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
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I have just made this, and it has to be the best soup I’ve made in a long time. It looks just like yours and tastes incredible. Definitely a regular one!!
I made this soup for lunch for my friend, she loved it. I added leftover veggies as well as what was in the recipe, so tasty.
Have this cooking now for the first time. Smells fantastic.
Have this on the stove now, can’t wait to taste it!
Has anyone frozen the leftovers it with success?
Made this soup for lunch today. Toasted Turkish bread with lashings of butter. Was lovely
Loved this spicy soup, it may become the new favourite in our house. Added some baby spinach.
I forgot to say I added a medium potato diced as well!
Really flavoursome soup! Made as is except I added 1 bullhorn capsicum & 1 red capsicum & halved the cayenne pepper. I only had a Chinese cabbage so added that instead of green cabbage & a sliced zucchini. It was super delicious & obviously very flexible. Will definitely be making this many times over winter 😋
Thanks again Nagi 🙏
Needed a substantial veggie stew for a supper during Lent. Made as per the recipe but added three potatoes, cubed, and two cans of white beans. Maybe an extra cup of stock to balance the additions. Finished with a half bag of baby spinach. This dish is so robust and flavorful. It was fragrant and comforting.
I served this with your Quick Cheesy Garlic Bread. Perfect for dunking in this spicy soup.
My daughter needs her foods puréed. I added a dollop of sour cream to her puréed portion to tone down the cayenne just a touch. I think the puréed version is almost as good as the original, And that bit of tang played well against the smoke and heat.
Nagi, you keep supplying my family with its best recipes! There is something about the way you combine perfect explanation of technique with heart, heart, heart that is so unique and special.
Absolutely delicious. The combination of tomato and fennel is just…*chefs kiss*
The only change I made is adding haricot beans so it would be a substantial dinner. And since I’m not watching my weight I enjoyed it with bread.
The flavor of fennel and tomato together is very nice but overwhelmed by the amount of cayenne and paprika. I didn’t have lemon zest or fresh parsley, but it was still good with lemon juice and dried parsley. Next time I’ll add carbs- a sweet potato, garbanzos or something.
With the boullion I’m using, this is much better with beef than chicken. Cut the cayenne at least by half and use beef stock and this soup goes from 4 to 5 stars.
How has this soup not got more love from people?? It’s super healthy but also super tasty. I make a pot of this and it easily does 3-4 lunches for the 2 of us (although I do add a bit more stock). The cayenne adds a lovely little kick and it’s a warming soup that doesn’t pile on the calories! So yum!
Can you freeze the soup?
Yes I freeze this in little portions for my lunch, I zap for about 2-3 mins to warm through and it is exactly the same as if I just pulled it off the stove 🙂
I’ve made this soup multiple times. Often I use it as a base. I cook it as is when we’re wanting something healthy and not heavy. If I want it more filling, I’ll add some ditalini or beans, sliced zucchini or other veggies. I’ve made it with and without fennel and to me, I like it better with fennel. We have to skip the cayenne because my husband has a baby mouth and can’t handle anything remotely spicy. 😁 It’s simply a versatile soup that gets better every time I make it.
Have just made this soup and seriously looking forward to supper this evening, it smells just wonderful. Thanks Nagi I just love the twist you add to your recipes.
Awesome recipe – got a nice kick to it! Thanks for sharing
This is amazing, I added 1/4 cup of lentils and a little extra water. Would love an opinion on if black beans, chickpeas of a 4 bean mix would be a good addition to this? Just so it’s a bit more filling?
This recipe is really, really delicious and it is now my favorite soup!! I will definitely make this again and again!
Sounds great, but I was planning on making the ww version (again) then came across your blog… And had already bought red cabbage bc my store was out of green. Besides the color, does it work? What do I do with it?! Feed it to the deer? (Can deer eat cabbage?!) Excited to explore your recipes!
Hi Andrea – you can use the red cabbage but as I said in the notes, it will turn the soup purple 💜💜 (but it will still taste good!) N x
Made it…..so, so good. And what a punch!! I don’t know if it was the paprika or cayenne but it was soooo delicious. The fact that’s it’s so healthy is the cherry on top!
Seriously, make it. 🍀