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Whenever I ask my family what they feel like having for dinner on a given week, they always say soup. Which is pretty awesome because soups are easy, can use up whatever I have on hand, and it’s easy to fit in lots of protein and veggies. This beef cabbage soup is one of our faves. It’s super comforting, and somehow both hearty and light at the same time. Let me show you how to make cabbage soup with ground beef, soft veggies, and just 15 minutes of prep time. Make it with me!
Why You Need My Beef Cabbage Soup Recipe
- Beefy, veggie packed meal – This isn’t your average soup! It’s loaded with bold, beefy flavor and tender vegetables, striking a balance of hearty and cozy without feeling too heavy. If you like my hamburger soup and classic cabbage soup, you’ll love this combo of both.
- Easy to make, with hands-off cooking – There’s almost no chopping involved! And you can choose from three (hands-off) cooking options: Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stovetop.
- Perfect for meal prep – My hamburger cabbage soup stores beautifully, making it perfect for weekend batch cooking. I love it for light lunches all week or as a cozy dinner with a healthy salad and cauliflower breadsticks.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for beef cabbage soup with hamburger, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Cabbage – That shortcut I talked about? It’s coleslaw mix, so you don’t have to chop the cabbage! But you can easily chop a head of cabbage yourself and throw in some shredded carrots. Use the extras to make my kielbasa and sauerkraut or cabbage salad.
- Ground Beef – I like 85/15 grass-fed beef, which is flavorful without being too greasy, but use whatever you prefer. And while my recipe is for cabbage soup with ground beef, you can easily make it with ground turkey, pork, chicken, or even Italian sausage.
- Onion – White or yellow onions are my go-to, but red onion will work. You can also saute other sturdy veggies with it, like bell peppers or celery.
- Beef Broth – I love using homemade bone broth, but store-bought beef broth works great too. You can even swap in chicken or veggie broth if needed.
- Diced Tomatoes – I use this kind. You can also use fire-roasted for a smoky flavor.
- Herbs & Spices – Italian seasoning, garlic powder, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Want heat? Add a pinch of cayenne.
- Avocado Oil – For sauteing. Olive oil works, too.
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How To Make Cabbage Soup With Ground Beef
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Saute the onions. Cook them in olive oil until they’re nice and soft. You can do this right in the Instant Pot if you’re using that method, in a pan for the Crock Pot method, or a Dutch oven or large pot if you’re cooking the entire soup on the stove.
- Brown the beef. Turn up the heat, add the ground beef, and cook it until it’s browned and crumbly.
- Add everything else. Transfer the beef and onions to the slow cooker if that’s how you’re cooking, or leave in the pot otherwise. Add the cabbage, tomatoes (with juice), broth, seasonings, and bay leaves.
- Cook it up. Let the beef cabbage soup cook until everything’s tender. A sprinkle of fresh parsley on top is a nice touch, but totally optional!
My Recipe Tips & Variations
- Do you really have to brown the beef and onions? Yes, I highly recommend it, even if you’re using the slow cooker or pressure cooker. It improves the flavor so much, and doesn’t take very long.
- Prefer a softer texture in your beef? A reader told me she cooked it with a little water and it came out softer. Give it a try if you like!
- Want a thicker beef cabbage soup? Add more cabbage or reduce the amount of broth a bit. It’ll feel more like a stew and super cozy for colder days.
- Want it more hearty? Toss in some drained cannellini or kidney beans, or diced potatoes.
- Flavor doesn’t seem quite right? Oftentimes, if something is missing, I find that something is salt! Add a little more and see if this helps. But if it’s too salty, a tablespoon of lemon juice can fix it. I have more tips on adjusting flavor in my vegetable soup recipe — the same applies here.
More Ground Beef Soup Recipes
If you like this hamburger cabbage soup, try one of my other healthy soup recipes with ground beef next:
Beef Cabbage Soup
By
This beef cabbage soup is loaded with hamburger and veggies in a cozy broth. Make it on the stove, in the Crock Pot, or in the Instant Pot!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
Stovetop Instructions:
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Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to brown.
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Add the ground beef. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking apart with a spatula, for 8-10 minutes, until the beef is cooked through.
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Add the cabbage or coleslaw mix, diced tomatoes, bone broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Season with more salt and/or pepper to taste.
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Increase the heat and bring the beef cabbage soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes, until the flavors develop to your liking.
Crock Pot Instructions:
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Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to brown.
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Add the ground beef. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking apart with a spatula, for 8-10 minutes, until the beef is cooked through.
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Transfer the beef and onion mixture to a Crock Pot. Add the cabbage or coleslaw mix, diced tomatoes, bone broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Season with more salt and/or pepper to taste.
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Cook for 5-6 hours on Low or 2-3 hours on High. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Instant Pot Instructions:
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Press the Saute button on the Instant Pot. Add the oil and chopped onions. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to brown.
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Add the ground beef. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Increase the saute temperature to "High". Cook, breaking apart with a spatula, for 8-10 minutes, until the beef is cooked through.
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Turn off heat. Add the cabbage or coleslaw mix, diced tomatoes, bone broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Season with more salt and/or pepper to taste.
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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.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you adjust the flavor and thickness of your soup, or even make it more hearty.
- Store: Cool first, then pour into airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Meal prep: Shred the cabbage (or grab a pre-shredded mix) and cook the onions and beef ahead. Or make the whole soup—it stores great, so I often make a double batch!
- Freeze: Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat: Heat on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in the microwave.
- Note on serving size: 1 cup is a nice amount for a starter before your meal. My family sometimes has this as a light meal by itself and we just triple the serving size!
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I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Beef Cabbage Soup
362 Comments
Ana
0This soup is the best! My daughter who has rufused to eat anything made out of or containing tomatoes for her 20 years ate this and had me make more for her to take to school with her!! That’s a serious win.
Ron
0I always enjoy Corned Beef and Cabbage on St. Paddy’s Day so I thought cabbage soup was worth making.
Rather than a Crock Pot or Instant Pot, I used my heavy Stainless Steel soup pot on the range.
Although a cole slaw mix would be faster, I prefer to buy food that I process, rather than a product that has been chopped and mixed so I definitely recommend a head of cabbage.
I used fresh garlic rather than garlic powder. I sauteed the onion and then added the garlic and sauteed for another minute. I added the ground beef and browned and then carried on with the rest of the recipe.
The soup was fantastic. Who knew cabbage could be that good? The soup is tasty and at 5 grams of carbs per cup, it fits into my Keto diet.
I think I will pick up another head of cabbage.
Judy Nieman
0This is one of my all-time favorite soups. The soup is great on a cold day and it is wonderful because it lasts for several days in the fridge. I added some corn, green beans, and carrots to the soup and it made it so hearty. This soup gets five stars from me!
Sara
0Made this in the instant pot and it was amazing! I went for a full tsp garlic powder and topped with shredded parm. Also paired with the fathead dinner rolls. Delicious!
Holley Adams
0This is a wonderful and filling recipe. I made it in my Instant Pot. While I was browning the meat and onions, I chopped up some raw jalapenos and let them cook in with the meat. If you like a little heat, this is a nice way to add some.
I also made Maya’s 90-second bread, then put it on a cookie sheet to toast in the oven. It makes a nice side for this soup. It’s delicious!
Thank you for the simple-to-make recipe!
Sharise
0This soup is easy and so delicious. I froze some in soup containers making it perfect to grab and go for work. I even shared the recipe with my mom and she is now a fan. I will make this recipe over and over again. Thanks for the super easy, delicious, and fulfilling soup recipe.
Judy Nieman
0I used my Instant Pot. Soup was done in 25 minutes.
Andrea Newmarker
0So good!!! We devoured it and loved so much I doubled next time and froze individually to have whenever I want!
Kara Olson
0Cabbages, cabbages, yum yum yum.
Cheryl
0I love this soup. I make it about twice a year, maybe I should make it more than that.
Except I add carrots, celery, garlic and spinach. It is so so good. Now after reading this I think it’s time for me to make it again. Made my mouth water reading this.
Lorie
0Delicious! And easy to put together! I used fresh head of cabbage and left out italian seasoning. I slow cooked in crock pot. I added a dollop of sour cream on top of each bowl when serving. Will definitely make again!
Nikki Lally
0Love my Instapot and this recipe was all done in it. Instead of hamburger, I used turkey sausage since it is less expensive. Cut up a whole small cabbage head and added some shredded carrots. Love sautéing in my pot. So easy. Kept everything else the same but aðded some frozen collard greens and garlic. So yummy. Did not have alot leftover.
Phyllis
0This recipe has quickly become a favorite in my household. Super easy, inexpensive and so, so tasty!
Franziska
0Now I had to make a couple of changes, although it didn’t way now many servings this makes I’m guessing at least 6 (6 cup of broth..duh). As I cook for one and don’t like leftovers I halved all the ingredients. Change number two: I don’t have a crock lot not any such gadget I cooked it stove top. I started with 30minutes and since I like it sorted cabbage added another 5minutes. It’s like my mom and I have done for ever. Change number three: I didn’t have any hamburger meat but I have ground turkey and pork(which I buy in large ieces and grind myself with my trusty Kitchenaid). ok
And I skipper the tomato, instead I used a whole large onion, quarter it, take a bay leave and two cloves, stick the bay leave to one quarter onion with the cloves. That way you can find both with no problem. Cloves give it a bit of extra spice. Since I have problems getting enough fat every day, I added a tbsp of bacon fat, ( I save it from when I cook bacon) Was a perfect diner which I enjoyed very much, and I only have enough for one more bowl for tomorrow. The only thing that could have made it better would have been a slice of German bread…. aww well old memories.
Allison Tolson
0This was absolutely delicious! I substituted Italian chicken sausage for the ground beef and everyone raved about it! Love your recipes!
Allison Tolson
0This was absolutely delicious! I substituted Italian chicken sausage for the ground beef and everyone raved about! Love your recipes!
Miss Kalandra Petro
0Oh My This looks Absolutely So Delicious & Scrumptious can’t wait to try this / pass it on to others in my circle. Yahoooooooooooooooooo
Mahaley Holl
0Have been living keto for a year now and although not generally fan of cabbage, really enjoyed this recipe! We have our own meats so substituted 1/2grass fed ground beef and 1/2 ground venison. Spice blend was perfect.
JoAnn Tricker
0I made this soup and it was GREAT!!! Definitely a keeper recipe!
Teresa
0Can’t wait to try it yummy