Budget Cabbage and White Bean Soup (Under $10, One Pot)
One pot, under $10, ready in 40 minutes — dinner is decided.
This is the soup you make when you're tired, the fridge is half-empty, and you need something warm and actually filling. Cabbage and white beans are one of the great budget combinations — the beans add protein and body, the cabbage melts into something almost silky, and a little garlic and smoked paprika turn a bare pantry into a real meal. Expect a thick, brothey soup that tastes like it took longer than it did. It reheats beautifully, so leftovers tomorrow are basically a bonus dinner for free.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — diced
- 4 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 3 unit celery stalks — sliced
- 2 unit medium carrots — peeled and sliced into coins
- 0.5 unit small head green cabbage — core removed, roughly chopped — about 4 cups
- 2 unit cans white beans (15 oz each) — such as cannellini or Great Northern, drained and rinsed
- 1 unit can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) — with juices
- 4 cup vegetable broth — low-sodium preferred
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp dried thyme
- 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes — optional, for a little heat
- 1 tsp salt — plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice — fresh or bottled, added at the end
Method
- 1 Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes until softened.
- 2 Add the minced garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring a few times, until the garlic is fragrant.
- 3 Stir in the smoked paprika, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes (if using). Let the spices toast for about 30 seconds.
- 4 Add the chopped cabbage and stir to coat it in the oil and spices. It will look like a lot — it cooks down significantly.
- 5 Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the vegetable broth. Stir everything together and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 6 Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low. Add the drained white beans. Season with 1 tsp salt and the black pepper.
- 7 Simmer uncovered for 18–22 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and the soup has thickened slightly.
- 8 Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, with crusty bread if you have it.
Variations
- Add a protein boost — Stir in 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken or a couple of sliced chicken sausage links (non-pork) with the beans for extra protein without much extra cost.
- Make it even heartier — Add one diced russet potato along with the carrots and celery. It cooks in the same time and makes the soup extra thick and filling.
- No celery or carrots? — Skip them or swap in whatever sturdy vegetable you have — diced zucchini, frozen green beans, or a handful of frozen corn all work fine.
Notes
This soup thickens as it sits — if reheating leftovers, add a splash of water or broth to loosen it. For a heartier version, stir in a handful of small pasta (like ditalini or elbow) with the beans and add an extra cup of broth. The lemon juice at the end is small but important — it brightens everything.
Equipment that helps
- Large pot or Dutch oven (at least 5 qt) — You need the extra volume so the cabbage has room to cook down without spilling over.
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