Vegetable Detox Soup

This vegetable detox soup is nutritious, hearty and absolutely delicious! Packed with veggies and chickpeas, this is the perfect recipe to get back on track with healthy eating.

Vegetable detox soup is the perfect way to give your body a reset and kickstart your healthy eating journey.

It's also an excellent recipe to try if you want to add more veggies, fiber and protein to your diet.

And the good news is that this is not a tasteless cabbage detox soup you need to force yourself to eat.

This is a healthy soup that's actually packed with flavor and has the potential to become one of your favorite soups ever. No exaggerations here!

Why you'll love this vegetable detox soup

• You can easily make it your own by switching up the veggies.
• It's naturally vegan, but you can easily adapt it to your dietary needs.
• It's simply not a boring detox soup - this is a soup you'll actually enjoy!

What goes into vegan detox soup

Olive oil - Sauteeing the veggies in a bit of olive oil infuses them with lots of flavor. If you prefer not to cook with oil, saute them in a bit of vegetable stock instead.

Onion, carrot, celery and parsnip - These veggies are the basis of any good soup! I like to dice them on the smaller side, so they cook quickly.

Zucchini - You don't have to peel the zucchini for this detox vegetable soup but don't forget to give it a good scrub.

Red cabbage - The red cabbage is single-handedly responsible for the pretty purple color of this soup. It contains loads of nutrients while being low in calories, which makes it perfect for a detox soup.

A single cup (90 g) of red cabbage has 2 grams of fiber and 56% of the daily recommended value of vitamin C. It also packs good amounts of vitamins A, K and B6, plus smaller amounts of magnesium, calcium, copper, phosphorus and zinc.

Garlic - Feel free to add as much garlic as you like to this soup.

Herbs - I used a mix of fresh thyme and oregano in this soup. You can also add rosemary if you like. Give it some extra flavor with a bit of turmeric , ginger or ground cumin. To make the soup a bit spicy, add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Chickpeas - A can of drained and rinsed chickpeas adds extra texture and fiber to the soup while also making it hearty.

Vegetable stock - Use low-sodium vegetable stock if needed and adjust the seasoning at the end. If you're not vegan, you can use chicken broth instead.

Lemon juice - This is optional, but I highly recommend it - it adds extra flavor and brightness to the soup.

Kale - Tuscan kale (cavolo nero) has the perfect texture for this soup but any other kind of kale or leafy greens would work.

How to make this detox soup with cabbage

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven and cook the onion, carrot, celery and parsnip for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until softened.

Add the zucchini and red cabbage and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, oregano and fresh thyme and cook for another minute.

Add the chickpeas and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, place a lid on the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in the lemon juice and kale and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the kale is wilted.

Adjust the seasoning and serve.

Leftovers and storage

• This detox soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days so it's a great recipe for meal prep.
• Reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• You can freeze the soup for 1-2 months. Defrost it overnight in the fridge before reheating. Keep in mind that the texture of the veggies may be a bit different after defrosting.

Recipe notes and tips

• Serve this vegan detox soup with extra lemon wedges so everyone can adjust the lemon juice as they like.
• Other veggies you can add to this soup include sweet potato, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, butternut squash, green beans, mushrooms and peas.
• You can add some cooked chicken or a plant-based alternative for extra protein.
• The soup is great on its own but if you want a heartier meal, serve it with a slice of sourdough bread or rye crackers.

If you liked this vegetable detox soup recipe, you might also like some of my other easy vegan soups:

• Red Lentil Potato Soup with Lemon
• Greek Chickpea Soup with Lemon (Revithia)
• Vegan Lentil Soup with Kale
• Polish Sauerkraut Soup (Kapusniak)
• Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup

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