This healthy cabbage soup is a great way to jumpstart a weight loss program or simply to eat on a chilly day. Eating this soup for a week is commonly known as the Sacred Heart Soup Diet, which started in the 1980's. We sharing the soup recipe and the 7 day eating plan!
This original Sacred Heart soup recipe is so filling!
This detox cabbage soup diet recipe was used by Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital and given to cardiac patients prior to surgery as a way to rapidly lose weight.
The recipe is written as it came from the 1980ʼs when it was a popular weight loss soup, and before keto became a thing! My husband has used it to jump-start weight loss many times.
This soup is super easy and delicious, we love to eat it just because it's hearty and super good. As written, it's also low carb and keto friendly.
How it works
During the 7 days of the cabbage soup diet, you're allowed to eat other foods as shown below. Every day you get to enjoy unlimited amounts of the cabbage soup and at least 8 glasses of water each day, in addition to the foods listed below.
- Day 1- Eat fruits, except bananas.
- Day 2- Enjoy a baked potato then other veggies except starchy options.
- Day 3- Eat only fruits and veggies, except starchy vegetables.
- Day 4- Eat bananas, milk, and yogurt.
- Day 5- Eat 6-8 tomatoes and protein like fish, chicken, or turkey.
- Day 6- Eat only protein and non-starchy veggies.
- Day 7- Eat fruit, veggies, and juice.
Ingredients you'll need
This is the original recipe made with Lipton onion soup mix as a starter. Some modern versions replace this soup packet with beef bouillion cubes, dried minced onion, garlic, and seasoning.
- Green onions - The green and whites of the chopped onions.
- Canned tomatoes - Can of diced tomatoes with the juice
- Green cabbage - A whole head of cabbage. Cleaned and with any loose or bruised leaves removed.
- Water - Instead of using water, add more flavor with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock, but it honestly isn't needed since the Lipton Soup will give you the beef flavor.
- Green peppers - Two whole green bell peppers, you could used colored ones like red, orange, or yellow
- Celery - The whole bunch of celery will be needed.
- Lipton soup - Beefy onion flavor is what the recipe calls for, I'm sure you could swap other flavors if you can't find this one
- Dried garlic and basil to taste
- Other seasonings (optional) - salt, lemon pepper, curry powder, parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, bouillon, or hot sauce.
** Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact quantities **
Other ways to make it
Keep in mind if you do make changes, it's not exactly the Sacred Heart soup anymore and shouldn't be used for a detox week. But these are all great options if you just want to enjoy it just because!
- This can be made Without Lipton Soup Mix. To reduce carbs you can use beef or chicken broth instead. Then add other seasonings such as onion flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
- You can add other vegetables like carrots, diced sweet potato, canned or fresh green beans, chicken broth instead of water, or use chicken noodle soup.
- Add more protein with diced up chicken breast, ground turkey, or ground beef.
Kitchen tools
- A large pot or Dutch oven, this makes a lot of soup!
How to make the original cabbage soup diet recipe
Step 1. Slice the cabbage and dice the other vegetables. Add the cabbage, green onions, canned tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, and cans of water to a large pot.
Add the Lipton soup mix, dried garlic, and dried basil to taste. You can also add salt, pepper, curry, parsley, bouillon, or hot sauce if preferred (we usually don't, but you of course can!)
Bring the soup to a boil, then let it cook at a low boil for 10 minutes. Reduce the soup to simmer over low, put the lid on the pot, and continue cooking it until the vegetables are tender, which will take 30-60 minutes.
Adjust the seasonings as preferred. Enjoy!
Recipe notes
- Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. We love to store individual portions into 1 cup portion Souper Cubes.
How many days can you eat this for?
Eating only soup for an extended time can lower your calorie intake, which may not be sustainable especially when it comes to getting the proper nutrients. However, it's common to follow a soup diet for up to seven days to jumpstart your weight loss journey or reset your eating habits.
More healthy soups
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Recipe
Sacred Heart Soup Diet Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 large Green onions
- 1 28 oz cans Tomatoes, diced
- 1 large Green cabbage
- 3 cans Water from the canned tomatoes
- 2 Green peppers
- 1 bunch Celery the whole bunch
- 2 pkg Lipton soup Beefy Onion flavor
- Dried garlic to taste
- Dried basil to taste
- Other seasonings optional - salt, pepper, curry, parsley, bouillon, or hot sauce.
Instructions
- Cut the vegetables into small to medium pieces.
- Add the green onions, canned tomatoes, green cabbage, green bell peppers, celery and cans of water to a large pot.
- Add the Lipton soup mix, dried garlic, and dried basil to taste. You can also add salt, pepper, curry, parsley, bouillon, or hot sauce to taste. Boil the soup for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the soup to a simmer and continue cooking it until the vegetables are tender, which will take another 30-60 minutes. If you want it to have more flavor, adjust the seasonings as preferred. Enjoy!
Notes
- This is the original Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital soup recipe the hospital recommended to overweight patients to rapidly lose weight before surgery. There are other versions out there on the internet but this is the recipe we've been using for over 30 years!
- The full cabbage soup diet plan is in the blog post!
Jodu says
What is the actual measurement/quantity of “3cans” of water?
Jodi says
What is 3 cans of water? In measurement?
Ru Brown says
I used 3 cans water using the 28 oz tomato can. 28x3=84 oz
Lura says
Could you give instructions if I was to use a crockpot?
WholeLottaYum says
Hi Lura, I'd just add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for probably 2 hours. Good idea!