Summer Cabbage Soup Recipe
This light and refreshing Summer Cabbage Soup is a delicious way to enjoy the season's bounty. Zucchini, summer squash, and red bell peppers add bursts of color and nutrition while umami-rich tomato paste and fire-roasted diced tomatoes charge up the flavors in this healthy, comforting soup.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onions (about 1/2 medium white onion)
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium leek, chopped (white and light green parts only)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning herb blend
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 14 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup summer squash sliced thinly into half moons or quarters (about one small squash)
- 1/2 cup zucchini sliced thinly into half moons or quarters (about one small zucchini)
- 8 ounces baby Yukon potatoes (3 small potatoes), scrubbed and diced
- 4 to 5 cups chopped green cabbage (about 1/2 head, 8 ounces)
- juice from half of a lemon
- salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley or cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium until shimmering.
- Add the onions, celery, peppers, and leeks and saute until they begin to soften, 5-8 minutes.
- Scootch the vegetables to one side of the pot and add the garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, and Italian herbs to the cleared side. Add a splash of broth and stir the paste and seasonings together until loose and fragrant, then mix into the rest of the vegetables.
- Increase heat to medium-high and pour in the remaining the vegetable broth and fire roasted tomatoes. Bring the soup to a light boil
- Add the summer squash, zucchini, potatoes, and cabbage to the pot and give everything a good stir. Adjust the heat to maintain an active simmer.
- Cook the soup for about 20 minutes. Check the cabbage for doneness. I like a little bit of sturdiness to the leaves rather than a full, soft wilt. When the cabbage is done to your liking, remove the soup from the heat.
- Stir in a tablespoon of the lemon juice, and give the soup a taste. Add salt, black pepper, and lemon juice as needed, until the soup is flavorful and pops with flavor.
- Sprinkle the fresh parsley or cilantro over the soup before serving.