Ground Beef Cabbage Soup is an easy and comforting one-pot recipe with tender beef, rich tomato, and other veggies. Ready in just a half-hour!
This simple Soup Recipe is similar to Cabbage and Weight Loss Cabbage Soup. The main difference is that this Cabbage Recipe has the addition of delicious ground beef to make it even more flavorful and hearty.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Ground Beef Cabbage Soup Recipe
Ground Beef and Cabbage Soup is a tried and true weeknight meal, especially in the fall and winter when you’re craving something comforting and warming. On top of keeping you warm, it’s budget-friendly and easy to make. Once you’ve browned the beef and onion, you just have to let the ingredients simmer together on the stovetop for about 20 minutes. I’ve also included Slow Cooker and Instant Pot versions so you can pick the most convenient option!
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef: The 85/15 ground beef gives the soup beef flavor without making it too greasy. If you prefer, ground turkey or chicken can lighten things up.
- 1 Yellow Onion, chopped: I’m using yellow onion, but you can use red onion or white onion if that’s what you have available.
- 8-ounce Tomato Sauce: The tomato sauce adds a savory, tangy flavor and can be replaced with a quarter cup of tomato paste with an extra quarter cup of water if needed.
- 4 cups Beef Broth: I like beef broth because it enhances the rich beefy flavor of the soup.
- 4 cups Cabbage, cut into 1-inch chunks: I use regular green cabbage, which is traditional. You could try Napa cabbage, but I would not use red or purple cabbage.
- 2 Carrots, sliced: Fresh carrots are great to add to this soup. They add color, nutrition, and that delicious sweet carrot flavor.
- 2 stalks Celery, sliced: Celery is a classic aromatic base for soups. It adds a sweet, earthy flavor similar to anise or fennel, just not as strong.
- 14 ounces Diced Tomatoes, undrained: Keep the juice from the can. If needed, whole canned tomatoes chopped up work, too—just keep the juices!
How to Make
Time needed: 30 minutes
- Heat the Pot
Add a little oil to a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat, warming until it shimmers.
- Cook Beef and Onion
Add the ground beef and chopped onion, season with salt and pepper. Break up the meat as it cooks until the beef is browned and onions soften, about 6–8 minutes.
- Add Liquids and Vegetables
Stir in the tomato sauce, beef broth, cabbage, carrots, celery, and diced tomatoes with their juices. Mix well.
- Bring to a Boil, Then Simmer
Let the mixture come to a full boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Serve
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then ladle into bowls while hot and enjoy.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef , (85/15)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 4 cups beef broth
- 4 cups cabbage , cut into 1 inch chunks
- 2 carrots , sliced
- 2 stalks celery , sliced
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes , do not drain
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large pot or Dutch oven on high heat.
- Add ground beef, onion, salt, and pepper, breaking it apart as you cook it until browned, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add in the tomato sauce, beef broth, cabbage, carrots, celery, and diced tomatoes then stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes until cabbage and carrots are tender.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note: A Healthy Soup!
I love that Beef and Cabbage Soup is both wonderfully comforting and pretty healthy, full of nutritious veggies plus protein from the beef. It is similar to my Stuffed Cabbage Roll Soup with a few swaps. Instead of the rice normally in cabbage roll soup, I bulked it up with more veggies, adding carrots and celery. This keeps the soup gluten-free and low-carb while still being filling and hearty. It’s a reliable recipe in my fall menu rotation because it is cozy and warm, fuels us for our busy schedule, but is still light and healthy to balance all the rest of our more indulgent holiday meals.
Can This Be Made Ahead?
Absolutely, this soup’s even better the next day! Make it ahead, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. The flavors meld in the fridge overnight, making leftovers fantastic. Just reheat gently on the stove or microwave until hot.
How to Store
- Store: Once the soup is cooked, enjoy it hot. Don’t leave it sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Once the recipe cools, seal it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. If properly stored, the leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: This is also a great recipe to make a double batch and freeze some for a few months later. You can keep the soup in the freezer for 2-3 months, stored in a freezer bag or other airtight container. When you’re ready to eat it, let the recipe thaw in the fridge overnight. Then reheat it in a Dutch oven or other large pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
Alternative Cooking Methods
Slow Cooker
- Add oil to a large skillet over high heat. Then, toss in the ground beef, salt, pepper, and chopped onion.
- Brown the beef on all sides while breaking it apart.
- Once browned, add the beef and onion to the crock pot.
- Chop the cabbage, carrots, and celery.
- Pour the beef broth, tomato sauce, cabbage, carrots, celery, and diced tomatoes into the crock pot.
- Stir all the ingredients together in the slow cooker.
- Cook the soup on high for 4 hours until the carrots are cooked through and tender.
Instant Pot
- Set your instant pot to sauté mode and add some olive oil to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, and chopped onion to the instant pot and sauté on all sides until browned.
- Pour the beef broth, tomato sauce, cabbage, carrots, celery, and diced tomatoes into the instant pot with the beef.
- Seal the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Quickly release the pressure from the instant pot and serve.
Frequent Questions
Vegetable broth or chicken broth will do in a pinch, though the flavor will be less beefy. Add a splash of soy sauce for depth if using vegetable broth.
I like to aim for roughly 1-inch chunks. That way, they are large enough to hold texture while simmering yet small enough to fit nicely on a spoon.
I only drain if using higher-fat ground beef to avoid greasy broth, but lean beef doesn’t usually need it.
Substitute with V8, leftover pasta sauce, or even crushed tomatoes. Each will give a slightly different flavor!
Variations
- Ground Meat: If you don’t want to use beef you can swap it out for ground turkey or ground chicken. I would use 2 tablespoons of oil if you are using leaner ground meat to add more flavor.
- Chuck Roast: Instead of ground beef, try adding chuck roast. Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces and brown them well on all sides for 2-3 minutes. You may need to increase the cooking time by about 10 minutes to fully cook the beef and make it more tender.
- Corned Beef: Make Leftover Corned beef and Cabbage soup for St. Patrick’s Day! Instead of the ground beef, use shredded cooked Corned Beef. Cook the onions in 2 tablespoons of oil until softened, then add the cooked beef shreds and follow the rest of the recipe as usual.
- Rice: Stir in 2-3 cups of cooked rice, either white rice or brown rice, during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Seasonings: This simple cabbage soup is great for experimenting with different flavors and seasonings. Add herbs and spices like bay leaf, oregano, thyme, curry powder, cumin, or Italian seasoning. Use fire-roasted tomatoes for a smoky flavor. Add minced garlic to your aromatics, stirring it in after the onions are softened and cooking for 30 seconds before finishing the recipe as usual.
Related Recipes
More Healthy and Delicious Soups
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
This soup is always a hit!! I season to taste with salt, coarse ground pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning. So delicious!
Love your seasoning ideas Mary and glad you enjoyed the soup.
I really enjoyed this recipe. I added par boiled string beans to stew. I serve it with slices of a hot link for some occasional heat. I also tried using chuck roast, but original ground beef was better.
Appreciate your feedback Vince and thanks for the five star review!
This soup is absolutely delicious. The flavors meld together wonderfully. It tastes like it simmered for hours, but it’s ready in minutes!
So nourishing & comforting!
Appreciate the kind words and five star review, Susan!
I have onion and cabbage but no fresh veggies, could I use a can of mixed veggies?
Home Cooks are known for getting creative so yes you can! Let us know how your soup turns out Misty!
Very delicious
So glad you enjoyed the soup and thanks for the five star review!
I made this tonight, and it was super easy using a frozen blend of onions, celery and green and red peppers, along with a bag of angel hair coleslaw mix. Also added a 7 oz bag of macaroni. I forgot the carrots so will use those next time. Very tasty on a cold night.
Sounds yummy Lisa and thanks for the five star review.
This is very yummy. I didnt have tomato sauce or beef broth so I substituted some home made canned salsa and fresh tomatoes. For the beef broth I used 4 cups of water and 4 tablespoons of soy sauce. I also cubed some potatoes to beef it up. It came out great!
Sounds so good especially now that it’s nippy outside! Thanks for your great ideas Megan and for the five star review!
I made this yesterday and it turned out quite well. I added roasted garlic powder, extra pepper, and used fire roasted tomatoes.
An excellent fast and healthy alternative to fast food. I added some chili sauce and a bit of salsa. I love this recipe. Thank You.
This turned out fabulous!!! I did add one large diced potato, a small amount of cumin and garlic. My husband said the broth was the bomb. Will definitely make this again.
Great to hear Amy! Thanks for the five star review.
Delicious only change is that I softened the cabbage in some bacon fat.
We love all things bacon in our home Beverly! Sounds delicious and thanks for the five star review!
I made enough for my neighbor and myself plus froze some. It turned out delicious and today I’m going to add some kale thats been in the freezer for a little extra. I live in HOT FL. and I could eat soup everyday.
Good for you Elizabeth and thanks for the five star review.
I just tried this a couple of days ago and it’s DELICIOUS!!! Did not have to add any other seasonings. Also had mine with Kings Hawaiian Rolls YUM!!
Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome Fredia and thanks for the five star rating!
Has anyone tried adding potatoes
I want to try this tomorrow! My brother makes it and he can’t be bothered to give me his recipe! This recipe sounds just right!! I made Corned Beef and Cabbage and have extra cabbage that I don’t want to waste!
If I prepare it in the morning is it OK in the CrockPot for 8 hours on low? If not, I’ll just use my Instant Pot.
Yes, 8 hours on low would work.
Does this fill a standard stock pot or do I need to do a double batch? Didn’t know if a double batch would be too much for my pot.
The pot I used holds between 5 and 6 quarts. Let us know how your Ground Beef Cabbage Soup turns out!
Very easy to make and it turned out great. I cooked it on the stove but I may try it in my insta pot next time.
Recipe doesn’t mention oil in the ingredients list. Also, do you drain after browning meat?
Hi Jan, good question. I use super lean beef so I haven’t need to drain after browning the meat. I don’t like “greasy” broth so I would definitely drain the excess liquids before adding if needed. Please let us know how your soup turns out!
Really delicious. My hubby is not a cabbage fan but said this was very tasty. I did put in a few other seasonings like Italian and Bay leaves and a little garlic. Yum ?
Thank you Kay and love your “seasoning adds”! Thank you for the 5 star review.
This soup is amazing! Making a triple batch to share with the family.
It’s Soup Season again! So glad you’re enjoying this soup. Type in “Soup” in our Recipe Index browser to check out other soup options Mary! And thanks so much for the 5 star review.
I add sliced medium hot Italian sausage to this soup soo good
Great idea Barbara!
Omg Awesome recipe…..so yummy, will definitely make it again!
Delicious!
Easy to make and it is so tasty.
Thank you Carole and thank you for the 5 star review!
I used this recipe and it’s variations list as a guide for coming up with something with what I had. My Modifications: used precooked frozen ground beef from a previous recipe, powdered beef bullion (water, powder) in place of beef broth, omitted salt, added a teaspoon of minced garlic, a dash of onion powder, a dash of garlic salt, a couple tablespoons of Italian seasoning, a fat bay leaf, leftover pasta sauce instead of tomato sauce and a pat of butter for richness. Thank you for helping me out tonight 🙂
Sounds amazing!! Thanks so much for the 5 star review!
Great recipe!
Great soup recipe! I’ve made this recipe many times! Made as directed except I added
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce & a few pieces of hot sausage!
Thanks for the recipe!
Yummmy! Great additions Robert!
Delicious recipe. I did modify it some. I used leftover spaghetti sauce and added onion and garlic powder to my hamburger soy crumbles.
Creative! Thanks for your feedback and for the 5 star rating!
Amazing! Digging out from a blizzard here and this was the perfect comfort! Followed recipe exactly
Very good and easy to make!
Thanks so much! Appreciate the 5 star rating 🙂
Added some tomato paste to make the broth richer. Delicious !!
I’ve made this soup 3 times now, and the last batch I doubled so we could have some in the freezer for the winter months. My husband and I LOVE it – it tastes like health in a bowl! Thank you for sharing, Sabrina. (I’m 67 and still adding new favorite recipes!)
Good for you Rebecca! Thank you for the 5 stars!
Just made this today and adjusted for my taste. I used Rotel Hot diced tomatos with habaneros to spice it up abit. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us!
You’re welcome and good call! We love Rotel Hot diced tomatoes with habaneros!
Super easy and delish
This is the cabbage soup recipe I’ve been looking for! It’s perfect!
So glad you enjoyed the Soup Laurie and thanks so much for the 5 star review 🙂
I hope you don’t get offended when people adapt your recipes. I googled things that needed to be used up in my fridge and your recipe came up. It was great and I always want to know how to spice it. Thanks!!!
Nope! Glad you’re able to use our recipes as your base! Please feel free to peruse the site for your favorites!
Made this soup, but didn’t have tomato paste, so I used Mutti’s Tomato Purée. Also added a little heat with Louisiana Hot Sauce to my single serving? Loved it both ways?
Great ideas! Glad you enjoyed the Ground Beef Cabbage Soup Jeffrey and thank you for the 5 star review!
Absolutely delicious. I added some fresh garlic, fresh oregano, and butter. So good!
Very good recipe. I added a big tablespoon of dried Lipton onion soup, a green pepper, and some frozen green beans. I didn’t have celery but I would have added that if I had some. I would definitely make it again.
VERY GOOD! I shared with neighbors (she has a huge garden and all the veggi s and tomatoes came from them)and now I’m making more like 3 pots worth and giving some to family. Didn’t have tomato sauce but I had V8. I figured why not? I use it to make chili.
Very good. Will definitely make many more times!