• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Simply delicious oil-free vegan recipes

  • Recipe Index
    • Recipes by Category
    • Recipes by Tag
    • Recipe Box
  • About Me
    • Press
  • NewsBites
  • Shop!
  • Website

Cabbage “Noodle” Soup

March 8, 2011 By Susan Voisin 107 Comments
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Privacy Policy.

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe Share on Facebook

Strips of cabbage stand in for noodles and chickpeas for chicken in this low-fat, gluten-free vegan cabbage soup that is reminiscent of chicken noodle soup.

Cabbage "Noodle" Soup: Cabbage takes the place of noodles in this light but filling vegan version of chicken soup.

One of my daughter E’s favorite soups is a “Chick’n” Noodle Soup that starts with Imagine’s No-Chicken broth and includes, besides pasta, either Soy Curls or another packaged chicken substitute such as Lightlife Smart Strips.   It’s one of those dishes that feel comforting on a chilly night or whenever our spirits need a lift, so my family asks for it a lot.

As someone who is trying to cut down on sodium and processed foods, I know in my head that this family favorite isn’t the most nutritious soup in the world, but I’m not immune to its charms.  The stuff is addictive!   Nevertheless, when I found myself craving it recently, I decided it was time to give it a nutrition-boosting makeover.

Cabbage "Noodle" Soup

My new version uses no broth (the vegetables and seasonings create their own), substitutes chickpeas for “Chick’n,” and replaces the noodles with strips of cabbage.  Though E still demands actual pasta in her soup, I found this a satisfying stand-in and almost as comforting as the original at a fraction of the calories.

Best of all, if you’re following Weight Watchers, one bowl is zero points under the Freestyle program (you’d have to eat 2 of them before it counts as 1 point.) And if you follow Eat to Live, this is perfect, except possibly for the salt and miso. But if you’d like to make it heartier, fell free to add pasta, as my daughter does, or potatoes. And extra veggies, such as green beans, can only make it more delicious.

For more cabbage goodness, check out my Vegan Cabbage Rolls, Irish White Bean and Cabbage Stew, and Vegan Chou Farci (Cabbage Stuffed with Barley and Lentils).

Cabbage "Noodle" Soup
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Add to Recipe BoxGo to Recipe Box

Cabbage "Noodle" Soup

Gluten Free
Nut Free
Soy Free
Sugar Free
Cabbage takes the place of noodles in this low-calorie soup, but if you want to add more heartiness, add 2 ounces of pasta during the last 15 minutes of cooking or add a diced potato or two along with the water. I kept the sodium low by using water instead of broth, but for a richer flavor, you can add vegetable bouillon cubes to taste or use vegetable broth for half of the water.
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes minutes
Total Time 45 minutes minutes
Servings 6
Author Susan Voisin

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 carrots diced or sliced
  • 2 ribs celery leaves included, diced
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1/8 teaspoon rubbed sage
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
  • 1/4 head cabbage thinly sliced
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas --or 1 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas, drained
  • generous grating of black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup parsley chopped
  • 2 teaspoons mellow white miso (or 1 tsp. vegetable bouillon)
  • salt to taste
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Preheat a large, non-stick pot. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until onions soften. Add the water and all remaining ingredients except nutritional yeast, parsley, and miso. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until vegetables are tender and broth is flavorful (at least 30 minutes).
  • Stir in the nutritional yeast and parsley. Place the miso in a small bowl and add some of the hot broth a little at a time, stirring, until the miso is dissolved in the broth. Add the miso broth back to the pot. Add salt to taste and serve.

Notes

This soup has zero points under the Weight Watchers Freestyle program.
Nutrition Facts
Cabbage "Noodle" Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 116 Calories from Fat 11
% Daily Value*
Fat 1.2g2%
Sodium 258mg11%
Carbohydrates 21.2g7%
Fiber 4.2g18%
Sugar 2.2g2%
Protein 6.4g13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional info is approximate.

Course Soup
Cuisine Vegan, Weight Watchers
Keyword cabbage soup, chickpea soup
Have you made this recipe?Mention @SusanFFVK and tag #fatfreevegankitchen in your photos on Instagram.
Share on Facebook Pin This Recipe Share by Email

Please pin and share:

Cabbage Noodle Soup: Strips of cabbage stand in for noodles and chickpeas for chicken in this low-fat, gluten-free vegan chicken noodle soup.

Filed Under: Family Favorites, Recipes, Soups, Vegan Weight Watchers Recipes with Zero Points Tagged With: Chickpea Recipes, Eat-to-Live, Gluten-free, Greens, Soy-free, Under 200, Weight Watchers Points

Get NewsBites!

Sign up for our newsletter to receive new recipes & tips by email!

Privacy Policy
Previous Post: « Potato and Broccoli Rabe Casserole
Next Post: Creamy Tri-Pepper Dressing »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Aparna

    March 24, 2011 at 1:25 am

    I think I might prefer the noodles version but I happen to like cabbage too. I can see lots of possible variations on this soup.

    Reply
  2. emy@thehandiworks

    March 25, 2011 at 12:39 am

    Sounds divine. The replacement of pasta using cabbage is a great idea!

    Reply
  3. Elena

    March 25, 2011 at 3:54 pm

    I tried your recipe and is very good for my mom, is healthy and my mom can eat it, my mom has thyroid cancer and I thank you for helping me with a new recipe for my mom.

    Reply
  4. Kate and Rachel

    March 25, 2011 at 6:39 pm

    WOW! This looks delish – we can’t wait to try it!

    Kat & Rachel

    Reply
  5. Anu

    March 31, 2011 at 1:06 pm

    Hello Susan,

    This recipe looks awesome healthy. I will surely try this and your plating makes me eat through my eyes. Wonderful!
    Cheers
    Anu

    Reply
  6. Lori

    April 1, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    I made this soup and blogged about it, giving the link to this page. The soup is excellent. I loved it and will definitely be making it again. I have loved all of the recipes I have made from your blog, Susan. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Frank @ Homemade-Sausage.net

    April 3, 2011 at 6:03 pm

    This looks like dinner. Thanks for posting.

    Reply
  8. moonwatcher

    April 8, 2011 at 10:21 am

    hi Susan,

    This soup is wonderful. A bit pot of it carried me through a very difficult week. Since I was eating it myself, I gave it several different treatments. I made my own broth. What I call “kitchen sink broth”–I toss interesting end bits of various vegetables in a quart freezer bag until it’s full and then simmer it in several cups of water on the stove. So I used that for the water. I also added a couple ounces (maybe) of broken up brown rice fettucine. And I happened to be lucky enough to have savoy cabbage. Very sweet.

    I served it the Italian peasant way. Over greens: spinach, baby arugula, and even a few new dandelion leaves from the garden. Sometimes wtih the treatment the next layer before the soup is rice. I had leftover kasha, so one day I added that. It was lovely. Another day I added a few leftover pieces of roasted beet and sprinkled with dill on the top. By the end I dumped the rest of the kasha in, put it on on low, then got a phone call. The result was a very tasty stew over green and topped with chopped parsley and dill. This soup even takes to a spoonful of vegan cheese sauce in it. It’s a wonderful vegan version of good old fashioned peasant style chicken soup. Thanks for the delicious and healthy comfort food!!

    xo

    Moonwaotcher

    Reply
  9. Sarah

    April 10, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! This recipe was wonderful, it really hit the spot. My husband and I ate the entire pot over a 24 hour period-what can I say we have a new born at home at it was great to have vegan “comfort food” readily available. When my mom came to visit today she insisted that I had made chicken noodle soup, because it that is what the smell reminded her of. The recipe worked really well as written, I through in a little extra cabbage and fresh parsley.

    Reply
  10. Pauline

    April 25, 2011 at 1:33 pm

    Mmm. So simple. I have all these ingredients (minus miso. Will need to sub something for that) and will make it this week since it got cold here! Thanks

    Reply
  11. Sarah Deacon

    May 20, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    Love your site and recipes. I am a long time vegetarian attempting to be vegan, but with 4 very resistant children. My kids simply don’t like “mixtures” and are addicted to cheese! Any more ideas for kid-friendly recipes?

    Reply
  12. Vikki

    June 13, 2011 at 11:34 am

    I am soooooooooo glad I found your website – I am a pretty recent vegan and really needed some help in menus – thank you, thank you, thank you!

    Reply
  13. Bex

    October 3, 2011 at 1:25 pm

    Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I made it for the first time tonight, and after never having been a great fan of cabbage I now feel somewhat of a convert. Most certainly a recipe I will be cooking again.

    Reply
  14. Denise

    October 30, 2011 at 11:50 am

    Thanks so much for such a delicious and comforting dish! I was sick with pneumonia and this got me through the week and made me feel like a functioning human being again! 🙂

    Reply
  15. Diana J

    November 20, 2011 at 3:29 pm

    I like the simplicity of this recipe. I didn’t find it to be flavorful enough for my taste, but adding lots more miso (3 Tbs in total) made a big difference, as you could imagine. We’ll come back to this one again. Thanks!

    Reply
  16. Kim Yager

    January 6, 2012 at 9:09 am

    This looks fabulous! 🙂 I can’t wait to try it ~

    Reply
  17. Janet

    January 6, 2012 at 9:19 am

    WOW, just got home from being gone for the holidays. My frig is bare, except for some cabbage, celery and carrots. I can make this soup without having to head to the grocery first! YEAH! Looks wonderful for a winter day. Thanks again Susan.

    Reply
  18. Theresa Collie

    January 6, 2012 at 6:14 pm

    This looks absolutely delicious, I can’t wait to see how the daughter and grandchild take to it. Thank-you for sharing!

    Reply
  19. Sarah

    January 9, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    I made this for dinner last night and it was a HUGE hit! Thank you! I used bouillion instead of miso, and found I had to add extra poultry seasoning (mine is probably really old…) but in the end even my soup- hating 13 year old ate most of his bowl! I will definitely be making it again!

    Reply
  20. Diane Robuck

    April 10, 2012 at 11:25 am

    Susan,
    I am struggling with being vegan. Your recipes will probably be what helps me stay the course. I think starting vegetarian might have been easier and I am contemplating it. I would love for you to post a Chick’n soup recipe that you adapted your chickpea soup from if you have one. If not maybe you could just give me the ingredients. Thank you for your help! I would love to talk to you on the phone if you have time. Thank you again………..Diane

    Reply
  21. Brenda

    June 17, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    I’ve made this twice now, and it’s very good. The second time I threw in some kale too, and yum.

    Reply
  22. Manyhats

    July 18, 2012 at 4:02 pm

    I love this non-processed version! Thanks for the yummy idea (-:

    Reply
  23. Laina

    August 3, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    I’m not feeling well so I’m making this soup again. It’s on the stove now……so comforting!!! . . . And smells delectible!

    I used a whole package (1lb) of shredded cabbage and I’m going to add some mushrooms too. I actually add mushrooms to everything because of their anti-cancer properties 🙂 . And I usually just use the button mushrooms. Thanks, Susan for sharing your gift with us!

    Laina 🙂

    Reply
  24. Dawn

    August 27, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    This is a great, basic recipe.

    I threw in some angel hair pasta for the last few minutes of cooking, because I was sharing this with my granddaughter. I didn’t have celery but added extra cabbage, and I added some peas and baby spinach after turning off the soup.

    YUM. It was delicious and easy!

    Reply
  25. Ruth

    September 29, 2012 at 7:14 am

    Hi Susan
    Love your recipes,I use them all the time along with Engine 2 diet by Rip Esselstyn, another favorite. Is Braggs Liquid Aminos a good substitute for Miso? I use it in so many things but I don’t have Miso and have trouble finding it.

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      September 29, 2012 at 10:22 am

      Since miso is salty and Bragg’s is salty, I think you could substitute Bragg’s here with a good outcome. Miso has a unique flavor that can’t quite be reproduced, but I think the soup is still good without it. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  26. Esther J

    October 5, 2012 at 7:26 pm

    Very yummy, Mrs. V!

    I didn’t have any miso, and peculiarly (to me at least) when I did a search on a good substitute, I found a suggestion to use tahini. I did in equal part, and it turned out nicely. Gave a depth of flavor.

    I also punched up the poultry seasoning (in part possibly because I added additional water, as a result of probably using more cabbage than required).

    All in all, a keeper (as would be expected of your recipes).

    Thank you very much, ma’m. 🙂

    Reply
    • Esther J

      October 5, 2012 at 7:37 pm

      Also, I should add that I threw in five little creamer potatoes, cubed which added a little more heartiness (hence, another reason for the additional water).

      Reply
  27. Christine

    November 7, 2012 at 8:21 pm

    Made this tonight, sans celery and with one no-chicken broth cube. Delish! I’m 6 months pregnant, and only have the energy to make quick recipes and this really fit the bill. I might make some pasta to throw in when I bring it to work tomorrow, just to see how that changes it. Thanks for another great recipe!

    Reply
  28. Brenda

    December 6, 2012 at 11:41 am

    nice – I had no celery so I used a chopped leek and I added a bit of minced ginger about a tsp. – very nice soup a keeper for sure ! thank you!

    Reply
  29. Mary Beth Willett

    December 12, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    I just wanted to tell you that this soup is the best vegan soup I have ever made(and I have tried many).

    I have a daughter “E’ also.

    Thank-you so much for sharing.

    Reply
  30. einkerem

    February 24, 2013 at 3:25 am

    I have been using kohlrabi shredded on the finer mandoline plate. Last night I served it to my husband in a non vegan soup and he loved it. The taste is very mild and the size is that of fine noodles. I wanted to pour boiling water over them to soften, he nixed that and just put them in his bowl before adding the soup.

    I have done the same thing with cucumbers and been happy but thats me! ( I also have used them in place of noodles for salads with spicy dressings)

    Love your site, love your recipes!!!!!

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      February 24, 2013 at 8:08 am

      I’m going to have to try kohlrabi noodles! Thanks for the suggestion!

      Reply
  31. Brenda

    March 15, 2013 at 5:24 pm

    Just made a big batch of this for St. Patrick’s and the kitchen smells great! I used TVP instead of chickpeas, just because I was trying to use up the last of it. I polished off a huge bowl. Yum, thanks for this recipe!

    Reply
  32. Heidi

    March 18, 2013 at 3:09 pm

    I made this soup yesterday because cabbage was on sale this week. This soup is amazing! It really tastes like chicken soup broth. This is going to be on my “go to soup list.”

    Reply
  33. Em

    June 3, 2013 at 8:27 am

    I went back to this and have red cabbage and adzuki beans and will add miso too this time. I might also put in parsnips…I have made the original and it was sooo good but sometimes stuff has to be used up and I love not only your original recipes but your inspiration 🙂

    Reply
  34. Shalini

    July 5, 2013 at 7:13 am

    Susan-I have to tell you that I absolutely love, love, love this soup. Even my picky daughter requests this often. I’ve enjoyed it as written but lately I’ve been varying it up some by adding 1/3 cup quinoa in the last 15 minutes and/or diced potatoes and/or some kale in the last 15 minutes or some baby spinach in the last few minutes. I’ve now also been adding the cabbage in the last 15 minutes so it retains some crunch. I usually add an extra TBSP of nutritional yeast and top off each bowl of soup with a lot of Sriacha sauce. Having been been vegetarian/vegan most of my life, I’ve never had chicken noodle soup but my husband tells me it tastes just like it and he’s been really enjoying it too. You are truly an inspiration!

    Reply
  35. Judy

    March 15, 2014 at 6:26 pm

    Hi Susan,
    Not sure what took me so long to make this soup. It’s terrific. once in awhile I want my husband to participate in meal choices but it’s usually “whatever you want to make is good with me.” So the ? doesn’t get asked very often. This week he said beans and greens. “Yeah” turned to “oh no” – I didn’t have cannellini or escarole. I had cooked some navy beans and I had some cabbage and I thought of you, well of your recipe. So thanks for putting it up on FB again recently.
    Why this long discourse? He loved this soup! I usually have 3 soups made a week, we eat a lot of soup and salad, and he asked for this at every meal til it was gone. I subbed the navy beans for chickpeas but followed the recipe as written. It’s so cool to come upon a new, great soup after making soup for 40+ years.
    Thanks so much. Judy

    Reply
  36. Alice Edwards

    November 15, 2014 at 1:01 pm

    Love your website and recipes. It is one of my favorites.

    Reply
  37. Brenda

    November 15, 2014 at 11:06 pm

    Hi Susan I worked with a cook who’s saved all of her scraps from chopping put them in a plastic bag in the freezer kept adding to it and when it was full she would cook up the stock in a crockpot for like eight or 10 hrs then she had a wonderful salt free delicious broth. I’m working on a bag for me

    Reply
  38. Jill

    December 8, 2014 at 3:41 am

    Really hit the spot on this cold damp day in San Francisco. 🙂 I’m starting the ABC Diet tomorrow using only whole plant foods, so this will be a stand-by, along with some of your other low-calorie bean soups. Happy Holidays!

    Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to My Kitchen!

Susan VoisinI'm Susan Voisin, and I love creating delicious whole foods plant-based dishes with no added oil. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Find It Fast

  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Ridiculously Easy Recipes
  • Weight Watchers Recipes
  • Recipes by Tag (ingredient, gluten-free, etc.)
  • Complete Recipe Index

Find a Recipe

Allergens

All of my recipes are vegan, dairy-free, and fish free. To find recipes free of other allergens, click on an icon below.

Gluten FreeNut FreeSugar FreeSoy Free

Footer

Fall Favorites

Pasta Fagioli with Cranberry Beans and Kale

Pasta Fagioli with Cranberry Beans and Kale

Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Spaghetti Squash Pesto Lasagna

Spaghetti Squash Pesto Lasagna

Lentil Soup with Coriander and Cumin from FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Lentil Soup with Coriander and Cumin

See More Fall Favorites

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Photos, original recipes, and text © Susan Voisin. All rights reserved. Do not republish content without permission.

Nutritional information is approximate and is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate. This site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers™️ and cannot guarantee accuracy of Points™️.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Copyright © 2023 · Susan Voisin · Privacy Policy· Log in