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When I need to get back on track after a stretch of indulgence, I turn to simple, nourishing recipes like this Slow Cooker Bean and Cabbage Soup. It is hearty, budget-friendly, and naturally low in calories—a true Weight Watchers friendly recipe that works perfectly with the old Simply Filling Technique.
Did you know that studies show eating a bowl of chunky, broth-based vegetable soup before a meal can help you feel satisfied with fewer calories overall? That’s why soups like this are one of my favorite strategies for maintaining weight loss.
So much so that I even wrote a best-selling eCookbook of Slimming WW friendly soup recipes!
This cabbage and bean soup is easy to make, packed with fiber and protein, and perfect for busy days when you want something healthy and filling simmering in your crock pot.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy slow cooker soup: Just add everything to your crock pot and let it simmer until rich and flavorful — no babysitting required.
- Healthy and Weight Watchers friendly: Low in calories and points, this bean and cabbage soup is naturally high in fiber and filling.
- Budget-friendly ingredients: Made with beans, cabbage, and pantry staples, it’s a frugal meal that doesn’t skimp on taste.
- Flexible and customizable: Use your favorite beans, add extra spices for heat, or stir in a little lean ham or turkey sausage for more protein.
- Perfect make-ahead meal: This soup reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day, making it great for meal prep or weekly lunches.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cabbage: Green cabbage works best, shredded or chopped into bite-size pieces. Shortcut: a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix works perfectly and saves prep time. Napa or Savoy cabbage can also be used for a milder flavor.
- Beans: Cannellini beans are classic, but you can substitute pinto, black beans, kidney beans, or even chickpeas depending on what you have on hand.
- Onion and garlic: Add depth and savory flavor to the broth.
- Carrots and celery: Traditional soup vegetables that bring sweetness and texture.
- Tomatoes: Use canned diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes for body and richness.
- Vegetable or chicken broth: A light broth base keeps the soup flavorful but low in calories.
- Seasonings:
- Basic: Salt and black pepper.
- Herbs: Dried thyme, oregano, basil, parsley, or a bay leaf. Italian seasoning works as an easy all-in-one option.
- Warm spice: Smoked paprika or ground cumin for a deeper, earthy note.
- Heat: Crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, or a dash of hot sauce if you like it spicy.
- Optional protein add-ins: Stir in chopped cooked ham, smoked turkey sausage, or shredded chicken if you want a heartier version.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Slow Cooker Method (ideal size: 4- to 5-quart)
Prep and purée. Gather and prep your ingredients. Rinse and drain the beans. Purée 1 can of beans with a splash of water (or broth) in a blender (affiliate link) or food processor (affiliate link) until smooth.
Load the cooker. Add the bean purée to the slow cooker, then stir in the remaining whole beans, cabbage (or a bag of coleslaw mix), onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes (with juices), broth, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Cook. Cover and cook 4–6 hours on HIGH or 6–8 hours on LOW, until the vegetables are tender and flavors meld.
Finish and season. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning. Add crushed red pepper for heat and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to brighten. If using cooked ham or smoked turkey sausage, stir in during the last 20–30 minutes to warm through.
Coleslaw mix tip: For more bite, add the bagged mix during the last 1–2 hours on LOW (or last 30–45 minutes on HIGH) instead of at the start.
Stovetop Method (optional)
- Sauté (optional). In a large pot, lightly sauté onion, celery, and carrots 3–4 minutes.
- Purée and build. Purée about 1 cup of the beans with a splash of broth; add to the pot with the remaining beans, cabbage (or coleslaw mix), tomatoes (with juices), broth, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Simmer. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook 25–35 minutes until cabbage is tender. Finish and season as above.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Bean swap: Cannellini beans are traditional, but pinto, black beans, kidney beans, or chickpeas also work well.
- Cabbage shortcut: Save time by using a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix instead of chopping fresh cabbage.
- Seasoning ideas:
- Keep it simple with salt and pepper.
- Add dried thyme, oregano, basil, or parsley, or Italian seasoning for an herby touch.
- Drop in a bay leaf while it cooks for extra depth.
- Stir in smoked paprika or cumin for a warm, earthy flavor.
- Spice it up with crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, or hot sauce.
- Protein boost: For a meatier version, stir in chopped lean ham, smoked turkey sausage, or shredded chicken during the last 20–30 minutes of cooking.
- Finishing touch: A splash of lemon juice or vinegar at the end brightens the flavors.
- Meal prep friendly: This soup tastes even better the next day and freezes well for up to 3 months.
WW Points and Nutrition
According to my calculations, each 1-cup serving of soup has about 198 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
5 WW PointsPlus (Old plan)
Serving Suggestions
- Light lunch or casual supper: Enjoy a steaming bowl of this bean and cabbage soup with a slice of whole grain bread or a piece of crusty baguette for dipping.
- Pair with salad: Serve alongside a fresh salad such as my Chopped Greek Salad or Quinoa Tabbouleh for a balanced, low point meal.
- Soup and sandwich combo: Try it with my Veggie Hummus Pita Sandwich or Classic Southern Fresh Tomato Sandwich when tomatoes are in season.
- Vegetable boost: Add roasted vegetables or a tray of oven-baked broccoli or cauliflower to round out the meal.
- Meal prep option: Portion into containers for quick, healthy lunches throughout the week — this is one of my favorite WW meal prep soup recipes because the flavors improve overnight.
If you like this vegetarian low fat Slow Cooker Bean and Cabbage Soup, be sure to check out my other Weight Watchers friendly soup recipes including: Easy Baked Bean Soup, WW Vegetarian Chili, Quick and Easy Chicken Salsa White Bean Soup, and WW Classic Zero Point Garden Vegetable Soup (AKA WW Cabbage Soup)
If you’ve made this Crock Pot Cabbage Bean Soup, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Slow Cooker Bean Cabbage Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) white beans (cannellini or great northern), rinsed and drained
- 4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (affiliate link)
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Optional seasonings to taste , (I like Italian Seasoning. See Recipe Notes for more ideas)
Instructions
- Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-Quart.
- First puree 1 can of the beans with a little water in your blender or food processor (affiliate link).
- Combine the pureed beans and remaining ingredients in your slow cooker.
- Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 6 hours on HIGH or 6 to 8 hours on LOW.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Recipe Additions and Variations
Different Beans – use whatever beans you prefer – pinto, black, red, black eye peas, refried – or a combination. Seasonings:- Basic: Salt and black pepper.
- Herbs: Dried thyme, oregano, basil, parsley, or a bay leaf. Italian seasoning works as an easy all-in-one option.
- Warm spice: Smoked paprika or ground cumin for a deeper, earthy note.
- Heat: Crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, or a dash of hot sauce if you like it spicy.
- Sauté (optional)
In a large pot, lightly sauté onion, celery, and carrots 3–4 minutes. - Purée and build
Purée about 1 cup of the beans with a splash of broth; add to the pot with the remaining beans, cabbage (or coleslaw mix), tomatoes (with juices), broth, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. - Simmer
Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook 25–35 minutes until cabbage is tender. Finish and season as above.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: Adapted from Weight Watchers Momentum Healthy Cooking Basics (affiliate link)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze bean and cabbage soup?
Yes. Let the soup cool completely, then portion into freezer-safe containers. It will keep up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
What beans work best in cabbage soup?
Cannellini beans are traditional, but kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, or chickpeas all work well. Use what you have on hand.
How can I make this soup spicier?
Add crushed red pepper flakes, a chopped chili, or a dash of hot sauce while cooking. Smoked paprika or cumin also adds warmth and depth.
Can I make this soup ahead?
Definitely. In fact, this soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors blend. It’s perfect for meal prep and reheats beautifully.
More Lightened Up Weight Watchers Soup Recipes
If you enjoyed this hearty bean and cabbage soup, here are a few more WW friendly soup recipes you might like:
- Warm up with my Favorite Weight Watchers Cabbage Soup Recipes — a roundup of classic zero point cabbage soups and flavorful variations.
- Try my Easy Corn and Black Bean Soup when you want a quick, protein-packed vegetarian soup.
- For something creamy but light, make Skinny Potato Leek Soup — simple ingredients, big flavor.
- My Spicy Red Lentil Soup is full of fiber and flavor, and naturally vegetarian.
- Cozy up with WW Vegetarian Chili — a filling slow cooker favorite loaded with beans and veggies.
- Or make a batch of Healthy Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone, a classic Italian-inspired soup that’s perfect for meal prep.
…and if no slow cooker – do you have on top of stove instructions? TIA
Hi Elyce, I’ve only made this soup in the slow cooker. If I were to make it on the stovetop I would simmer it, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender. This should take 30 to 40 minutes, give or take. Hope this helps. ~Martha
I had a half head of cabbage in the “use it or lose it” phase. The other ingredients are those I always have in my pantry or fridge, so making this was an easy decision. This soup is very easy to throw together. I was very happy with the results. It was delish. I was concerned it would be “too cabbage-y” like some cabbage soups I’ve had. This reminds me more of a bean with bacon type soup (in all the best ways). At my DD’s suggestion I did add a touch of liquid smoke. Hearty but not heavy, I’ll definitely keep this in my cook book app.
Glad you liked it. Love the idea of adding a little liquid smoke. Thanks for sharing.
I would use some of the broth instead of water to add to the blender/food processor to puree the beans if not using refried beans.
Thanks Dee!
Delicious! I had 2 cups worth in one sitting. Mmm!
Great to have with a sandwich keeps me full all day.
I put some spicy chili sauce in with it to make it a little more zesty.
I would like to use dried beans instead of canned. Is soaking them overnight good enough or should they be cooked for a while before using in recipe?
Hi Carol, I’ve never made this soup with dried beans, but I have cooked dried beans in the slow cooker. In my experience with my slow cooker they can take 8-10 hours on low to become soft and tender. So, I would cook them until partially tender before adding them to the soup. You could also just plan to cook the soup longer, but you risk the other vegetables getting too soft/overcooked waiting for the beans to be tender. Hope this helps. ~Martha
I have cooked this soup and it is wonderful. Will do it again.
Love it! I used chili ready diced tomatoes this time.