Cabbage soup can be glorious

For a flavor overhaul on a classic ‘diet dish,’ we take on cabbage soup with ginger and garlic

The mere mention of cabbage soup in my household makes my husband a little stressed, and with good reason.

He remembers all too well the cabbage soup diet fad that I talked him into trying before our wedding. To be fair, I wasn’t alone: Everyone was making this magical cabbage soup, and eating it multiple times a day, with the hope of nourishing our bodies while also making them bikinibeautiful. I’m not proud to admit, I was caught up in the hype. But a week or two in, I couldn’t stand the soup for one more minute — the way my apartment smelled like a dirty sock, the taste of the soup itself, and according to my husband, my personality went from general pleasant to downright cranky.

Nearly 20 years later, I decided it might be worth trying to concoct a tastier version of cabbage soup, not as a diet, but just as an addition to our soup rotation. After all, cabbage is incredibly healthy, and I’m definitely a fan of veggie soups to boost nutrition. It took some major convincing To be fair, I wasn’t alone: Everyone was making this magical cabbage soup, and eating it multiple times a day, with the hope of nourishing our bodies while also making them bikini-beautiful. I’m not proud to admit, I was caught up in the hype. But a week or two in, I couldn’t stand the soup for one more minute. for my husband to try any cabbage soup at all. In fact, he didn’t even want it cooking in the house — olfactory memory is powerful. So, I tinkered one week when he was out of the country for work. And I discovered a genius way to sidestep the strong smell and taste of the boiled cabbage of yesterday: leave the cabbage raw. It was so simple, but would it work?

It worked perfectly! The key is to cut the cabbage very thinly, or shred it on a grater or in a food processor. Or, simply buy the slaw already sliced for coleslaw. Whip up a simple vegetable broth with onions, garlic and ginger and pour the steaming broth over the cabbage just before serving. (You could even use store-bought broth and it would be fine.) The cabbage softens just enough to be pleasant — almost noodle-like — but stays fresh, light and tasty, absolutely zero hint of the old boiled soup days. Even though it’s truly delicious (my husband agrees), I’m glad we aren’t stuck eating any cabbage soup for weeks on end.

MELISSA D’ARABIAN VIA AP Cabbage soup made with ginger and garlic broth