If you're craving a soup that feels fresh but not heavy, this cabbage and chicken soup with white beans is it. It's brothy and light, but still satisfying with plenty of vegetables, white beans, and tender shredded chicken. It comes together quickly after a little chopping and is a great way to use leftover or rotisserie chicken. Cabbage is the quiet hero-it softens into silky chunks, adds body and fiber, and makes the soup feel hearty without weighing you down.
This cabbage and chicken soup with white beans is a bright, colorful, satisfying one-pot soup. Chunky cabbage, tender chicken, and cannellini beans simmer in a savory broth for a bowl that feels hearty but still light-and packs plenty of protein. Finish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon at the table to wake up all the flavors. Definitely not your typical bland chicken cabbage soup.
Cabbage and Chicken Soup Highlights
- Easy, weeknight soup - about 15 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking.
- Not boring cabbage soup - colorful veggies and tender chicken in every bowl.
- Great texture - chunky-cut carrot, celery, and cabbage added at the end for a crisp-tender bite.
- Light but filling - brothy, veggie-forward, with beans for extra body and protein.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Cabbage - A small head of green cabbage, adds body without heaviness.
- Chicken - Roast chicken breast or rotisserie chicken, shredded.
- Broth - Chicken broth (homemade or good-quality store-bought).
- Beans - Cannellini beans add gentle creaminess and make the soup more satisfying.
- Onion - Builds a savory base and a little natural sweetness.
- Carrot - Adds sweetness and color.
- Celery - Adds classic soup flavor.
- Garlic - Adds savory depth.
- Oil - Olive oil or avocado oil for sautéing.
- Bay leaf - Adds subtle background flavor as the soup simmers.
- Thyme - Gives the soup a simple, savory backbone (fresh or dried both work).
- Tomatoes - Diced canned tomatoes add color and a gentle sweetness that balances the cabbage.
- Parsley - Stir in at the end for freshness.
- Lemon wedges - Serve at the table to brighten each bowl without making the whole pot taste lemony.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt, and pepper.
If you love chicken soups, here is a reader favorite chicken vegetable soup with pasta
Substitutions and Variations
- Use other beans - Instead of cannellini beans, use Great Northern beans or navy beans.
- Herbs - Add a little fresh chopped dill at the end, it goes nicely with the cabbage and lemon.
Beans in soup are wonderful, here's another, creamy fennel and white bean soup.
Chef's Tip: Homemade Broth Is Worth It
This soup is simple, so the broth you start with really matters. Homemade broth has deeper flavor and a richer body than most store-bought options-and once you make a batch, it's easy to freeze. I freeze homemade broth in portioned containers so a great pot of soup is always within reach. If you have time, use my long-simmered chicken bone broth for the best flavor. Need it faster? My Instant Pot chicken broth is a great shortcut. This soup is also perfect with roasted turkey broth, and vegetable broth works well when that's what you have.
How to Make Cabbage and Chicken Soup
- Over medium to med-low heat, saute onion in oil until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the carrots and celery and cook another 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the tomatoes, half the cabbage, bay leaf and thyme, and cook for 5 minutes with a lid, med-low heat.
- Add the broth and simmer 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken and beans to the pot.
- Add the rest of the cabbage and cook a few minutes until softened. Adding part of it later adds more texture.
7. Finish off with fresh parsley, remove bay leaves, and serve.
8. Finished cabbage and chicken soup.
Serving Suggestions
I typically serve cabbage and chicken soup with garlic toast as the crunchy salty Parmesan finish tastes great against the soup, but a salad is another good option, or even a grilled cheese sandwich for a fuller meal. For another side, try homemade cornbread smeared with soft butter.
Storage & Freezing
Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months (leave a little headspace). Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Skip the cannellini beans for a lighter soup, or replace them with extra chicken or more vegetables, or swap for rice or cooked small potatoes.
Add only part of the cabbage earlier for flavor, then stir in the rest at the end so it stays crisp-tender and chunky.
You can, but it's so fast on the stove that it's usually not worth it. If you do, add the "last half" of cabbage at the end so it doesn't overcook.
Yes. Rotisserie or any leftover cooked chicken works great. Remove any skin and shred, then add it near the end just to heat through.
Green cabbage is best. It softens nicely but still has good texture, especially if you add part earlier in cooking, then some at the end.
More Great Soups to Try
From smooth and creamy soups to hearty, satisfying bowls, there's a soup here for every season and appetite. Explore the full soup recipe index to find your next favorite.
If You Make This Soup
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📖 Recipe
Cabbage and Chicken Soup
Equipment
- 4-5 ½ quart Dutch oven or large heavy soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ¾ cup chopped carrot
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 ½ teaspoons fresh chopped
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes drained
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups chopped green cabbage about 1 pound, half a head
- 4-5 cups chicken broth
- 15 ounce can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 11 ounces
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- lemon wedges optional for serving
Instructions
- Heat the pot over medium heat, add the oil and saute the onion until soft, 2-3 minutes. add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Add the carrot and celery and cook another 5-7 minutes until all vegetables are softened.
- Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and half of the cabbage to the pot with the sautéed vegetables. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the cabbage and let the flavors start to mingle.
- Pour in 4 cups of the broth, then simmer about 5 minutes more with the lid partially on. Add the beans and cooked chicken and heat through until hot. Stir in the remaining cabbage at the end so it stays a little crisp and fresh for texture. For a more brothy soup, add the last 1 cup of broth. Add the chopped parsley.
- Serve with lemon wedges for brightness if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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