Cabbage Soup (w/ Ground Beef!)

This easy cabbage soup is packed with vegetables and ground beef and is just the thing when you want a light, yet filling, dinner. Simmer it all day in the slow cooker, or make it a quick weeknight meal on the stovetop; instructions for both are included! 

This Hearty Cabbage Soup is My Favorite Way to Warm Up + Reset!

Can I just say that I think cabbage is one of the most underrated vegetables out there? I know kale gets all the hype but I personally love cooking with cabbage! It’s packed with goodness, is generally inexpensive, easy to find in almost any grocery store, and cooks down into a silky, luscious texture.

Plus it pairs well with lots of other ingredients, making it just the thing to add to hearty veggie-packed dinners (hello cabbage & beef casserole) as well a soups like this one. And don’t let the ingredient list fool you. It may look simple at a glance, but the rich tomato broth is so flavorful (and tastes like one of those soups that took you all day to make)!

After you quickly saute the ground beef, this is a very straightforward & hands-off recipe. Like many of my recipes, I’ve kept the prep on this soup super minimal and with a sharp knife, you’ll be able to chop and drop everything else into the pot in no time. As written the soup is deliciously spicy (I love how warming the broth is!) but I’ve included lots of customization options for you below so you can make it work for any palate.

Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Beef Cabbage Soup

Tip: If you love the simplicity of this beef & cabbage soup, you’ll want to try my slow cooker hamburger soup and slow cooker taco soup, too!

Testing Notes: How Customize the Spice Level

As written, this soup is quite spicy, at least we though so in our family. It definitely depends on the spice level of the tomatoes and chilis you’re using, as well as the red pepper flakes (yes, they can both vary in terms of heat)! If you are sensitive to heat, I’d suggest leaving out the red pepper flakes altogether, and using regular diced tomatoes (instead of tomatoes with green chilis). This will make for a very mild soup, and you can always top with red pepper flakes or ground pepper at the end for a tiny bit of heat. For medium heat, skip the red pepper flakes, or reduce to ¼ teaspoon, and use tomatoes with green chilis. And if you’re looking for an even spicier option, you can always add more red pepper flakes into the soup, or finish with the hot sauce of your choice.

5 stars (9 ratings)

Cabbage Soup (w/ Ground Beef!)

Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs

Servings: 4

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Total: 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

This easy cabbage soup is packed with vegetables and ground beef and is just the thing when you want a light yet filling dinner. Simmer it all day in the slow cooker, or make it a quick weeknight meal on the stovetop; instructions for both are included! 

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Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 small green cabbage, cored and roughly chopped
• 2 (15 -ounce )cans diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chilis, (such as Rotel), see notes
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, see notes)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 quart chicken stock

Equipment

• Slow Cooker

Instructions 

Slow Cooker Instructions

• Heat a medium pot over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the olive oil, ground beef, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the onion. Cook until the meat is browned and the onion begins to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
• To a 6-quart slow cooker, add the bell pepper, celery, carrots, cabbage, diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, stock, and cooked ground beef + onion mixture. Give everything a good stir.
• Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or 7-8 on low, or until the vegetables are very tender.
• Uncover, stir, and taste, adding additional salt or red pepper flakes if desired.

Stovetop Instructions

• Heat a large pot such as a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil, ground beef, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the onion. Cook until the meat is browned and the onion begins to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
• Add the bell pepper, celery, carrots, cabbage, diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and stock, stirring to combine.
• Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low, covered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Uncover, stir, and taste, adding additional salt or red pepper flakes if desired

Notes

• Spice Level: As written, this is a spicy cabbage soup. If you are sensitive to heat, leave out the red pepper flakes and use regular diced tomatoes (instead of tomatoes with green chilis). 
• Cabbage: Don’t be concerned if the cabbage fills most of the slow cooker. It will cook down significantly during the cooking process.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 4), Calories: 258kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 746mg, Potassium: 1000mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 5758IU, Vitamin C: 88mg, Calcium: 130mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition disclaimer

Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

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