Healthy Spanish Cabbage Soup Recipe

Need an antidote to recover from winter colds? Want to be full of energy to face chilly days effectively? Then there’s a category of Spanish recipes waiting for you.

Spanish soup recipes, in general, are the best tool to combat cold weather, but none compares to Spanish cabbage soup and its effectiveness for when you need to quickly fill up on energy and nutrients.

This recipe with cabbage, chicken, and a mix of vegetables will quickly become one of your favorites, just keep reading this article to learn everything there is to know about it.

You, dear reader, support this blog. If you purchase through a link, we earn a small commission. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish soup recipes? Have a look at my other posts: 

• Spanish bread soup

• Spanish lentil soup with ham

• Spanish potato soup

Background of the Dish

The Spanish cabbage soup, similar to the Spanish bean soup, was developed as a way of incorporating more nutrients and calories during the cold Andalusian winter in the 16th century.

This recipe earned the title of healing cabbage soup because it is filled with nutrients from the vegetables and the chicken, so whenever you get a cold or you have low defenses this soup will bring you back up immediately.

There was a time when it was only eaten by those who were in bad health, but nowadays anyone can enjoy this mesmerizing and revitalizing soup.

Pin for later!

Things You’ll Need for Spanish Cabbage Soup

To make this Spanish cabbage soup you need cabbage, bacon, chicken, olive oil, onion, carrot, tomatoes, garlic, and chicken broth as the main ingredients.

Just like most of the Andalusian soups, such as the Spanish chicken soup with rice and the Spanish ham and bean soup, the only equipment that you need to prepare it is a large pot.

Ingredients

• 6 cups (1.5l) chicken broth
• 1 large cabbage
• 500gr boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 5 slices bacon
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 can (420gr) chickpeas
• 1  carrot
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and black pepper (to taste)

How to Make Spanish Cabbage Soup – Step by Step Guide

1. For the first step in this Spanish soup recipe, you have to chop the chicken tights into small pieces. Also, chop the bacon slices into small bacon bits.

2. Now peel and chop the onion and carrot, and mince the garlic cloves. Wash the tomatoes, dice them, and discard the seeds. Rinse the chickpeas under cold water and drain them. 

3. After that, wash the cabbage with plenty of water and drain the leaves. Chop it into small pieces, or you can shred it in irregular shapes with your hands.

4. Then grab a large soup pot, pour a few tablespoons of olive oil, and cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon, then add the diced chicken to the pot and cook until golden brown.

5. To continue with this low carb cabbage soup recipe add chopped onions and minced garlic to the pot. Sauté until onions are translucent. 

6. After that, stir in shredded cabbage, diced tomatoes, chickpeas, and diced carrots. Add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Mix the bacon cabbage soup well.

7. Now pour the chicken broth into the pot, ensuring that all ingredients are well submerged. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, or until the vegetables of the Spanish cabbage soup are tender.

8. To finish this recipe for Spanish soup taste it and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or spice if needed. Pour the Spanish cabbage soup into bowls and serve it warm.

Substitution of Ingredients

This is truly the best healthy cabbage soup because it is super simple to make, and you can make a lot of changes to the listed ingredients until it suits your preferences.

For example, you can prepare this soup with red cabbage, or go to the extreme and replace it with kale or collard greens.

If you don’t like chickpeas then you can take inspiration from other Spanish soup recipes, such as the Spanish 5 bean soup recipe or the Spanish black bean soup, and use their main ingredients.

To make this chicken vegetable soup with cabbage vegan or vegetarian simply replace the chicken broth with the vegetable one, and substitute the bacon and chicken for their vegan versions (or tofu).

Try our Puerto Rican chicken soup that’s super packed and has all the nutrition you need for a satiating lunch or dinner.

Tips on Serving Spanish Cabbage Soup

We know that the Spanish cabbage soup has the fame of being a healing soup (and rightfully so) but you can enjoy it all year round, even when you are not sick (and you will feel the flavors at their best).

To serve the best cabbage soup, you just have to pour it into small bowls and it will be filling enough for 5 servings as a main dish, or you can place it in smaller bowls and use it as an appetizer.

To make it an extra-Andalusian dish, you can add some cooked chopped chorizo on top of your bacon and cabbage soup, or a drizzle of olive oil.

This is a pretty spicy chicken soup with cabbage, so to tone that down you can serve it with a slice or toast of your favorite bread, and some shredded parmesan cheese on top.

Other Spanish soups that are amazing main dishes for this winter season are the Spanish baked bean soup and the cauliflower and ham soup from Spain.

How to Store Spanish Cabbage Soup

To store the Spanish cabbage soup the first thing you must do is to allow it to cool down at room temperature, and only then place it in a covered container.

Then, you can take your soup to the fridge and store it for 3 days, or to the freezer where it can last up to 45 days, as long as you use a freezer-safe container.

You have to thaw the Spanish cabbage soup in the fridge overnight or for 12 hours, and then you can reheat it in a pot over medium heat or the microwave.

Keep in mind that you may have to add an extra 1/2 cup of water in case it evaporates, and if you feel anything off with the flavor or texture of the soup then it is better to discard it.

If you are a meal prep fan then you must delve into the world of storable Andalusian soups, such as the Spanish white bean soup and the Spanish chicken soup recipe.

Recipe Card: Spanish Cabbage Soup

---

---