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When the weather cools down and you’re craving something warm and satisfying,
a big pot of Ground Beef Cabbage Soup is hard to beat.
It’s filled with savory ground beef, tender cabbage, carrots, celery, and tomatoes,
all simmered together in a rich beef broth.
I especially love this soup for busy nights when I want real comfort food without a long cooking project.
It takes just 30 minutes from start to finish, everything comes together in one pot, and there’s very little fuss involved.
The ground beef makes the soup hearty enough for dinner,
while all those vegetables keep every bowl colorful and nourishing.
Serve it steaming hot with a thick slice of crusty bread for soaking up the tomato-rich broth. It’s simple, cozy, and exactly the kind of dinner I want waiting for me at the end of a chilly day.
Why You’ll Keep Coming Back To Make This Soup Over and Over
There’s a lot to love about a soup that can go from the cutting board to the dinner table in half an hour. This one is especially handy because it uses simple ingredients and doesn’t require any complicated techniques.
It’s a true one-pot dinner. The beef browns right in the same pot where the soup simmers, which means fewer dishes and an easy cleanup afterward.
It’s ready in 30 minutes. Even though the soup tastes hearty and comforting, you don’t need to leave it simmering on the stove all afternoon. Ten minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking are all it takes.
It’s loaded with vegetables. There are 4 full cups of cabbage here, along with carrots, celery, onion, and tomatoes. They become tender as they simmer and soak up all that savory broth.
The beef makes it satisfying. Ground beef gives the soup richness and turns a simple vegetable soup into something substantial enough to call dinner.
The leftovers are worth looking forward to. Make the full pot even if you don’t need six servings tonight. This is the kind of soup that reheats beautifully for an easy lunch or dinner later in the week.
Ground Beef Cabbage Soup Ingredients
- Ground Beef – 85/15 ground beef gives this soup plenty of savory flavor and makes every bowl hearty enough to serve as a main meal.
- Olive Oil – used to brown the beef and onion and get the soup started with a flavorful base.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper – simple seasonings that bring out the savory flavors of the beef, vegetables, and broth.
- Yellow Onion – as it cooks with the ground beef, the onion softens and adds a subtle sweetness and extra depth to the soup.
- Tomato Sauce – gives the broth a richer tomato flavor and helps bring all of the ingredients together.
- Beef Broth – forms the savory base of the soup and complements the ground beef.
- Cabbage – the star vegetable here! It becomes tender as the soup simmers and soaks up the tomato and beef flavors without losing all of its texture.
- Carrots – add a little natural sweetness and color that balances the savory beef and tomato broth.
- Celery – adds another layer of vegetable flavor and gives the soup a classic, comforting homemade taste.
- Diced Tomatoes – add chunks of tomato along with their juices. Don’t drain them—the liquid goes right into the soup and adds to the flavorful broth.
Simple Step-by-Step Guide
This soup couldn’t be much simpler to put together. You’ll start by browning the beef with the onion, then add the vegetables, tomatoes, and broth and let the stove take care of the rest.
1. Heat the pot
Add the oil to a large pot or Dutch oven on high heat.
2. Brown the beef
Add ground beef, onion, salt, and pepper, breaking it apart as you cook it until browned, about 6-8 minutes.
This first step creates the savory foundation for the whole pot. Break the beef into smaller pieces as it cooks so it can mingle with the vegetables and broth later.
3. Build the soup
Add in the tomato sauce, beef broth, cabbage, carrots, celery, and diced tomatoes then stir well.
At this point, the pot fills up quickly! Give everything a good stir so the cabbage and vegetables are evenly distributed through the tomato and beef broth.
4. Let it simmer
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes until cabbage and carrots are tender.
You’ll know it’s ready when the cabbage has softened and the carrots are tender. Ladle it into bowls while it’s piping hot and dig in.
Expert Tips
A simple soup doesn’t need many tricks, but a few small details can help you get the best result from the recipe.
Give the beef time to brown. Don’t rush those first 6-8 minutes. Browning the ground beef with the onion gives the soup its savory base before the broth and vegetables go into the pot.
Keep the cabbage pieces fairly even. The recipe calls for 1-inch chunks. Cutting them to roughly the same size helps them cook at the same rate.
Don’t drain the diced tomatoes. Add the entire can, liquid included. That tomato liquid becomes part of the flavorful broth.
Slice the carrots evenly. Very thick and very thin slices in the same pot won’t become tender at the same time. Similar-sized pieces make the finished soup much more consistent.
Use the vegetables as your doneness test. After 20 minutes of simmering, check the cabbage and carrots. Once both are tender, the soup is ready to serve.
If hearty, comforting dinners are your thing, you’re in the right place!
Whether you’re planning next week’s dinners or simply looking for another family-friendly comfort food recipe, you’ll definitely want to save these favorites for later.
- Chicken Wild Rice Casserole – Another cozy baked chicken dinner with a creamy filling that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
- Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole – Rich, creamy, and topped with a buttery crunch, making it another family-favorite comfort meal.
- Cracker Barrel-Style Chicken and Dumplings – If you love homemade comfort food, this classic chicken-and-dumplings recipe is a must-try.
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Parmesan Casserole – An easy, cheesy casserole that’s perfect when you need a no-fuss dinner.
- Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole – Since Chicken Shepherd’s Pie has all the flavors of chicken pot pie, this is one of the most relevant recipes to recommend next.
Recipe Variations
I’d make the original version first because the combination of beef, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, and celery is wonderfully simple as it is. But once you know the recipe, there are plenty of ways to give your next pot a different spin.
Try another ground meat. Ground turkey or ground chicken can replace the beef. If you’re using one of these leaner meats, use 2 tablespoons of oil for a little extra richness.
Make it with chuck roast. For bigger pieces of beef, cut chuck roast into bite-sized chunks and brown them well on all sides for 2-3 minutes. Increase the cooking time by about 10 minutes so the beef has enough time to cook through and become tender.
Use leftover corned beef. This is a particularly nice variation when you have cooked corned beef to use up. Cook the onions in 2 tablespoons of oil until softened, add shredded cooked corned beef, and continue with the rest of the recipe.
Make it heartier with rice. Stir 2-3 cups of cooked white or brown rice into the soup during the last few minutes of cooking. It’s an easy way to turn an already filling bowl into an even more substantial meal.
Play with the seasonings. Bay leaf, oregano, thyme, curry powder, cumin, or Italian seasoning can take the soup in different directions. Fire-roasted tomatoes are another option if you’d like a smokier tomato flavor. You can also add minced garlic after the onions have softened, cook it for about 30 seconds, and then continue with the recipe.
Storage & Reheating
One of the nicest things about making a big pot of soup is knowing that tomorrow’s meal is already taken care of.
Let the leftover soup cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it. Don’t leave the cooked soup sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Properly stored, it will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
For longer storage, freeze the soup in a freezer bag or another airtight freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. When you’re ready for another bowl, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
To reheat, warm the soup in a Dutch oven or large pot on the stovetop until hot. For a single serving, the microwave works well too.
Serving Suggestions
This Ground Beef Cabbage Soup is hearty enough to be dinner all by itself, especially with all that beef and tender vegetables in every bowl. But I rarely turn down the opportunity to add something good for dipping!
A warm piece of crusty bread is probably my first choice. Use it to soak up the savory tomato and beef broth at the bottom of the bowl. Garlic bread or soft dinner rolls would be delicious for the same reason.
For a fresh contrast, pair the soup with a simple green salad dressed with a bright vinaigrette. The crisp greens are especially nice next to the warm, tender cabbage and rich beef.
If you’re feeding a particularly hungry crowd, serve it with baked potatoes or cooked rice for a more substantial dinner.
However you serve it, bring the soup to the table while it’s nice and hot. A steaming bowl, a good piece of bread, and a chilly evening are really all this simple dinner needs.
Recipe FAQs
1. Do I need to drain the ground beef after browning it?
No, you do not need to drain the ground beef. Using 85/15 beef gives the soup just enough richness and flavor without making it overly greasy. Simply brown the beef with the onion, salt, and pepper, then continue with the recipe.
2. How do I know when the cabbage soup is done?
The easiest way to tell is by checking the vegetables. After simmering for 20 minutes, the cabbage should be tender and the carrots should be easy to pierce with a fork. If they’re still a little firm, let the soup simmer for a few more minutes.
3. Should I drain the canned diced tomatoes?
No, keep all that tomato juice! Add the entire can of diced tomatoes directly to the pot. The juices add extra tomato flavor and become part of the delicious broth.
4. Can I make Ground Beef Cabbage Soup ahead of time?
Yes! This is a great soup to make ahead. Prepare it as directed, let it cool, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until hot.
5. Can I freeze Ground Beef Cabbage Soup?
Yes, this soup freezes really well. Let it cool completely, then place it in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it on the stovetop until warmed through.
Ground Beef and Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, (85/15)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp 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 canned 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.
Notes
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 1728mg | Potassium: 756mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3746IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg
