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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
Beth M
0I decided, on this winter day, to make this soup. It was FANTASTIC!!! All of the flavors meld together so nicely and everyone in the house loved it. Thanks again for a recipe to keep!!
Yvonne Wilkins
0Made this cabbage soup. Used sliced italian sausage instead of ground beef. Have made it with ground beef in the past and prefer the sausage. Made enough for the neighbors to have some and they loved it too. Did not tell them it was a Keto recipie! So quick and easy to make with the package of pre shredded cabbage!
Crystal Johnroe
0I made this recipe yesterday. It was delicious! I have made many cabbage soup recipes over the years but nothing compares to this.
Chrisann
0I always have cabbage on hand…so delish I make brown butter cabbage frequently. This is such a great tasting soup! Just made a little tweak and left out the tomatoes (didn’t have any) and used chicken bone broth (don’t like beef bone broth). Thank you!
Cheryl Stephen
0I found the soup easy to make. I made mine using a instant pot. I did a taste test and found the spices nicely blended. My husband had me add a little bit more salt. I will be freezing this to have on a later date. I like have soups ready to have on busy days.
I give this soup a thumbs up.
Breanne
0We made this recipe today! My five children and I are vegan so I put an alternative-meat sausage in mine with the potatoes, cabbage, and onions…. though frankly, we just love the cabbage, onions, and potatoes as a soup by themselves with all of the herbs and vegetable broth. So yummy, lightweight and warming on a chilly day! So much so, I don’t even have leftovers… 🙂
Mary Lilly
0Made it for a second time since we loved the first one so much. Again made it with spicy Italian sausage and italian spices. It has become our new favorite especially on these cold days here.
EstherA
0I love cabbage soups, or cabbage in any soup! Because I’m alone I cut the recipe in half and of course made my changes! Beans in place of hamburger, about 1/3 cup tomato sauce from the freezer and chopped regular cabbage. In the past, I used bay leaves quite often, but for some reason I’d forgotten about them and was glad of the reminder. I guess it should be called Bean and Cabbage soup now!
Lori Grajek
0The cabbage soup smelled and tasted yummy! My only mistake was using low sodium broth so hubby thought it was bland. When we had it the next day I added fresh garlic and more salt plus the flavors had blended. Really good! Husband liked it second time. It was easy to make and quick using coleslaw bag. I’ll be making this again!
Katy Smith
0I make deconstructed egg roll with out wrappers monthly and this is similar with more of an Italian take. I added some garlic and Italian seasoning and it really added the zing my family wanted. Great fast make and forget till dinner meal for families on the go!!!
Tatyana
0Looks simple enough. Going to try this soon!
Fran adkins
0Being polish and German we ate cabbage soup alot…only we also used sauerkraut and never any tomato paste..we also used pork not beef. I have to give this one a C- sorry
Denise
0This soup is delicious! Super easy to make, came together in a snap, which was super for a weeknight meal! Used the multi-cooker, so was a one pot wonder…sautéed the onions and brown the beef, then chg setting to slow cooker amd toss everything else in. Two hours later, dinner was ready!
Reminded me of deconstructed cabbage rolls. Yum!!
Kit Sloan
0I have made a similar soup, but came across yours! Using coleslaw mix and different seasonings were a game changer!!! Delicious!!! I’m sure it is now a favorite for us! Thank you!
Shari Comeaux
0I had left over beef and ground pork and cabbage after making cabbage rolls. My family rolled their eyes and expressed doubt about the proposition of my making cabbage soup. They enjoyed the soup as much as the cabbage rolls and came back for seconds.
Amy Siefker
0I love soup and finding a keto soup recipe has been a challenge. I decided to try this soup despite the fact I don’t love cabbage. I doubled the meat using half hamburger and half Italian sausage, added 2 additional cups of beef bone broth and sauted some garlic with the onion. This turned out to be a great soup with plenty of protein fitting perfectly into my keto(ish) diet!
Lisa
0I made this tonight using the instant pot method. I used hot Italian sausage & added some celery, zucchini & cumin. We thought it was delicious & a very versatile recipe! Will make again!
Cindy
0I have been wanting to make soup and this recipe was easy and delicious. Added some celery and green beans as well. Perfect meal on a cold winter night. Will be making this regularly! Love it!!
Estee Poleson
0Made this today. I cannot eat beef, so I subsituted fresh crab meat. It was so easy to make and tasted great. I will definitely make it again. I used chicken broth in place of beef. I cooked it in the crackpot. I enjoy all of Mayas recipes, just a few ingredients and meals tastes great.
Bonnie Frick
0I forget when you first posted this recipe but it is a favorite. I make it about once a week in the instant pot. I have a small instant pot so I use a small coleslaw bag an one box of broth so it fits. Other than that I follow the recipe. It is so good my husband wishes it was always in the fridge ready to heat up.