Are you looking for a soup to warm you up this winter without adding a ton of calories to your diet? This Spicy & Healthy Cabbage Bean Soup is low-calorie and super healthy, giving a "cayenne kick" to your immune and digestive systems!
How to make Cabbage Soup
Making this cabbage soup couldn't be any easier! Using ingredients many of you always have at home makes it a low-cost recipe. The only additional item you may need to purchase is the Mother-In-Laws Gochujang Chili Sauce. If that is not available, a great substitute for the chili sauce blend is a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. If using chipotle chiles, you may need to reduce the amount of cayenne pepper and smoked paprika used in this recipe.
You can cut the green cabbage into chunks or smaller shreds - whatever you prefer!
Making Cabbage Soup requires very few ingredients. You can make this soup with your favorite beans or no beans at all!
When you combine and cook all cabbage soup ingredients into one pot, you have a super easy clean-up after your meal.
Making a big batch of cabbage soup will hold well when refrigerated for up to 4 days or in a freezer for three months.
Is Cabbage Sustainable?
Cabbage production is relatively sustainable since there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, as long as pesticides have not been used. When you buy organic, you will protect the health of our earth's soil for generations to come.
Spicy & Healthy Cabbage Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onions, chopped
- 1 leek, chopped (white part only)
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup diced bell peppers (any color)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tbsp fermented chili sauce - garlic Mother In Law's GOCHUJANG
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 8 cups green cabbage, sliced in chunks (2-pound head)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (2 tablespoon reserved for topping)
- 1 lime, juiced
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add leeks, carrots, celery, peppers, garlic, and sea salt cook for 10 minutes until slightly softened.
- While the above ingredients are cooking, blend seasonings (paprika, cayenne, cumin, coriander, oregano) in a small bowl with chili sauce.
- Stir chili sauce blend and tomato paste into the pot. Add cabbage, broth, water, and beans. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in lime juice and cilantro (reserving some). Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro.
Naomi
I love Mexican flavors, my husband not so much, but we both loved this soup. It is so flavorful although I could not find true gochujang where we live…I did find a Korean hot sauce that contained some as an ingredient. So much better than typical bland cabbage soup. I plan to keep a supply of this in the fridge through fall and winter for healthy, low calorie snacks and small meals. It is surprisingly filling, too!
Cindy
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Naomi. My family also loves the soup's blend of flavor and the extra kick of heat! Korean hot sauce is a great substitution for Gochujang! My guess is you're not the only one missing that ingredient therefore you've inspired me to develop and post a recipe blend of typical at-home ingredients you can blend to duplicate the sweet, spicy, salty flavor of Gochujang fermented chili sauce. Thanks for sharing with us!