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Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you had an amazing celebration with friends or family. After all the holiday festivities, it’s time for some healthier detox food. Don’t you think so? If you do, you need this recipe for easy cabbage soup with ground beef – Crock Pot or Instant Pot methods included!
The cabbage soup diet might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of cabbage soup. It was really popular at one point. You’re actually better off including this low carb cabbage soup recipe in a balanced low carb diet, instead.
Let me explain what the cabbage soup diet was about first. Then, we’ll see why there are better options, and how to make cabbage soup the better way…
What is the Cabbage Soup Diet Plan for Weight Loss?
The original cabbage soup diet plan gained popularity in the 80’s and 90’s. It was a fad diet, which I generally do not support. That term alone should tell you that there are issues with it.
But, that doesn’t mean that cabbage soup isn’t great as part of a healthy eating plan. That is a much better way to enjoy it.
For those that want to know, I’ll still go over what the cabbage soup diet involves. You start with a huge batch of homemade cabbage soup, which you can have in unlimited amounts. There are recipes to make it in the Crock Pot, Instant Pot, or the stove top. Also, each day of the week allows certain other foods.
In a nutshell, here is the summary of the 7-day cabbage soup diet:
- Day 1: Unlimited cabbage soup and fruit (except bananas).
- Day 2: Unlimited cabbage soup and non-starchy vegetables. One baked potato with butter or oil.
- Day 3: Unlimited cabbage soup, fruit (except bananas), and non-starchy vegetables.
- Day 4: Unlimited cabbage soup, bananas, and skim milk.
- Day 5: Unlimited cabbage soup, 6 tomatoes, and 20 oz beef or chicken.
- Day 6: Unlimited cabbage soup and non-starchy vegetables, plus 20 oz beef or fish.
- Day 7: Unlimited cabbage soup, non-starchy vegetables, brown rice, and unsweetened juice.
As you can see, it involves a lot of cabbage soup! It’s also far from low carb, especially with the bananas, potatoes, milk, and rice in there. In fact, it much more closely follows the old premise of a low-fat, low-calorie diet.
This is why the original recipe for how to make cabbage soup does not include ground beef. It’s vegetables only, which means lower fat and calories. This is not necessarily a good thing, and is not sustainable. But does it work?
Does the Cabbage Soup Diet Work?
So, does the cabbage soup diet plan work? Yes and no. Let’s talk about the how and why.
The cabbage soup diet works at first, simply because it inadvertently restricts calorie intake. It will happen even with the unlimited cabbage soup and the starches allowed.
The small food selection combined with the volume of soup makes it difficult to eat enough calories to maintain weight. This results in short-term weight loss.
Unfortunately, it does not work in the long term. It’s a way to shed weight quickly in a week, but like any fad diet, most people gain it back quickly.
That being said, a healthy cabbage soup recipe can still be a way to kick start a diet if it helps to motivate you. The diet plan above is not recommended for a keto or low carb diet, though. I think you could modify it if you wanted to, by replacing the starchy foods with low carb ones.
Pros & Cons of the Cabbage Soup Diet
The cabbage soup diet does have some advantages:
- It’s very high in fiber
- It focuses on fresh, real, unprocessed food
- It’s inexpensive and doesn’t require fancy ingredients
- Unlimited cabbage soup means you won’t be hungry
- It works in the short-term
Unfortunately, the disadvantages outweigh the pros:
- Low protein intake leads to muscle loss (source)
- Very low fat intake leaves the body unable to absorb fat soluble vitamins and minerals (source)
- Very low calorie intake can slow metabolism (source) and lead to feeling weak
- Most of the weight loss is from glycogen depletion (water weight) and is temporary (source)
- Many days of the diet are very unbalanced, especially the day of unlimited bananas and skim milk
- It’s pretty boring and bland
- It’s a fad diet and does not work in the long-term
Do you know what’s way better than a (fad) cabbage soup diet? A healthy, low carb way of eating that you can maintain in the long term. Seriously.
What To Do Instead of the Cabbage Soup Diet
I know you want fast results if you’re considering the cabbage soup diet, but what’s the point if it doesn’t last?
Instead, a beef cabbage soup can be a delicious meal for lunch or dinner, without actually following a complete cabbage soup diet.
A long-term plan that you can stick with will get you much better results, and I definitely recommend a low carb diet for that. It will stabilize your blood sugar, keep you satisfied, and still produce results. That is why I created this low carb cabbage soup with ground beef.
The soup fits into other diets, too. It’s paleo, whole 30, and packed with nutrients. It’s just wonderful for the New Year’s resolutions going on right now, or any time you want a lighter meal! It will keep you full and can help you lose weight in a more long-term way.
Meanwhile, there’s no reason to impose the unreasonable restrictions of a fad diet. You can enjoy your cabbage soup with ground beef one day, taco salad the next, and even fathead pizza the day after that. Low carb eating gives you infinitely more flexibility than a rigid fad diet.
So, what about the soup? Is cabbage soup low carb? Yes, it absolutely can be!
Traditional cabbage soup is already moderately low carb, but it lacks fat and protein that will satisfy. And, some of the veggies, like carrots, are a little higher in carbs.
With some modifications, cabbage soup can be an even better fit for a low carb diet. There are multiple variations out there, but with this version you get protein and it’s low carb friendly. You’ll get all the benefits of the original, plus it tastes better and has even more nutritional value, as you will see.
Besides, cabbage soup with ground beef makes a meal that’s both filling and light on calories. Even though calories are not top priority on a low carb diet, you won’t lose weight with it if you eat too many. This cabbage soup recipe lightens up your lunch or dinner without making you feel deprived.
A (Better) Recipe for Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef
This low carb spin on a cabbage soup recipe includes ground beef and bone broth. If you want to know how to make cabbage soup that actually tastes good and satisfies, this is it. And, I’m even throwing in options to use the Crock Pot, Instant Pot, or stove top.
With the meat and healthy fat in there, this soup actually feels like a real meal. And, the nutrient profile is incredible. You’re going to love it.
The veggies in this cabbage soup are a little different from the usual, to keep it low carb. For example, carrots are almost entirely omitted. I say almost, because I used shredded coleslaw mix. This has just a little bit of carrots, but not enough to make the carbs too high.
The bagged coleslaw mix makes this recipe super quick and easy. I love the convenience!
If you would rather buy a whole head of cabbage and chop it up, that’s totally fine. Feel free to throw in a handful of shredded carrots if you go that route, or skip them if you want.
The main advantage of the head of cabbage is it will store in the fridge for a longer time than the pre-shredded mix. That’s something to consider, depending on when you will be making the soup. In general, though, cabbage stores pretty well even in a pre-shredded state, so it shouldn’t be a big issue.
Best of all, cabbage soup with ground beef is way more filling and more nutritionally balanced. It incorporates satiating fat and protein, which helps maintain muscle mass and aids in nutrient absorption.
Don’t worry, it’s still a very effective cabbage soup for weight loss.
The bone broth in this beef cabbage soup makes it even healthier. If you’re not familiar with it, the broth made by simmering chicken or beef bones is packed with collagen, glycine, proline, glutamine, and tons of minerals. These compounds have loads of health benefits for the joints, skin, immune system, and leaky gut, among others (sources here, here, here, here, and here).
Which Cabbage Soup Recipe – Crock Pot, Instant Pot or Stove Top?
There are multiple ways to make cabbage soup with ground beef. There are pros and cons to each method, so you can choose the one right for you.
Keep in mind that you might see cabbage soup recipes like this under multiple names, such as beef cabbage soup, stuffed cabbage soup, and unstuffed cabbage soup, among others. Don’t ask me what the difference is between the last two! 😉
The Instant Pot is the fastest way to cook cabbage soup. It takes just 30 minutes total! It also requires the least cleanup, since you can saute and cook the soup in the Instant Pot only.
The stove top is middle of the road in terms of time. It takes the same amount of time to saute the ground beef, but you’ll need to simmer it for longer. Since it doesn’t require any special tools, it’s a great option if you don’t have a Crock Pot or Instant Pot. The recipe below is for cabbage soup in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot, but the stove top will work just fine, too.
The Crock Pot cabbage soup method is great for preparing in advance. It takes the longest, but the time is hands off. After you saute the beef, let the Crock Pot do all the work for you.
How To Make Cabbage Soup with Hamburger
Okay, so we’ve covered what the original cabbage soup diet was all about, why this cabbage soup recipe with ground beef is even better, and the various methods for cooking.
Now, how do you make cabbage soup with ground beef? It’s easy!
And, all you need are simple, common ingredients. It’s yet another reason I think it’s the best cabbage soup recipe ever.
First, saute the onions in avocado oil. Feel free to use another oil or even grass-fed butter, if you’d like. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. These steps are done directly in the Instant Pot if you’re using that, or otherwise on the stove.
Next, all that’s left is to mix all the ingredients together and simmer the cabbage soup. The remaining things to add include shredded coleslaw mix, diced tomatoes, bone broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and bay leaves.
Either dump these into the Instant Pot, or transfer everything to the Crock Pot. Simmering the soup takes 20 minutes in the pressure cooker or a few hours in the slow cooker. Either way, it takes almost no effort.
That’s all it takes! Whether you’re looking to try a low carb version of the cabbage soup diet, or simply wanting an easy cabbage soup recipe to have as a healthy meal, this one is a must-try. And, I highly recommend the latter option!
More Low Carb Soup Recipes
- Broccoli Cheese Soup – keto and just 5 ingredients!
- Low Carb Vegetable Soup
- Nigerian Spinach Stew
- Green Chili Chicken Soup
Tools To Make Beef Cabbage Soup:
Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Saute pan – You only need this if you’re making the Crock Pot version.
- Crock Pot – My favorite Crock Pot for making cabbage soup with ground beef.
- Instant Pot – A pressure cooker is so convenient for a quicker version of this recipe!
How To Make Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef - Crock Pot or Instant Pot Recipe:
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How To Make Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef - Crock Pot or Instant Pot Recipe
Recipe Video
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- 1 tbsp Avocado oil (or any oil of choice)
- 1 large Onion (chopped)
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1 lb Shredded coleslaw mix
- 1 15-oz can Diced tomatoes (with liquid)
- 6 cups Beef bone broth (or any broth - beef, chicken, or vegetable)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder (or more if you love garlic)
- 2 medium Bay leaf (optional)
Instructions
RECIPE TIPS + VIDEO in the post above, nutrition info + recipe notes below!
Click on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Crock Pot Cabbage Soup - Slow Cooker Instructions
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions start to brown.
Add ground beef to the pan. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking apart with a spatula, for about 7-10 minutes, until the beef is browned.
- Meanwhile, place the remaining ingredients into the Crock Pot.
- When the beef is browned, add the beef and onion mixture to the Crock Pot. Stir to combine. Season with more salt and/or pepper to taste.
- Cook for 5-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Instant Pot Cabbage Soup - Pressure Cooker Instructions
Press the Saute button on the Instant Pot. Add the oil and chopped onions. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions start to brown.
Add ground beef to the Instant Pot. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Increase saute temperature to "High". Cook, breaking apart with a spatula, for about 7-10 minutes, until the beef is cooked through.
- When the beef is done, turn off heat and add the remaining ingredients into the Instant Pot. Stir to combine. Season with more salt and/or pepper to taste.
- Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Press the Manual button and adjust the time to 20 minutes. When cooking is complete, let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then use quick release. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
Video Showing How To Make Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef:
Don't miss the VIDEO above - it's the easiest way to learn how to make Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef!
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
More Low Carb & Keto Support
If you want to know more about how to start a low carb diet, want to substitute sweeteners, need a food list, or need support, check these guides:
Low Carb & Keto Diet Plan
Starter Guide 
Sweetener Conversion Calculator 
Keto Low Carb Macro Calculator 
Low Carb Keto Food List + Printable PDF
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50 Comments
Laura Haggarty
Why does the cooking time on this recipe read as 4 hours when in the directions it says 20 minutes?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Laura, There are two sets of directions for this recipe. The 4 hour cook time is for the slow cooker and the 20 minute cook time is for the pressure cooker. I hope this helps!
Hope Wilson
Hi! I want to make this tonight as part of my keto. If I omit the tomatoes will that take out the 2 g of sugar? I don’t want sugar at all.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Hope, The nutrition info I have provided is aggregate for the entire recipe. You’d need to enter ingredients into an online calculator if you want to omit or modify.
Carol
I made this tonight…it was great! I used beef broth and omitted the bay leaf. It made approximately 12 8oz servings. I figured it to be about 4 carbs per serving. I will definitely make again.
Winky44
Planning to make this in pressure cooker tonight, adding fennel, which I think will complement the Italian seasoning, and give it a “sausage-y” flavor. Love the idea of updating the old cabbage soup diet to reflect new eating trends, and diets that are much more sustainable!
Jean
Hi Maya , I am 73 and i just purchased an instant pot about a month ago. I have made several recipes so far but I made your cabbage soup yesterday and it was absolutely great. I used whole cabbage instead of the package and this recipe is so easy and quick. I would recommend to anyone who wanted a fast and delicious meal. Thanks
Barb
Should the ground beef be drained after cooking before adding the other ingredients? I tried another low carb recipe with ground beef and the recipe didn’t specify and it was super greasy.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Barb, I use 85/15 beef and don’t find the need to drain it (especially if you cook it at high enough heat so that it browns instead of steaming), but you can drain it if you want to.
Renee
Barb if you’re following a ketogenic diet you don’t have to drain the beef since your objective is the higher fat grams. But if it is a taste preference you can drain prior to adding the rest of the ingredients
Barb
Please don’t forget that your instant pot is a slow cooker as well. Saute and brown in the stainless inner pot, then use the slow cooker lid and program for the time with one touch. Though most of the time, quicker us better, occasionally there is the need to slow cook. The instant pot does it all. Can’t wait to make this recipe! All of my favorite ingredients here….
Denise Cyr
Can we freeze the soup?
Wholesome Yum
Hi, Denise — definitely!
Destinee
I’ve made several different types of cabbage soup and this one is my favorite. I just add a bit of Greek seasoning and some shredded cheese. So quick so easy and so good.
Nicole
How do I calculate the 21 day fix container count for this recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Nicole, I think you’d have to measure the ingredients in the containers before using them in the recipe, then divide by the number of servings the recipe makes.
Maria
Hello Maya,
I do similar cabbage soup every Sunday for my week’s dinner, I lost a lot of pounds and I sleep better since doing this, 2 1/2 – 3 hours after I have kefir or a cup of hot skim milk with cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of honey and I sleep like a baby. Sometimes I cook with chicken (breast and organic chicken broth), beef bone and meat, but never I tried with ground beef, I will do it this weekend and try it, looks very delicious too. And I put some mushroom for more protein, put cumin when I finish cooking the soup. Thank you for your recipe.
ThereseCup
I had a stroke and have a clogged artery in my brain so I have to really watch my fat intake, do you drain the fat out of the ground meat??????
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Therese, I don’t drain it since I follow a low carb high fat diet. But feel free to drain the fat if that fits your diet better!
Robin L Magers
This was amazing!!!
Pris
What other keto-friendly veggies could you put in this? 🙂
This looks awesome and I can’t wait to try making it!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Pris, Here is a full low carb food list with all the low carb veggies.
Ira
Hello Maya,
Thank you for sharing your great recipes. Have a question about this one though. I make my own bone broth, so that means, very often I end up with cooked beef that I am not sure how to utilize. Do you think I can add to the soup instead of raw beef and adjust the cooking time? Or perhaps you have other ideas on how I can use it instead?
Thank you
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Ira, Yes, you can definitely add cooked beef to the soup if you already have it.
Valerie Baker
Just curious how you got 14, 1 cup servings? with the 6 cups of broth, where are you getting the other 8 cups from? I know the coleslaw mix and beef and onions is not 8 cups. seem like this is misleading for your nutrition, when you enter all those ingredients in my fitness pal it is a lot more carbs than what you listed, and I used a head of cabbage not a mix that has carbs from carrots as well as only using half an onion. I came out with 10 1 cup servings, a lot more calories and more like 6 g net carbs. cabbage has a lot of sugar in it as well.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Valerie, I always measure how much total I get, and I got 14 cups. The volume comes from the broth, beef, tomatoes, and onion. It’s hard to say why you got less without being in the kitchen with you. I hope you liked the soup otherwise.
Barbara Foster
I have the premade coleslaw but it has red cabbage as well as the green cabbage..will it make any difference to the taste?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Barbara, That’s totally fine – it will still taste good!
Karla
Making this tonight for the whole family. My hubby and toddler don’t eat low carb so I’m steaming some rice on the side so that they can turn theirs into more of a stew/casserole consistency.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Great idea, Karla! Thanks for stopping by!
Lorraine Bjorklund
I’m confused as to how much time I should be cooking the cabbage soup on top of the stove. The recipe has the time for the crock pot but not stove top.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lorraine, It’s a Crock Pot or Instant Pot recipe. I haven’t explicitly tried it on the stove top, but you can try about an hour.
Jane smith
Is it ok to freeze the cabbage soup?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jane, Yes, absolutely!
Joni
Could you add green beans to the recipe and it still be low carb and calorie?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Joni! You can definitely add green beans, but they are technically a legume so they will add some carbs. Let me know how you like it! Thank you!
David Haskell
Did I miss something? I fail to see one of the primary ingredients in your recipe “Cabbage”.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi David, The recipe uses pre-shredded coleslaw mix for convenience, which is primarily cabbage. You can chop the cabbage yourself if you prefer, though.
Erin
What size package of coleslaw mix?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Erin, It’s 1 lb coleslaw mix.
Keilla
Love, love this soup! So easy to make! I will definitely make more and freeze it!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Keilla!
Pat
Looks and sounds good but what is the serving size?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Pat, the serving size is one cup of soup.
Michelle
I made this as written (except doubling it) this week and it was delicious! Thank you! This was perfect for this freezing cold first week of 2018!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Michelle!
Lindy Lewis
I tried this recipe today on the stove using stew meat instead of ground. It’s still simmering away but is already absolutely delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Lindy! I’m sure it would be awesome with stew meat, too!
Lindy Lewis
I also added some granulated Swerve. I like cabbage soup a little on the sweet side. It’s a terrific recipe though.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Interesting idea, I haven’t tried that yet!