Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe that made me lose 10 pounds in 7 days and detox the body. As a bonus, get the 7-Day Diet Plan (PDF) to follow the diet easily. It's delicious, quick-and-easy to make, and you can eat as much as you want!
Table of Contents
- 1 How to Make Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
- 2 Alternative Cooking Methods for Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
- 3 More Cabbage Recipes
- 4 More Weight Loss Diets and Diet Recipes That I Have Tried
- 5 What Can I Eat on The Cabbage Soup Diet Plan?
- 6 What is the Cabbage Soup Diet?
- 7 What Are the Pros and Cons?
- 8 Is This a 7-Day Weight Loss Cabbage Soup (Wonder Soup)?
- 9 How Much Weight Can You Lose On The 7-Day Cabbage Soup Diet?
- 10 How Does the Cabbage Soup Diet Work?
- 11 Can I Exercise on The Cabbage Soup Diet?
- 12 Who Can or Cannot Do The 7-Day Soup Diet
- 13 7-Day Cabbage Soup Diet FAQs
- 14 Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe Ingredients
- 15 Variations on The Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
- 16 How to Store
- 17 Can I Make Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe Ahead?
- 18 Meal Prepping Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
- 19 7-Day Cabbage Soup Diet Plan
- 20 BEST Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
Did you overindulge a bit during the holidays? Me too! Whether you're looking to lose up to 10 pounds or more in only 7 days, fit back into your clothing, detox, or get rid of bloating, this weight loss cabbage soup recipe and diet plan may help you accomplish these goals quickly.
As a plus, find out the pros and cons of the cabbage soup diet, get answers to some FAQs, and learn how to make the best 7-day cabbage soup diet recipe in the slow cooker, instant pot, and stovetop.
Watch me make this cabbage soup diet recipe quickly! Also, find out “How I lose 10 pounds in 7 days with this cabbage soup diet recipe and the 7-day meal plan!”
Other people's reviews:
I made this soup and love it! Lots of flavor compared to other recipes. Finished the first batch and the second batch is in the pressure cooker as I write this. I use this for a healthy snack. It’s pre-prepared so it’s very convenient and keeps me from looking for other not-so-healthy things."
Deb
How to Make Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
Learn how to make the 7-day fat-burning soup diet recipe on the stovetop.
- Heat a large nonstick pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil, and cook onion, bell pepper, and celery for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir now and then. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in all the other ingredients, except spinach, lemon juice, and salt. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
- Remove the lid and stir in spinach and lemon juice. Stir in just enough salt to taste.
Alternative Cooking Methods for Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
In addition to the stovetop method, find out how to make our diet cabbage soup recipe in the slow cooker or the instant pot!
Instant Pot Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
- To make the detox cabbage soup in the pressure cooker, press the saute function.
- Heat oil and cook onion, bell pepper, and celery for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir now and then. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add tomato, broccoli slaw, cabbage, broth, tomato paste, pepper, and turmeric. Stir and secure the lid. Set it on high for 15 minutes, or press the soup function and set for 15 minutes. Allow natural release, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir in spinach and lemon juice. Stir in salt but do not go overboard.
Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
- To make this cabbage soup recipe in the crockpot, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add oil, and cook onion, bell pepper, and celery for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir now and then. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Stir in all the other ingredients for the cabbage soup diet recipe, except spinach, lemon juice, and salt. Secure lid and cook for 2-4 hours on high, or 8-10 hours on low.
- Remove the lid and stir in spinach and lemon juice. Stir in salt but go easy.
More Cabbage Recipes
- Ham and Cabbage Soup Recipe
- Keto Cabbage Rolls
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Cabbage and Smoked Sausage
More Weight Loss Diets and Diet Recipes That I Have Tried
- 3-Day Juice Cleanse
- Cucumber Water
- PCOS Diet
- 20 Low-Glycemic Index Recipes
- 35 Anti-Inflammatory Recipes
- 30 High-Fiber Recipes
- 30 Gut-Healthy Recipes
What Can I Eat on The Cabbage Soup Diet Plan?
This diet consists of cabbage soup, eaten at least 2 to 3 times a day (or AS MUCH as you want) with other allowed foods as follows:
- Day 1: Eat low-sugar fruits only (i.e. avocado, stone fruits such as peach, apricots, and plums), grapes, honeydew melon, oranges, grapefruit, berries, and cherries. Do not eat bananas! Meal Suggestions: Slushie, large fruit salad, fruit juice without straining, frozen grapes, etc
- Day 2: Eat Non-Starch Vegetables only (i.e. cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, leafy greens, etc). This is my least favorite day because the only foods I eat all day are veggies and the vegetable diet soup. Meal Suggestions: Cauliflower rice with sauteed mushrooms, roasted veggies, stir-fry zucchini or eggplant, air-fried green beans, and a large salad.
- On Day 3: Eat Low-sugar fruits and non-starchy vegetables only. Meal Suggestions: Fruit or veggie salad, a green smoothie, mushroom steak, cauliflower steak, and cabbage steaks seasoned with salt and pepper plus olive oil (without soy sauce and other condiments).
- Day 4: Eat bananas and skim milk/low-fat yogurt only. Meal Suggestions: A banana parfait, a banana smoothie, frozen yogurt bars with bananas only, baked bananas, or banana chips.
- Day 5: Eat protein (i.e. fish, beef, or baked chicken breast without the skin) and tomatoes only. Meal Suggestions: Air fryer chicken thighs (skin removed after cooking) or air fryer salmon with pan-fried tomatoes, Grilled chicken breast with fresh tomatoes and basil leaves, baked salmon with tomatoes, ground beef stewed in tomato sauce, etc
- On Day 6: Eat protein and non-starchy vegetables only. Meal Suggestions: Fried cauliflower rice with veggies and eggs, baked chicken thighs (skin removed after cooking) with roasted veggies,
- Day 7: ½ cup brown rice or a small baked potato (Russet or Sweet), unsweetened fruit juices, low-sugar fruits, and non-starchy vegetables only. A whole grain starch (brown rice) was added to the last day of the diet, preparing your body to eat starchy foods. Meal Suggestions: Baked sweet potatoes with cinnamon, potato chips, or fried brown rice with sauteed mushrooms, fruit juice without straining, large fruit or veggie salad with mixed green leaves, etc
- Day 8: You will feel much lighter (about 10+ lbs)! To keep your amazing results, start eating a balanced, healthy diet (whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats, fruits, and veggies) and keep drinking plenty of water. You may start exercising again!
NOTE: Every single day make sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water to hydrate your body and eat as much cabbage weight loss soup as you want several times per day.
What is the Cabbage Soup Diet?
The Cabbage Soup Diet has variations, but it is mainly:
- A low-calorie diet (around 1,000 calories per day);
- Low-fat;
- High-fiber;
- It can be low-carb on most days.
Yet it is not vegetarian or vegan because limited amounts of animal protein are allowed on a couple of days. This is a rigid diet – with little room for tweaks, just like the military diet.
What Are the Pros and Cons?
Pros (Cabbage Soup Benefits):
- Quick weight loss – up to 10 pounds or more in only 7 days.
- Body detox and a kickstart to a sustainable diet.
- It may have anti-inflammatory properties, depending on the ingredients. Our cabbage diet soup recipe does have some, such as turmeric, garlic, lemon, and spinach.
Cons:
- If you don't drink plenty of water and start a balanced diet, you may regain weight fast as well.
- It is a fairly boring diet since it mostly consists of cabbage soup.
Is This a 7-Day Weight Loss Cabbage Soup (Wonder Soup)?
Yes! With this cabbage soup diet, you can lose 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or more in 7 days. This is a fast weight-loss diet, ideal to shed weight after the holiday binge, or for a special event. But be aware that this is not a permanent solution because long-term your body can run out of essential nutrients.
How Much Weight Can You Lose On The 7-Day Cabbage Soup Diet?
There are many factors to consider such as gender and age, whether you follow the diet strictly or cheat, and to what degree. But most people reported losing up to 10 or more pounds in one week on cabbage soup for weight loss. Keep in mind that the weight that you'll lose is a combination of water, fat, and even muscle.
How Does the Cabbage Soup Diet Work?
This is a low-calorie intake diet (around 1,000 calories per day) and its main purpose is quick weight loss -- 10 pounds or more in 7 days. In addition, it is mostly low-carb, vegetarian, and vegan!
On the 7-day cabbage soup diet, you'll follow a specific eating plan every day. This means you will eat as much weight-loss cabbage soup as you want, drink at least 8 cups of water per day, and eat certain foods each day of the week.
This diet soup is also known under other names such as Wonder Soup, Weight Loss Soup, Miracle Soup, WW Cabbage Soup, Detox Soup, Fat-Burning Soup, Detox Soup, and Weight Watchers Cabbage Soup.
Can I Exercise on The Cabbage Soup Diet?
Exercise is not recommended while on this restrictive diet, especially at moderate to high levels. Why? Because this is a low-calorie diet-- one that can leave you weak even without exercising. You'll likely get around 1,000 calories or less a day which is about half of the 2,000 daily calories that most adults should get.
Who Can or Cannot Do The 7-Day Soup Diet
It works well for those who are obese and need to lose weight fast to undergo surgery. If you have any condition, such as diabetes, consult your doctor before making the cabbage diet soup. Your blood sugar levels may drop a lot. It also won't have a long-lasting impact on heart disease, lowering cholesterol, or treating high blood pressure.
7-Day Cabbage Soup Diet FAQs
To begin with, you should always ask your doctor before starting any diet, including this cabbage soup diet. Here are a few often-asked questions about one of the most well-known weight loss soups and its diet:
This is a strict diet that does not allow tweaks. But I have to say that I lost 3 pounds in 5 days only by eating large amounts of this diet cabbage soup and eating outside of the diet a few times but mostly up to 1300 calories a day.
It allows for drinking water, coffee, or unsweetened herbal tea – but not alcohol or sodas. But I confess that I drank diet tea (stevia-based). It has zero calories but is not detox.
Yes! Although I am used to dieting, I felt more tired on this cabbage soup diet than on others. I also felt weak, had issues focusing, and was highly irritable and hungry.
This is a 7-day diet only – it's super-restrictive and can make you feel weak, lose focus, and run low on nutrients. For these reasons, do not stay on the diet beyond 7 days. This diet is ideal for detoxing the body and preparing it for a sustainable diet.
Be sure to drink a lot of water so your body won't hold on to fluids, and start a balanced healthy diet.
The original cabbage soup diet recipe is vegan/vegetarian and calls for vegetable broth. However, if you aren't on a diet, you can use beef or chicken broth and even add some beef or shredded chicken to the soup.
Although most cabbage soup recipes for weight loss call for green cabbage (the most common type), you can use purple cabbage (which contains a higher level of antioxidants) or a mix of both. They have the same amount of calories!
Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe Ingredients
Although most recipes have bouillon/water and veggies in common, there are different recipes for the diet soup. Our diet cabbage soup recipe is low-fat and has low-carb veggies, among other ingredients that are detox and anti-inflammatory, such as spinach, garlic, turmeric, tomatoes, and lemon juice. It is similar to Weight Watchers Cabbage Soup!
Here are the ingredients for the weight-loss cabbage soup recipe that maximizes weight loss while detoxing:
- Olive oil
- Yellow Onion (or white)
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Tomato
- Cabbage (purple or green cabbage)
- Celery stalks
- Low-sodium vegetable broth
- Tomato paste
- Lemon Juice
- Turmeric
- Broccoli slaw (optional)
- Spinach
Variations on The Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
We added turmeric to the original cabbage soup diet recipe to make it also anti-inflammatory. This is a vegan recipe but you can add some animal protein to it on the days you should eat either beef or chicken. The soup itself tastes amazing and many love to eat it even when they are not on the diet. Most add some protein! Here are a few suggestions:
- Vegetarian: You can add a heavy cream or half-and-half and blend the soup until creamy and smooth, making it a vegetarian bisque.
- Pescatarian: You can season with salt and pepper and pan-sear chunks of salmon, cod, or halibut in olive oil to add to the soup.
- High-Protein: You can add hamburger, chopped ham, shredded chicken, beef chunks, or sausage. It's a great way to use leftovers. Or, you may add some plant-based protein such as brown lentils or chickpeas for a healthy cabbage soup recipe.
How to Store
- Fridge: Store homemade cabbage soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat it, covered, in the microwave or on medium-low heat on the stovetop.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 4-6 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat well.
Can I Make Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe Ahead?
Yes! If you are trying the cabbage soup diet, you'll want to make a large batch of weight-loss cabbage soup in advance. Then, divide the soup into 2 batches, keeping one in the fridge for up to 4 days, and freeze the other to thaw for the rest of the 7 days. Of course, you can also freeze it for up to 4-6 months. Thus, if you work outside the home, you can portion it out into individual servings for a grab-and-go meal.
Meal Prepping Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
There are 2 ways to meal prep this weight-loss cabbage soup: Either preparing a large batch in advance or prepping all the ingredients ahead to mix them for when you need them.
- Prep Extra: Cut all the veggies and make the soup in advance for the 7 days you'll be on the diet. You may have to double the recipe, making it in a large pot on the stovetop. Depending on the capacity of your slow cooker or Instant Pot, it won't allow you to double the recipe.
- Store Extra: You can make the full recipe in advance and divide it into individual containers in the fridge or freezer, or divide the ingredients into containers to combine them for when you need them.
7-Day Cabbage Soup Diet Plan
SAVE OR DOWNLOAD this 7-day cabbage soup diet menu!
PIN AND ENJOY!
BEST Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
Equipment
- slow cooker
- instant pot
- pot
- cutting board
- knife
- wood spoon
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped (or white onion)
- 2 bell peppers chopped (any color)
- 4 celery stalks chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 large tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup broccoli slaw optional
- 1 green cabbage head chopped (or purple cabbage, or a mix of green and purple cabbage)
- 9 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth for a non-vegan recipe
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 lemon juiced
- salt to taste
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- Heat a large nonstick pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil, and cook onion, bell pepper, and celery for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir every now and then. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in all the other ingredients, except spinach, lemon juice, and salt. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Remove the lid and stir in spinach and lemon juice. Stir in just enough salt to taste.
Instant Pot Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
- To make the detox cabbage soup in the pressure cooker, press the saute function. Heat oil and cook onion, bell pepper, and celery for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir now and then. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato, broccoli slaw, cabbage, broth, tomato paste, pepper, and turmeric. Stir and secure the lid.
- Set it on high for 15 minutes, or press the soup function and set for 15 minutes. Allow natural release, about 20 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in spinach and lemon juice. Stir in salt but do not go overboard.
Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add oil, and cook onion, bell pepper, and celery for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir now and then. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Stir in all the other ingredients for the cabbage soup diet recipe, except spinach, lemon juice, and salt. Secure lid and cook for 2-4 hours on high, or 8-10 hours on low. Remove the lid and stir in spinach and lemon juice. Stir in salt but go easy.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Fridge: Store homemade cabbage soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat it, covered, in the microwave or on medium-low heat on the stovetop.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 4-6 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat well.
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
Theresa Pinter says
Hi Susan, Today is day one of this diet and I am looking forward to detoxing my body from too much summer fun. I seem to remember doing this diet a long time ago; wasn't it 10 days long before? Thanks Theresa
Denise Browning says
Hi, Theresa! I don't know how long ago you did this 7-day cabbage soup diet, but in the last decade at least, the diet has a 7 day duration period.
Laura S. says
I haven't made the soup yet, but it reminds me of my preteen days when my mom decided my whole family needed to go on the cabbage soup diet. I remember my entire family loving the soup and my mom making it and adding a lb. of beef to it when we were not on the diet. It was so good.
I was wondering has the 7 day diet changed. My mom said that one of the days Grapefruit was required.
Denise Browning says
Hi Laura! The cabbage soup recipe was slightly altered. I added turmeric to make it anti-inflammatory too! As for the cabbage soup diet plan, you can eat grapefruit in any of the days that call for low-sugar fruits. Grapefruit is a low-glycemic fruit!
Laura S says
I made the soup on my days off this week and just finished the last of the batch a few moments ago. I added some mushrooms and extra tomato, and it turned out so good. Thanks for sharing the recipe. It brought back such fond memories.
Denise Browning says
Hi, Laura! I am so happy you enjoyed our weight loss soup recipe and have fond memories of it!
GT says
Hi so far I'm in day 2 with just eating leafy greens. Can I put lemon juice in greens. As for low-sugar fruits can I eat apples?
So far so good! not really feeling hungry and soup is great!
Denise Browning says
Hi GT!I am so glad you are enjoying our cabbage soup diet recipe. It is delicious indeed. My husband eats it without being on the diet soup. And yes you can dress your greens with lemon juice. It is low-calorie so it won't alter the results of your diet. As for apples, you can ingest them only but the ideal is you consume a variety of low-sugar fruits because each has different vitamins and amount of fiber. But if you only want to eat apples (they're low in sugar, especially the green ones), prefer small apples over the large ones.
MT says
Hi Thanks so much for information. As I want to loose weight I have to follow the 7 day meal plan, can I have coffee in the morning with milk, stevia?
So for day 2, I can have baby tomatoes and leafy greens (no dressing)? for the peppers, zucchini can I grill them but no dressing?
Day 3 - what is low-sugar fruits and non-starchy veggies?
I would like to start tomorrow and would like to have everything ready!
Denise Browning says
Hi MT! Yes, you can have your coffee with stevia and if possible, unsweetened plant-based milk because it doesn't have lots of carbs. Cow's milk is full fo carbs and calories! Day 2: I know it is hard to not dress your vegetables but you can use lemon or lime juice, and a dash of salt and pepper. Basically, youc an dress your salad/green with anything that is not too caloric. This cabbage soup diet is a low-calorie diet! And yes you can grill your veggies and doesn't dress them if you prefer. Day 3: Low-sugar fruits are apples and pears (both small instead of medium to large), berries, honeydew melon, lemons and limes, stone fruits such as peach and plums, avocado, grapefruit and oranges. As for non-starchy veggies, you cna eat greens, tomatoes, onions, peppers and bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, artichokes, asparagus, green beans, cabbage, celery, cucumber, zucchini, spaghetti squash, turnips, okra, eggplant, heart of palm, and leeks. You have plenty to choose from. Wishing you much success on your 7-day cabbage soup diet plan!
MT says
Hi I'am excited to make this and try it as well. Just have a couple of questions?
Do I include water as well as the 9 cup broth? and also do i have to follow the 7-day meal plan?
Thanks
Denise Browning says
Hi MT! For making this cabbage soup diet recipe, you only include the 9 cups of broth. You may replace broth with water but your soup won't be as flavorful. As for the diet plan, you can make only the soup and have it as a meatless meal, or add some protein to it such as shredded chicken or low-fat ground beef. It is great as an anti-inflammatory and detox soup. Or you can follow the 7-day diet meal plan if your goal is to lose weight and you have no health restrictions. All depends on your goals. There are people that enjoys the soup itself so much that they make the soup but dom't follow the diet. But if you want to lose weight, the 7-day meal plan is a must.
MGS says
I am looking forward to trying this! I was wondering if this week-long diet would be a good way to introduce solid foods after doing a 3-day juice cleanse? Then switching to a more balanced diet for continued weight loss.
Also, does it have to be green cabbage? Or could I do half red cabbage, half green?
Denise Browning says
Hi,MGS! Yes if you want to do the 3-day juice cleanse and switch to the 7-day cabbage soup diet is possible. I have readers that did that successfully. Then you have to do a balanced diet otehrwise you will gain back the weight you lost. Of course, you can't have any healthy problems that prevent you to do those diets such as diabetes among others. Please read both diet before starting. Also, you can use any type of cabbage you want. Their caloric value is about the same.
Mark Dinero says
On my banana and looking forward to it since as of this morning's weight check I am down 7+ pounds. I love the soup and using sriracha chile sauce with each serving makes the soup taste like a ramen soup missing the ramen. I also add whole mushrooms to each serving while heating up and it sort of feels like a chuck of meat. Check in later or should I say on day eight with my final results.
Denise Browning says
Hi Mark! I am so happy you love our cabbage soup diet recipe and is losing a lot of weight. The addition of mushrooms was genius!
Denise Browning says
Wonderful flavor. This soup tastes great whether you are on a diet or not, it is simply a very delicious and enjoyable soup.
Deb says
I made this soup and absolutely love it! Lots of flavor compared to other recipes. Finished the first batch and the second batch is in the pressure cooker as I write this. I use this for a healthy snack. It’s pre-prepared so it’s very convenient and keeps me from looking for other not so healthy things.
Denise Browning says
Hi Deb! I am so happy you enjoyed our wonder soup recipe. I really appreciate your feedback and how convenient you find to have this healthy snack ready to eat when you need.
susan criscuolo says
I was wondering what do I eat for breakfast on day 2 when it’s just veggies?
Denise Browning says
Hi Susan! Day 2 is hard becuase it is only the soup and leafy veggies that one can eat. But yes the entire day youc an only have non starchy veggies (a variety of them) and plenty of water. Things get less restrictive on the following days.