A hearty soup that is quick to make, this one pot Beef Cabbage Soup recipe is nutritious and delicious! Works well as a slow cooker soup too with comforting flavors of tomatoes, ground beef and cabbage.
Today’s recipe brings back so many childhood memories. My family’s top choice was Shoney’s. The “kids eat free” is a mighty enticement to weary parents, but what really brought us was Shoney’s ground beef and cabbage soup.
I remember how my Dad would completely bypass the hostess like she didn’t exist to check out the soup bar. If Beef Cabbage Soup was there, his eyes would light up, and he would tell us “Yah, we are eating here.” (As if there was any doubt!) I actually got this recipe originally from someone who worked in the restaurant that developed it.
This is one of those comfort soups that I love to keep around for lunches in the winter like our Chicken Kale Soup, Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup, and Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup. It fills you up while being incredibly delicious and low in fat. While cabbage soup is often thought of as a diet food, this soup is so incredibly delicious, I never think of it that way.
Ingredient Notes
Here is an overview of the ingredients you will need to make this soup.
What I love most about this soup is how forgiving it is when it comes to ingredient measurements. A little more cabbage is fine or a little more beef works great too.
Cabbage: Use green cabbage or mix in some purple for a different color.
Kidney Beans: I find dark red kidney beans to be best and I throw the whole can in the soup, liquid and all.
Whole Tomatoes: You can use whole or diced tomatoes. I usually add them to the pot first and break up any large bits. The whole ones will also break up as you stir the soup during cooking.
Beef Base: For this recipe, I use Better than Bouillon Beef Base. You can substitute 1 bouillon cube for a teaspoon of beef base.
Step By Step Recipe Guide
This recipe is so simple to get great results!
- In a large soup pot over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain off liquid.
- The photograph is a good gauge for how large to cut the veggies. Add all ingredients into the same pot. I use an enameled dutch oven to make soups. The vegetables will release their juices so don’t be tempted to add more water. If the soup is too thick, you can always add water at the end.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for about an hour or until the onion and celery are tender. Serve with oyster crackers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Let it cool completely before putting it into an airtight container and freezing. The soup will keep for about 2-3 months.
You can eat this soup on a low carb diet, but skip the kidney beans if you are following an Atkins or Keto diet. Or you can substitute carrots, green beans, or black beans instead for fewer carbs.
Yes! You can make this in a slow cooker. I love just throwing ingredients together and having it cook like magic without having to tend to a pot on the stove. You’ll want to brown the meat first and add the canned kidney beans in the last 30 minutes so that they don’t become too soft. Cook on high 2-3 hours or low 4-6 hours.
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Beef Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 medium head of cabbage chopped, about 4-5 cups
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 16oz can dark kidney beans
- 2 stalks of celery sliced
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes for the most flavor, I use canned whole tomatoes and rough chop while saving the juice.
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon beef base I use better than bouillon
- 1 cup beef broth
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Oyster Crackers
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, brown the ground beef and drain.
- Add all the remaining ingredients to the beef. For the tomatoes and beans, add in everything including the juice. Bring to a boil and simmer for about an 30 minutes or until the onion and celery are tender.
- Serve hot with oyster crackers on the side.
Lily says
I remember this soup from Shoney’s growing up. Love it!
Heart says
This looks so good! Beef and cabbage is definitely a perfect combo!