Preheat oven to 450°F. While oven is preheating, begin preparing vegetables. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1" cubes. Trim fennel ends and greens off. Quarter fennel and thinly slice. Combine diced sweet potatoes and fennel in a mixing bowl. Toss with first amount of EVOO, 1 tsp sea salt and 30 to 35 turns of freshly ground black pepper. Transfer fennel and sweet potatoes to a baking sheet and place in the oven for 40 minutes, flipping the vegetables at least once halfway through the cook time.
While veggies are roasting, peel onion and slice into 8ths. Thinly slice. Trim end of cabbage and remove core. Chop cabbage into small pieces. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Once hot, add remaining second amount of EVOO and then sliced onion along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and fragrant but not brown. Add chopped cabbage to onions and cook an additional 6 to 8 minutes, until cabbage begins to soften and reduces in volume by about half.
Transfer roasted fennel and sweet potato to cabbage and onion mixture. Add broth and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil. Once boiling, add dried bay leaf and entire bunch of fresh thyme. Immediately lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and thyme stems (leaves can stay) and serve hot. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Enjoy!
This nutritional information refers to each serving of the entire recipe and not just the products used as ingredients.