Paired with lightly toasted garlic bread, it makes for a quick meal any time! Do check out below for step-wise instructions as well as a printable recipe card) Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Weeknights are usually an enigma when it comes to dinner time! We generally tend to either eat some dosa (savory rice-lentil crepes) using leftover idli or dosa batter with Indian pickles or coconut chutney, some simple grilled sandwich or our favorite – “rice ganji”/“peja” as we call which is basically rice gruel alongside some freshly stir fried vegetable! Many a nights it is just a light soup with toasted bread on the side. I love making quick, easy to make soups with minimal ingredients. Some of my favorites are celery soup, tomato carrot soup, lauki/bottle gourd soup or even a Moroccon style cauliflower soup! Today, it being all rainy and chilly out here, all I wanted was a large bowl of light cabbage soup! Yes, the first time I mentioned cabbage soup, my kids were like “what?” but one day, I did serve them some without letting them know what soup it is and they were amazed that something so “bleh” like cabbage could taste so good in a soup! So, I think you should try it too!
CABBAGE SOUP INGREDIENTS:
These are all you would already have in your kitchen: Cloves, ginger, bay leaf, onions, celery, fresh green chilies for the heat and of course, cabbage! There is no rule that you have to use all these; you may omit any that you do not have. I have made many soups without celery and sometimes I have substituted ginger with garlic! Just play around with the spices and ingredients you have. Like in this one that I made when I could not find celery…..Cabbage soup with Carrots! Yes, just substitute with carrots if you like.
Don’t you just love that color? I am sure your kids would definitely try and grab of bowl of this one to savor. Just a shower of chopped dill leaves and my dinner was sorted! Ever since I started to make these light soups, I have found that adding one ingredient (if you can find it) adds more depth of flavor to all soups. That ingredient is “Maggi vegetarian seasoning cube”! Just one cube transforms the soup into something more slurrpy! Well, if you do not have it, there is no dire need to rush out and get some! I have tried without adding the seasoning cube too and soups do come out fabulous even without it. But adding it does give it an uber, Umami flavor/taste, so if you can find any brand of seasoning cube, do add it! You will keep stocking them to add to all your soups!
HOW TO MAKE CABBAGE SOUP:
Just sauté the ingredients in some butter/oil for a few minutes, add water and pressure cook for a couple of minutes. Once cool, remove all the whole spices and blitz the whole mixture to a smooth paste. Use a stander blender/mixie or a hand immersion blender. Dilute according to the consistency you want, add the seasoning cube (if using), salt to taste and simmer for just 5 minutes. For a more zingy and spicy twist, flavor some hot ghee with freshly ground black pepper and stir into the simmering soup and garnish with cilantro, celery leaves, dill leaves etc. (For a vegan version, use just oil instead of butter or ghee!) Once ready, enjoy with some freshly made garlic bread, plain toast, crackers etc.! This simple yet soul-soothing soup is a frequent visitor at our dinner table! Come rain, snow or the summer heat, we love to slurp on this any time! Do try and make it soon in your kitchen too friends. It is a great way to get your family to eat their cabbage!
Enjoy and Happy Cooking Foodies!
Here are some more delicious and comforting soups my family loves:
Vietnamese Vegetable Pho Creamy Mushroom Soup Mexican Vegetable Soup Vegetable Manchow Soup
STEP-WISE INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE HEALTHY CABBAGE SOUP:
Wash, peel and chop ginger into 2 to 3 large pieces Heat a pressure pan and once hot, add oil and butter along with dry spices.
Once the fat melts, add chopped onions, ginger pieces, celery, green chilies and cloves. Saute on medium or about 1 minute on medium high, stirring often.
Stir in chopped cabbage and saute again for 2 minutes.
Add 1 to 1 ½ cups water and pressure cook on high for 1 whistle. If using the instant pot, pressure cook for 2 minutes and then release pressure.
Remove the whole spices: cloves, ginger, bay leaf and green chilies. Blend the mixture in a mixie/blender. You can use an immersion blender too.
Add water to the consistency you want, a crushed Maggi seasoning cube, salt to taste and sugar; bring to a boil.
Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer on medium low for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the seasoning. TO MAKE THE SEASONING: Heat ghee in a small saucepan and once hot, stir in crushed black pepper powder. As soon as you see the spice sizzle, remove and add the seasoning to the simmering soup.
Garnish light, healthy and lip-smacking cabbage soup with chopped cilantro/celery leaves and serve hot with garlic bread.
TO MAKE THE GARLIC BREAD: Soften butter and mix in grated garlic, freshly ground black pepper and chopped cilantro; mix well to combine. Slice your choice of bread. Slather the garlic butter on both sides. Heat a griddle and once hot, grill the bread slice on both sides on medium until light brown. Serve slightly crisp garlic bread with hot and soothing cabbage soup. Enjoy and Happy Cooking Foodie Friends!
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