Crock Pot Garden Cabbage Soup

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 07/28/21
Crock pot garden cabbage soup
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 7 hrs
Total: 7 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

This easy crock pot cabbage soup is light and flavorful. The soup is loaded with vegetables, including cabbage, zucchini, carrots, and spinach. It is a healthy choice and you'll often see similar recipes called detox soup. It can be the antidote to a season of overeating and overindulging. You can have it for a light meal or starter course and even freeze portions to have on hand.

It's a meatless soup but it's made with French onion soup, which has a beef stock base. If you prefer a vegetarian soup, replace the French onion soup with vegetable broth and chopped onions or minced dried onions. For a gluten-free soup, ensure that the French onion soup you choose is gluten-free.

You can make many variations on this soup. It's a great way to use up "aspirational vegetables" that you bought at the farmers market but are nearing the end of their usable period in your refrigerator. It's also something to do with an overabundance of zucchini from your garden.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound (half of a medium head) cabbage, chopped

  • 3 small zucchini, diced

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

  • 12 ounces vegetable juice

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 10 1/2 ounces condensed French onion soup

  • 1 to 2 cups fresh or frozen spinach, or chard, chopped

  • 1/2 cup carrots, thinly sliced

  • Shredded cheddar cheese, for optional garnish

  • Crushed tortilla chips, for optional garnish

  • Crumbled bacon, for optional garnish

  • Sour cream, for optional garnish

  • Cornbread, optional for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Chop the cabbage and add it to the slow cooker. Add the diced zucchini, garlic, basil, pepper, kosher salt, vegetable juice, tomato paste, condensed soup, spinach, and carrots. Stir to combine.

  3. Cover and cook on LOW for about 7 to 9 hours, or until the vegetables are tender. Or cook on HIGH for about 4 to 5 hours. If cooking on high, check the soup and add some vegetable broth, beef stock, or water, as needed.

  4. Serve hot and enjoy.

Garnish servings with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, crumbled bacon, or a dollop of sour cream, if desired and serve the soup with freshly baked cornbread or crusty bread.

Store leftover soup in the refrigerator and enjoy it within three to four days. You can also freeze individual portions to reheat and enjoy later. Label the containers with the date and contents and enjoy within three to four months for the best quality. You can simply reheat the soup in the microwave.

Tips and Variations

The beauty of this soup is the many ways you can change it up depending on your personal taste and what you have available. Try these:

  • Add vegetarian protein to the soup with a can (drained) of black beans, pinto beans, or great northern beans.

  • Brown about 1 pound of ground beef and add it to the soup with the vegetables.

  • Add 1 to 2 cups of diced cooked chicken to the soup about 30 to 60 minutes before it's done.

  • Add 1 pound of sliced browned smoked sausage to the soup about 1 or 2 hours before the soup is done.

  • Replace the condensed French onion soup with condensed beef broth or double strength vegetable broth. Add chopped onions or dried minced onions, if desired.​

  • Add 1/2 cup of sliced celery to the soup mixture.

  • Add 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes to the soup, plain, stewed, or chili-style.

  • Add chopped kale rather than the spinach.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
62 Calories
1g Fat
12g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 62
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 330mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 51mg 254%
Calcium 116mg 9%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 597mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)