A Healthy Vegetable Soup made extra tasty……this is my version of the famous Zero Weight Watchers Points cabbage soup. It has 0.4 points (let’s round it down to zero!) but it tastes way, way, way better!
A healthy vegetable soup made extra tasty.
Do you know about the zero Weight Watchers Points cabbage soup? Essentially, all you do is put all the vegetables, broth/stock and a dollop of tomato paste into a pot, bring it to a boil then that’s it.
I don’t even need to try it to know that it would be rather bland. I just couldn’t bring myself to make it. So I made up my own version. of a healthy vegetable soup:-)
Yes, mine involves a tiny bit of oil so a soffrito of onion, celery and carrots can be slowly sautéed until sweet which creates a beautiful flavour base for this soup. There is a reason that this is the way that many of the greatest classics in this world start – like Beef Ragu!
In addition to the soffrito, I also sauté oregano and fennel. Much like hot water makes the flavour of cocoa powder “bloom”, sautéing dried herbs and spices really opens up their flavour. If you haven’t tried it before, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
I know fennel may sound like an interesting choice, but the reason I chose it is because I wanted to give this soup a Spanish kick and what better way to give a soup a big flavour kick than to use Chorizo seasonings? 🙂
So that’s why I use fennel. It’s very subtle and not a key ingredient, so skip it if you don’t like or have it.
But if you do buy it especially to use in this recipe (and it costs no more than the usual dried herbs), use the leftovers to make my brother’s epic Sausage Rolls. They are da bomb! – Nagi x
Soup Dippers
Quick Cheesy Garlic Bread • Better-Than-Dominos Garlic Bread • Soft No Knead Dinner Rolls
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Healthy Vegetable Soup (0.4 WW Points) recipe video!
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Spanish Healthy Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
Soup:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
- 2 medium carrots , finely chopped
- 1 large celery stalk/rib , finely chopped
- 2 red capsicums / bell peppers , cut into 2 cm / 4/5” pieces
- 5 cups cabbage , cut into 3 cm / 1.2” pieces (about 400g/14oz)
- 800g / 28 oz crushed tomato
- 3 cups (750 ml) vegetable or chicken broth (low fat!)
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika (or any paprika)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust spiciness to taste)
Finishes (not optional!):
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon – zest + juice to taste
- Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 30 seconds or so.
- Add oregano and fennel seeds, cook for 2 minutes (lets flavour “bloom”).
- Turn heat down to medium low. Add carrots and celery, cook, stirring regularly, for 8 minutes until onion is sweet (not browned). This step is key to the flavour base of this soup.
- Add capsicum, turn heat up to high and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add remaining Soup ingredients, bring to simmer then place lid on. Turn heat down to medium low, simmer for 25 minutes.
- Remove lid, adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Grate over lemon zest, squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle with parsley. Serve!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
When Dozer sings…
Mike says
Made this last night and will be having the rest for lunch today – so tasty!
For anyone that isn’t on a diet you can do what I did and pan fry a sliced chorizo then add to the soup in the last five minutes – mega!!
Nagi says
YUM! I love this idea Mike!
Jayne Knight says
This is an example of when you should video him singing.
x x
LeMoyne Barney says
Nagi, Was thrilled to see this delicious soup recipe. Just back on WW trying to get back on track from the holidays. It is sooo packed with flavor and very filling. Am very excited to see all the healthy recipes coming this month. Our thoughts are with you Aussies during the terrible fires.
Nagi says
Thanks so much for thinking of us here ❤️
Tara says
I am not a fan of bell pepper – what could I use instead in this recipe? Thanks so much.
Nagi says
Hi Tara, you could really use anything! (or just leave it out completely) – N x
Vera G says
thank you, that’s me. right now we are enjoying bit cooler weather and I went on automatic pilot SOUP, and more soup. Having broccoli soup tomorrow. Love Dozer pic.
Nagi says
Enjoy Vera! It’s no where near soup weather here 😂
Dani says
Delicious!!! So happy we found this recipe!! Thank you
Nagi says
Wahoo!
Ted A Hirakawa says
This is a nice simple soup that’s easy to put together. I agree that the mirepoix step was very important but what made the soup special was the smokey depth of the paprika and touch of heat from the cayenne. I paired the soup with with a baguette and nice Reserva Rioja. A crisp Albarino would also complement. This tastes even better the next day!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Ted ❤️
Karen from Sydney says
Nagi, this was amazing. So tasty, and simple to make. Very filling too. Thank you!
Nagi says
Yessss how good is it!!?? It’s my go to diet soup 😉
Jayde Agnew says
This should be called ultra yummy vege Soup! It’s absolutely delicious as are all you your recipes!
Michelle says
Yum! When I saw this recipe and the amount of cabbage I thought it would be bland and watery…how wrong I was. This is one of the most delicious soups ever. Easy and quick to make and tastes divine
Nagi says
I’m so glad you still gave it a go and love it!
Sue Weiker says
Just to earthy and so delicious, you don’t even know your eating healthy. Thanks Nagi. I LOVE your recipe blog. I tell EVERYONE about you.
Nagi says
Woah what a nice compliment – thanks so much Sue ❤️
Jessica says
Nagi I made this soup today for mine and my husbands lunches for the week. It was so good we just ate it for dinner too! So tasty! I used chilli flakes instead of cayenne pepper because that’s what I had and it is deliciously spicy. I love with your recipes that I can make little adjustments to my taste or what ingredients I have and still they turn out fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing.
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved it Jessica! ❤️
Brooke says
AMAZING … So good … thank you for making this “lo-cal” staple … The BEST!!!
Nagi says
Great to hear you enjoyed this one Brooke! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Danielle says
Hi Nagi, love making your recipes they always turn out delicious! My partner cooked this soup but was confused what is one stalk of celery. He chopped the whole bunch of celery! Is it just one rib of celery? Or the bunch
Nagi says
Hi Danielle! We call ribs stalks 🙂 I will update the recipe! N x
Rachel Garcia says
This is the best cabbage vegetable soup recipe I’ve ever made. Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful,flavorful recipe. I follow it exactly as written and it couldn’t be better.
Nagi says
🙌🏻 🙌🏻 LOVE hearing that! Thanks for letting me know Rachel! N x
Stephanie says
Yum! Great soup! I love how your recipes can be adapted to whatever you have in the fridge!!! (I cheated on the points slightly and added a tiny bit of Parmesan to serve, it actually didn’t need it). Thanks!
Nagi says
That’s great to hear Stephanie! So glad you enjoyed it! N x PS Bit of parmesan Is hardly cheating!!
Valerie says
I had the soup cooking this evening in the slow cooker and my husband cooked some beautiful barramundi. So I took part of the soup broth and some vegetables in a shallow bowl and topped it with the barramundi. The result, DELICIOUS. The soup will be for dinner tomorrow night and Thursday night with your poached chicken. Thank you, thank you, thank you Nagi!
Kim says
Made this today …. AMAZING
I added the fennel seeds (i dont like aniseed) and it turned out fine. Also added a tin of kidney beans 😆
Lunches are set for the rest of the week. Xxx
Nagi says
Love hearing that Kim! So pleased you enjoyed this so much! N xx
Tricia says
This definitely was ‘extra tasty’ a really versatile soup and I love the addition of fennel
seeds along with a generous teaspoon on cayenne, really enjoyed it.
Thanks Nagi.
Robin says
Can this soup be frozen?
Nagi says
Yes!