There are hundreds of variations, but the main point of the soup is to be full and to get lots of natural fiber. Almost anything can be added or removed to your sense of taste - bell peppers, corn, tomato juice ..... Try substituting chicken soup mix for the onion soup mix.
I omitted the dry onion soup, used Swanson vegetable broth for the base (adding a cup and a half extra since I had a lot of veggies), substituted 10 oz. of organic frozen peas for the green beans and added several cloves of fresh minced garlic, as well as two bay leaves, a tablespoon of parsley and a teaspoon each of thyme and oregano. I also added 2 tsp. of a high-quality extra virgin olive oil, for savor. With eight servings of soup, the oil adds only slightly more than one gram of fat per serving (the equivalent of eating one potato chip). I was very pleased with the result, which was light, savory and aromatic. I used an entire small head of organic green cabbage (with the extra broth) and did not find the soup too loaded. This is a good weight-loss soup, since one can really tuck in without consuming too many calories.
Read More If this soup was all I had to eat, then I would definitely loose a lot of weight, because I would not eat at all. Mine all went down the disposall. If you dare to try this, cut the cabbage in half, and also the green beans. There is a whole lot of room for improvement here, I'm just not sure what could be done with this mess. Sorry!!
Read MoreI omitted the dry onion soup, used Swanson vegetable broth for the base (adding a cup and a half extra since I had a lot of veggies), substituted 10 oz. of organic frozen peas for the green beans and added several cloves of fresh minced garlic, as well as two bay leaves, a tablespoon of parsley and a teaspoon each of thyme and oregano. I also added 2 tsp. of a high-quality extra virgin olive oil, for savor. With eight servings of soup, the oil adds only slightly more than one gram of fat per serving (the equivalent of eating one potato chip). I was very pleased with the result, which was light, savory and aromatic. I used an entire small head of organic green cabbage (with the extra broth) and did not find the soup too loaded. This is a good weight-loss soup, since one can really tuck in without consuming too many calories.
Peg..This is delicious!! My hubby gobbled it up and he is not a veggie fan! I also substituted canned tomatoes for fresh and, as you suggested, added a variety of vegtables I like. I added lots of pepper and some vegtable broth to spice it up a bit. What I really liked was that it was simple and I had everything I needed without having to go to the grocery store. Hope this helps the pounds pour off!
If this soup was all I had to eat, then I would definitely loose a lot of weight, because I would not eat at all. Mine all went down the disposall. If you dare to try this, cut the cabbage in half, and also the green beans. There is a whole lot of room for improvement here, I'm just not sure what could be done with this mess. Sorry!!
I love this recipe because you can personalize it so easily to fit your taste. I add one green pepper (chopped), one bunch of green onion (diced), one bunch of celery (diced), 2 chicken bullion cubes, one can of diced tomatoes, 3 dashes of hot sauce, 1 tsp. crushed red pepper, 1 tblsp. Italian seasoning. I omit the green beans and use only one packet of Lipton's onion. When the cabbage is almost tender, I add 16 oz of fresh bella mushrooms. Sometimes I'll add some ham to it. This makes a low calorie and very filling large pot of soup that will last a week in the fridge. You will not like this soup if you don't like cabbage. If this is the case, just omit it.
This recipe is VERY TASTY and FULL of flavor!! If losing weight is this easy, I'll be skinny in no time! I followed the recipe with these changes. I used canned tomatoes w/basil, 2 large cubes chicken boullion, had to add 4 cups more water with all the vegetables I added, about 10 small sliced fresh mushrooms, one zucchini, 4 cloves crushed garlic, half of a large red pepper and one jalepeno w/ out seeds, 2 bay leaves, t. cayenne pepper, 2 T. parsley, t. Oregano, fresh basil, 2 T Olive oil, 2 cans canneloni beans (rinsed), salt to flavor. It made a lot but I am freezing part of it.
I really like this recipe. I make it and put 1 serving portions in a freezer bag then reheat them about 1-2 times a week to help cut down on the calories Im sure Im loading up on durring the week. Its good and it makes me full without all the unwanted calories!
I had been looking for the "negative calorie" soup recipe and I think this may be it! Very good! This one's a keeper!
I like this as just a vegetable soup..... light and easy. I add other "freebie" vegetables to keep it low calories and increase the flavor. A little garlic and hot sauce also gives the soup an additional kick. I do agree that if it was the only thing I had to eat I'd really lose weight. Make in small batches or even freeze some (it reheats very well) so you don't get tired of it so quickly.
I added a diced raw potato to the soup while cooking, also a can of tomatoes instead of the raw tomatoes. My husband and I really liked this cabbage soup.
My husband and I used this soup (or a slight variation of it) and we each lost 20 lbs. in 30 days. It is not an easy weight-loss fix. It is not meant to be a permanent diet, just a kick-starter and a maintenance meal. I did not use peas or green beans, but have made many variations on the basic soup. Try adding Rotel tomatoes, chilli powder or other spices to change the flavor and make it more palatable. Chicken or vegetable broth as well as tomato juice all make a difference. The onion soup mix is not a magic ingredient. It can be omitted to changed. Miss the noodles? Add barley instead for more fiber.
I really like this soup but, I would cut the amount of cabbage in half.
I confess I made a few changes. Being lazy, instead of chopping cabbage and carrots, I used bagged coleslaw mix. I sauteed some garlic and onion in olive oil first- so I didnt' need the soup mix. Lastly, I added 2 chicken bullion, a head of broccoli, a few cups of fresh baby spinach, and 2 cans of diced tomatoes instead of fresh. It was phenomenal! I seasoned it with a bit of italian seasoning and cayenne pepper. It had a decent kick to it. I LOVE this- Thanks Peg. I know what I'm having for lunch now all week :)
I though this was great. When I was 13 I was overweight. So my mom made some soup like this and the only changes to my diet I made was to snack on this instead of chips, and candy etc. I lost 60 pounds in 2 months. I didn't care for the taste so much back then because I didn't care for veggies. Now that I like veggies this is a wonderful soup. Thanks so much for posting.
I absolutely LOVE this soup. I do add some garlic, and I use the stewed tomatoes with basil in them, and I ony use a 1/2 head of cabbage. Those are the only changes I do. LOVE IT.
Pretty good as is - but I add mushrooms, green pepper, and tomato juice. This is a great starter recipe that you can build off of to create your own 'diet soup'. Thanks PEGW!
I just love this! I use to make it years ago, but had forgotten about it. This is very similar, I think maybe only the onion soup was like a garlic & herb or something. I added extra spices, and I just love the result. Thanks for sharing!
So easy! You could really use anything you want in this soup. Although the onion soup mix does add a boost in flavor since it usually has MSG and high sodium next time I'll try using sea salt and some other naturally spices.
My wife thought this was really good. I added some spinach to it b/c I needed to use it up before it went bad. Thanks!
Made it as written. Very odd for me. It is perfect. I did add leftover chicken next day and alittle hot sauce to some of it. added beans.
I perfer it with campbelles non-fat chicken stock - and without the onions soup mix. Instead of the 3 fresh tomatoes, I used a can of crushed tomatoes and pureed them.
A good, basic veggie soup you can change up however you like. Since I don't like cabbage, I usually substitute kale or broccoli for the cabbage and add whatever spice I feel like - usually chicken bullion, but sometimes a ground up sheet of nori. It probably means it's not as good of a dietetic soup without the cabbage, but it's still nutritious.
Great recipe, I omit celery & green beans as a taste preference. Not sure why this got bad reviews, everything else I made as directed and porportions were great-- not dieting, just needed a new soup to make. A medium head of cabbage wilts up well in this soup, perhaps someone else used a larger cabbage, only thing I can think of. I love it,my husband loves it and it reheats well!
I couldn't find the dry soup so I used Swanson broth instead of water and dry mix. It turned out great. I like spicy food so I added fresh seeded jalapenos and topped the final product with lime and tapatio (chile sauce.)Excellent!
I made this today, and it is great. I did add a few more veges. But still a diet soup. I think it has a lot of flavor, it does make a lot, but on a diet it's nice not to have to cook something everyday. This is ready to eat when you need it. I really hope it helps me lose some weight.
I love this recipe! It's very versatile. The first time i made it i followed the recipe as written and it was good but a little bland for me. I remember my Mom-Mom Jewell making it with V-8 juice so last night i used the same recipe but i used a combination of chicken broth, water and V-8 juice and omited the french onion soup mix altogether. I used fresh green beans instead of frozen which i thought made it better. I didn't have tomatoes so i used a can of diced tomatoes instead. I think corn would be good too some fresh corn off the cob mmm... I love the cabbage in this soup. The amount of veggies you use can be altered to suit your taste. I also added a dash of cayenne pepper and s&p.
I used vegetable stock and a beef boullion cube. Also, I omitted the green beans. I added salt, pepper, oregano, tumeric and ginger and a dash of olive oil. Delicious and hardly any calories for a huge bowl. I had it for lunch and I was full.
I know others have given this soup a high rating. That makes me think if I did something wrong. My soup was really cabbagy. If I make it again, I would put maybe half or even quater of the cabbage. I like vegetables, so was surprised at how this turned out. Maybe like the others said, add more spices.
WOW Seriously, I hate almost every ingredient in this but together...IT IS SOOOO DELICIOUS. And it's great for energy!
This is one potent soup. I did not care for the flavor at all. I love cabage, but not like this. I think the onion soup mix is what ruined it, because it made the broth an icky brown and was rancid tasting. I have had a diet soup from women's world magazine that tasted great, but I lost the recipe, blah......
The base of this soup is the onion soup mix and the cabbage. Whatever else you put in it, is to your liking. I love using crushed or diced tomatoes (with juice), celery, green onion, carrots, red bell pepper, 1 tsp red pepper flakes and a dash of hot sauce. I add fresh baby mushroom 15 minutes before it's cooked. It takes about 45 minutes to prepare and lasts a week in fridge. Does not freeze well.
This soup is good, but and the recipe makes enough for about a week if you have a small househould like mine, which can become a little much. However, it is easy to spice up by the bowl to keep from getting board eating the same soup several days in a row. I recommend adding some Cumin to your individual serving, or some sriracha chili hot sauce to mix it up.
Mmmm mmm good. You could pretty much add just about anything to make this soup your own. I did pre-shredded cabbage, pre-cut celery and onions, canned tomatoes, frozen green beans, pork boullion, water and about 3 tablespoons of olive oil which I think makes the difference between a watery soup and a hearty soup. Yum.
this was a delicous dish for a diet on, a little watery but still nice.
Great recipe to start a "get in shape" regiment before summer. As mentioned in other reviews, it is extremely low in calories, and has no fat, it fills you up fast too! I added 3 diced jalepeno peppers (seeds removed), and some kidney beans for protein. You can use any leftover veggies you have on hand and create a great low-fat meal.
I guess my body just can't tolerate any cabbage soup diets.... this is the 2nd recipe I've tried. I can't even walk down the produce department and hide when I see cabbage now! :) Thanks anyway Peg!!!
Easy, Easy!!! This is a great healthy soup but only put in half a cabbage and instead of putting the cabbage and fresh tomatoes in with all the other vegetables, put them in when the other vegetables are almost cooked because they cooked really fast and got overcooked when I used this recipe as it is, It was still great and got many compliments. Also ADD some salt and pepper or at least some Italian Seasoning, basil, oregano, to add more flavor and it's a winner.
Needs lots of spices to keep it interesting! Great combo of veggies!
This is what I was looking for! I altered the recipe to all the leftover veggies in my fridge that needed to cook up...also added cayenne and fresh basil at the end...If you love veggies, try this.
I took a shot on this soup because I'm not a big fan of cabbage but man is it good! I used 8 cups of water instead of 6 and added peppers, mushrooms and parsnips. Very happy with it!
I think this recipe is good but for older people, just a tip for other members dont use the onion mix thing.
Good. The onion taste is kinda strong, though
Very simple and easy and as previous raters said...versatile. You can add so many different ingredients to tailor it to your taste. I love it!
This recipe was delicious just as is. I'm sure we will add variety as suggested. This is a wonderful way to get your daily requirement for vegetables. My husband isn't trying to lose weight, but he enjoyed the soup as much as I did.
I omitted grean beans and celery, and instead of fresh tomatoes used 2-14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes. If you like cabbage, this is a very good filling, low calorie, no fat soup.
This was not as flavorful as I expected, even with 2 packages of onion soup mix. I doctored it up at work with some pepper and Mrs. Dash and it met my needs. I'll be customizing this with more spices in the future.
This is a very forgiving and easy to customize soup! I added celery, corn and some very small pasta to this soup to make it a bit more hearty. I used a can of diced tomatoes and a small can of tomato sauce to make the broth a bit more flavorful. It turned out wonderful! An inexpensive, healthy, and great soup for a cold day. I would definitely make this again!
Made 1 change and that was I added a little barley to it, just because I like barley in soups. It freezes well and is great reheated. Will make it again.
Fantastic, have been eating for three days now. I added some of my own seasonings. Spot on! Thank you for this one!
When I was a child my mother would go on the cabbage diet a couple times a year. I was the only one who would eat this soup with her. This tastes just like hers, thank you I had forgotten how good this was. And its very easy to adjust depending on what veggies are on hand or in season
Not a bad soup. I added cayanne pepper and Mrs dash extra spicy seasoning just because
It was tasty and obviously low calorie. I made some changes because I wanted it vegetarian (and without msg). I used organic vegetable stock, 1/2 the amount of cabbage and green beans, and added a few mushrooms. I did not use packaged soup but instead added some garlic, a bit of tomato paste, basil, a bay leaf, a dash of paprika, and a bit of jalapeño. In spite of the fact that I used less vegetables, I ended up adding more water. I served it with Parmesan on the side, which added calories but also made it more filling. I could see adding a tbs or so of olive oil instead but didn’t try it.
This is a good soup. I doctored it up a bit with spices and herbs but it provides a great basic diet soup recipe.
I used a combination of this recipe and the original diet soup recipe. I substituted V8 juice (original) for the pkg of onion soup mix. I'll make it again.
Considering it's 'diet soup', it's not that bad. A little bland, it needs a boost. I used some extra veggies and some chicken broth and still it's missing something. I'll probably try it again with a few more alterations. Overall, super healthy and fairly tasty.
I was glad to find this; just what I was looking for. like everyone else, I tweaked it based on what I had on hand. I put a couple of cups into the blender and poured it back in to add a little body to the broth. I also added a can of Kirkland chicken breast with its broth to four cups of the soup for supper one night. It was delicious!
Loved this soup! I omitted the peas added green beans and some hot pepper... Will make it again... Thanks
Love this soup . Took more time to cook then expected for the veggies needed more time to soften but other than that it's great ! And low in calories.
This was delicious! I added a tad bit more celery, carrots, and instead of 6 cups of water, I used 2 cups chicken broth and 4 cups water. I also added 1 can of corn and 1 can of green beans, rather than a bag of frozen. Will definitely be making this again!
This is so incredibly easy to make and it’s filling. My husband and I will eat it for lunch - and look forward to it - and we’re full until dinner. It’s been incredibly helpful in reducing our overall calorie and carb intake. I was making beef in the side to have protein with but now I just add it to the soup Will also add other veggies I may have. Love this! Thank you for sharing.
Three stars cause I thought the broth was to bland. I added more seasoning once I was able to taste it and added more water. It wasn't enough. ESP after it started to simmer. I love the veggies and it can be modified to suit the persons likes and dislikes of one veggie to another.
OMG this was so delicious!!I will be making this for work every other week.A keeper!!!!!!!!!!
I found it REALLY unappealing. The only change I made was omitting one of the three stalks of celery because I only had two left. Really not enough to fundamentally change the flavor.
I’ve made one incarnation or other of this soup many times. I always add more vegetables and less soup mix. This time I used purple cabbage and topped mine with sliced green onions. It’s great for an easy winter meatless Monday.
It turned out incredibly tasty!! I used two cans of Italian style diced tomatoes. I left out the green beans. I added the minced garlic, thyme, oregano, and crushed red pepper as someone else had suggested. I used 4 cups of vegetable broth and 3 cups water. It was the perfect amount for the entire head of cabbage. It took about an hour to boil/simmer it until the carrots were soft enough.
