. Russet potatoes or Yukon gold work great.
- Coconut Milk Unsweetened full fat coconut milk that comes in a can. I use this brand. In the can, the coconut cream will have solidified at the top. When you add it to the pot you will need to give it a good whisk to mix it back together.
- Vegetable Broth Also called vegetable stock. I use this one, and it also comes in bullion cubes or concentrates which you add water to. These can all be high in sodium, but you can buy low or no sodium versions.
- Onion A regular yellow onion works perfectly.
- Celery
- Olive Oil You can use any vegetable oil
- Garlic
- Seasonings Cardamom and cloves compliment the sweetness of the cabbage. Chili flakes are optional.
- Lime Juice Lime juice adds brightness and it's always good with coconut milk, but feel free to replace it with lemon juice if that's what you have.
- Bay leaves add another flavour essence, which is almost minty. Be sure to remove it before serving.
How To Make It: Step by Step
- Heat the oil and sauté the garlic onion, celery and seasonings.
- Add the vegetable broth and coconut milk, whisking until smooth
- Add the cabbage and potatoes.
- Simmer until tender.
- Puree with an immersion blender.
- Garnish and serve
Recipe Tips
- Remove the tough outer leaves and the root from the cabbage before slicing.
- The easiest way to slice cabbage is to first cut it in half through the stem, then cut out the core from each half. With cut sides down, cut each half in half so you have four pieces. Continuing with cut side down, slice each quarter. To see it in action, check out How to Shred Cabbage
- If you have too much red cabbage to use in this soup, you can use it up in salads, like this Fennel Cabbage Slaw or try a side dish like Slow Cooker Red Cabbage Apple Braise, or you can even pickle it: Quick Pickled Red Cabbage.
- Reserve some of the coconut cream on the top of the pan for garnishing the bowls of soup.
- Reduce the amount of sodium in the recipe by using low or no sodium vegetable broth.
- An immersion blender is ideal for pureeing soups and sauces right in the pot and is handy for many other tasks. If you don't have one, you can puree the soup in a blender or food processor in batches. Cool the soup for 10 minutes or so first, and be sure to have the blender's steam vent open to prevent an eruption. You may have to reheat.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store the soup in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to five days. You can reheat it in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove.
Yes you can freeze it for up to three months. However, once the soup thaws it may separate due to the coconut milk. This is fine, you simply have to whisk or blend it back together.
Part of the appeal of using red cabbage for this recipe is the incredible colour. However green cabbage is really the same as red except for that colour, so yes, you can use green cabbage instead. It will still taste the same.
More Cabbage Recipes
Recipe
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Red Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced or crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 1 398 ml 14 ounce can coconut milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small red cabbage thinly sliced
- 2 small potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 lime juice of
- red chili flakes optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot on medium heat
- Add onion, celery, garlic, cardamom, salt, pepper, and cloves. Cook until vegetables are tender, but not browned.
- Add vegetable broth, coconut milk, (reserving some of the cream for topping, if desired) and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
- Add potatoes and cabbage. Stir, cover and reduce to low heat. Simmer until cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat, remove bay leaf, and puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender, or allow it to cool somewhat and puree in batches in a blender or food processor.
- Stir in lime juice and serve hot, garnished with reserved coconut milk cream and chili flakes.
Notes
- Remove the tough outer leaves and the root from the cabbage before slicing.
- The easiest way to slice cabbage is to first cut it in half through the stem, then cut out the core from each half. With cut sides down, cut each half in half so you have for pieces. Continuing with cut side down, slice each quarter. To see it in action, check out How to Shred Cabbage
- If you have too much red cabbage to use in this soup, you can use it up in salads, like this Fennel Cabbage Slaw or try a side dish like Slow Cooker Red Cabbage Apple Braise, or you can even pickle it: Quick Pickled Red Cabbage.
- Reserve some of the coconut cream on the top of the pan for garnishing the bowls of soup.
- Reduce the amount of sodium in the recipe by using low or no sodium vegetable broth.
- An immersion blender is ideal for pureeing soups and sauces right in the pot and is handy for many other tasks. If you don't have one, you can puree the soup in a blender of food processor in batches. Cool the soup for 10 minutes or so first, and be sure to have the blender's steam vent open to prevent an eruption. You may have to reheat.
Anjali
This soup is so gorgeous and so healthy too! Can't wait to make it this weekend!
Colleen
Thanks Anjali! Enjoy!
Karen
I love cabbage soup but found this recipe while looking for a unique twist on my classic recipe. What a find! I will definitely make this again soon.
Colleen
Hi Karen! Thanks for the comment. I'm so happy that you loved the soup!
Wanda
This soup looks amazing. Being a Louisiana gal, I immediately thought of it as part of my Mardi Gras menu! It will be a wonderful surprise for guests!
Colleen
Hi Wanda, this soup would be perfect for a Mardi Gras party. It's delicious as well as pretty. Enjoy the soup and your party!
Dean
Made this soup for the family and me & my wife really liked it but the kids weren’t big fans even after convincing them it was unicorn soup.
Colleen
Hi Dean, I'm so happy you & your wife liked this soup. Sometimes kids are hard to please, though. 😀
Margaret@Kitchen Frau
That is such a stunning colour for a soup! I think it might be in order as a part of our Easter meal - looks like spring! Thanks for the info on the soil pH. That explains a lot.
Colleen
Hi Margaret, yes! This will be first course for our family Easter dinner. The colour is perfect. I hope you love it because it's absolutely yummy, besides being pretty. Let me know how it works out for you. 🙂
Cathy
What a beautiful soup!
Colleen
Thanks so much, Cathy! This soup tastes just as beautiful as it looks 🙂
Denise from Urb’n’Spice
Amazing and gorgeous! I can’t wait to make it for the little ones when they get home. Thanks so much for the inspiration, Colleen.
Colleen
Thanks Denise! I think they'll love it because the colour attracts kids, but it also tastes silky and smooth, so they like the texture, too. But it's a delicious soup for adults as well. Win Win! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Zahra
How many calories does this soup have? Looks ?
Colleen
Hi Zahra, Thanks so much for visiting! I'm working on installing a nutrition label on they recipes. So I'll try to update you on the calories. But this soup is pretty low cal, because the only thing adding much for calories is the coconut milk, which is shared out with all the servings. And you can use light coconut milk to lighten it even further. Thanks for commenting 🙂
Dina Honke
Colleen, the colour, it's quite something. Looks delish as always.
Colleen
Thanks Dina, I know, the colour of this soup! It definitely surprises people. 🙂
Edie Walker
Colleen, I will totally try this and get back to you. The colour should be a hit with the kids and the nutritional value will score points with the naturopathic doctor in the house.
admin
Hi Edie, Apparently it's been a big hit with kids from what I'm hearing! (A couple of adults have said they were grossed out by the colour, though, ha ha)
Sean
What a gorgeous soup. I'm especially interested in the combination of black cardamom and fennel seed. I'd imagine that those play very well with the coconut milk.
admin
Thanks Sean, and yes, I was really pleased with the flavour combo!
Amanda | The Cinnamon Scrolls
As a natural-ingredient baker, I'm always looking for more veggies and fruit with which I can naturally dye and flavour my food. I LOVE the colour of this soup so much! I'll have to test out purple cabbage juice as a dye next! 🙂
admin
I can't wait to see what you do with it, Amanda!
Teresa
This would be a great choice for a colour-themed meal! So vibrant and it sounds delicious, too.
admin
A purple themed meal would be really fun, Teresa!
Leslie-Anne
The colour of this soup is incredible! Great idea - I have never thought to make a cabbage soup with purple cabbage. The cardamom is a nice touch too, will have to try this next time I buy purple cabbage.
Kimberley | HealthyLifeRedesign
I've never eaten a purple soup before...I've got to give this a try! I love purple cabbage and also add it to many of my dishes. I've added green cabbage to soups many times, but never once have I added the purple kind! Thanks for sharing 🙂
admin
Hi Kimberley, I was a little worried that it wouldn't keep the vibrant colour after cooking, but luckily it was fine 🙂