Instant Pot Cabbage Soup is the perfect low cost one pot dish, made with fresh cabbage, carrots, celery, diced tomatoes, and spices, ready in under 30 minutes!

For more hearty soup ideas for the fall and winter, check out this Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup and Instant Pot Chicken Stew. 

A ladle scooping instant pot cabbage soup into a bowl.

This Instant Pot Cabbage Soup Recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner when the weather is getting colder, but you don’t want anything really heavy. It’s also really cost effective, because cabbage is around 50 cents per pound (give or take), along with some other simple ingredients. 

You can make this spicy with some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, or a few dashes of hot sauce. Or add some protein with ground beef or turkey, or even add other fresh vegetables. I like to top this with green onions for some fresh flavor, too!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Individual ingredients for instant pot cabbage soup on a table.

Cabbage. I use a regular green cabbage for this recipe because it has a good texture and flavor when cooked. You could also use a savoy cabbage. 

I use either a whole small cabbage, or half of a medium to large cabbage, based on what will fit in the pot.

If you want to cook the rest of the cabbage for later, check out my Instant Pot Cabbage recipe. Or make a double batch and freeze half of it. 

Onion. I’m using a regular yellow onion. You can also use white or a sweet onion like Vidalia for this dish. 

Celery and Carrots. Celery and carrots add some extra veggies and flavor to the soup.

You can also add other fresh vegetables, like green beans or bell peppers. 

Vegetable Broth. I like to use a gluten free vegetable broth. You can also use chicken or beef broth. 

Tomatoes. Use one can of diced tomatoes or stewed tomatoes. If you’re making a spicy version, try fire roasted tomatoes. 

Olive Oil. A few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to help cook the onions and add a small amount of fat to the soup. 

You can also substitute butter or avocado oil. 

Spices. The spices here are pretty simple, just a few cloves garlic, thyme, bay leaves, kosher salt, and black pepper. You can also use Italian seasoning. 

How to Make Instant Pot Cabbage Soup

Step by step instructions for how to make cabbage soup.
  1. Using the saute function of the instant pot, add olive oil, diced medium onion, and celery. Stir for 4-5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Move the onions and celery to one side, and add the minced garlic, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Stir everything together and press the cancel button to turn off the saute function. 
  2.  Add all other ingredients to the instant pot, stirring everything together. Lock the lid into place and close the pressure valve. Set the instant pot on manual high pressure for 5 minutes. 
  3. The instant pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, then the 5 minute timer will start the pressure cook. Once completed, let the instant pot do a 10 minute natural release (don’t do anything for this step, it will automatically happen). 
  4. Once 10 minutes are up, finish with a quick release of the steam valve and let the rest of the pressure release. Remove the lid and serve, adding any additional salt & pepper to taste. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use frozen cabbage for cabbage soup?

Frozen cabbage is fine to use for cabbage soup. If you add the cabbage frozen, I would saute it for a few minutes with the onions to help it defrost. Otherwise, add a few minutes to the cooking time on the pressure cooker. 

What is cabbage soup made of?

Cabbage soup is made of cabbage, diced tomatoes, carrots, onion, celery, and seasoning. You can add other ingredients, like sausage and chicken, or vegetables like green beans or bell peppers. 

Storage

Store this pressure cooker cabbage soup refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Freeze in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a saucepan over medium heat. 

More Instant Pot Recipes

Recipe Variations

  • You can also add extra ingredients like white beans, kidney beans, bell pepper, green beans, or any leftover veggies from the night before. Basically, anything that you’d add to a vegetable soup, you can add here.
  • For a meat option, cook ground sausage using the saute function with the onions.
  • Make an instant pot cabbage soup with potatoes by adding 1/2-inch pieces of gold or red potatoes to the soup.
  • Make this recipe in the slow cooker by adding everything to the slow cooker (after softening the onions), and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
  • You can also add brown rice or white rice for more carbohydrates.
  • For additional spice, use hot green peppers like poblano or jalapeno. Or try using a taco seasoning packet for the main flavor. 
  • Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice for a bright flavor.

Cooking Tips

  • This is a naturally vegetarian soup, just check the stock you’re using if you want it to be vegan cabbage soup. 
  • You can make this recipe with purple cabbage, but everything will turn out purple in color. 
  • If you want some additional tomato for more of a rich tomato broth, add some canned tomato sauce (check that it’s gluten free). 
  • Make this recipe in a dutch oven by following the same instructions, but let the soup simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
A ladle scooping instant pot cabbage soup out of the instant pot.

If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

A ladle scooping instant pot cabbage soup out of the instant pot.

Instant Pot Cabbage Soup

Instant Pot Cabbage Soup is the perfect low cost one pot dish, made with fresh cabbage, carrots, celery, diced tomatoes, and spices, ready in 30 minutes!
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
pressure/natural release: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Russian
Author: Jacqui
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 small cabbage head, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 medium stalks celery, chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 cups vegetable stock
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes, drained (1 can)

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot

Instructions
 

  • Using the saute function of the instant pot, add olive oil, onions, and celery. Stir for 2-3 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
  • Move the onions and celery to one side and add the minced garlic, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Stir everything together and press the cancel button to turn off the saute function.
  • Add all other ingredients to the instant pot, stirring everything together. Lock the lid into place and close the pressure valve. Set the instant pot on manual high pressure for 5 minutes.
  • The instant pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, then the 5 minute timer will start. Once completed, let the instant pot naturally release for 10 minutes.
  • Once time is up, finish with a quick release of the steam valve and let the rest of the pressure release. Remove the lid and serve.

Notes

Click on the time in the instructions to start a timer!
Storage
Store this pressure cooker cabbage soup refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freeze in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a saucepan over medium heat. 
Cooking Tips
  • Use a towel or oven mitt to flip the steam valve open, to avoid any steam touching your hand (it’s hot!)
  • I use a regular green cabbage for this recipe because it has a good texture and flavor when cooked. You could also use a savoy cabbage. 
  • You can also add extra ingredients like white beans, kidney beans, bell pepper, green beans, or any leftover veggies from the night before. Basically, anything that you’d add to a vegetable soup, you can add here.

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal (7%)Carbohydrates: 16g (5%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 7g (11%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 1406mg (61%)Potassium: 442mg (13%)Fiber: 4g (17%)Sugar: 9g (10%)Vitamin A: 4538IU (91%)Vitamin C: 45mg (55%)Calcium: 83mg (8%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Did you make this recipe?Share it on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish and tag #dishingdelish!

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