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Vegetable Beef Soup with Cabbage

by radoo_ngnh2u
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Vegetable Beef Soup with Cabbage is one of my favorite soups of all time. It’s so hearty, delicious, and filling. You can sneak a lot of veggies in this soup and the kids will never know it. Serve it with fresh sourdough bread or biscuits and some parmesan cheese for a satisfying meal. Lots of veggies, nutrient-dense bone broth, and fermented bread – it’s a well-balanced meal.

This is a great soup for the freezer as well. If you have busy weeknights, double the batch and freeze it. If you are preparing to have a baby and organizing freezer meals, this is a great meal to have on hand. I love to bring it to sick family members or freshly post-partum moms. 

Use the best quality ingredients you can find and this will be your new favorite soup. The quality of the broth you use is very important, as it lends a lot of flavors. Homemade bone broth is delicious and so nourishing. If you can’t make your own bone broth, that’s okay. Find your favorite premade broth and always have it on hand! 

Vegetable Beef Soup with Cabbage Tips

Don’t be afraid to salt it well

  • Salting this soup right is a big part of the flavor in the end result. Don’t be afraid to salt it generously. Taste as you go to make sure you don’t over salt it, but you will know when it tastes just right. For reference, I add about 2 tbsp of salt. Trust me, it’s good. Good quality salt makes all the difference.

Slice your cabbage so it’s easy to eat

  • I don’t like to slice my cabbage in long strips for this soup. It needs to be cut into smaller pieces so it’s easy to eat. 

Use good quality, grass-fed beef

  • Using good-quality grass fed beef is a must always, but it really shines in this recipe.

FAQ

Can I freeze the leftovers?

You sure can, it’s a great meal to have in the freezer. I like tp portion it out into single portions in gallon zip lock bags, that way I don’t have to guess on portion sizes when I grab it out for lunch or dinner. 

How do I dethaw/heat it up after it has been frozen?

If you know you want it ahead of time, set it out on the counter to thaw. If you’re in a pinch, run it under the sink with hot water. Once it starts to break down, you can put it in a pot on the stove. Add some more beef broth, about a cup or two if desired, and put the lid on. Let it simmer on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. Heat through until finished.

Do I have to use all the veggies?

No, you can omit any vegetable if you don’t have it. I would say that the cabbage is a must, though!

What is a parmesan rind and where do I get one?

A parmesan rind is the end of a parmesan wedge. Once you use a full wedge of parmesan, you are left with that part on the end that is a little dark in color and hard. I save those and put them in my freezer and throw them into soups when needed. It adds so much flavor.

If you don’t have a parmesan rind waiting for you to use it, you can buy a wedge of parmesan and cut the rind off (and of course use the parm to garnish the soup). You can omit this if you can’t get your hands on it, but just know you will lose a good amount of flavor.

What can I serve with this?

I love to serve this soup with homemade biscuits or sourdough bread. It’s so good with both!

Equipment You May Need

  • Dutch oven or crock pot
  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients for Vegetable Beef Soup with Cabbage

  • 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
  • 1/2 head cabbage
  • 3 large carrots
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 zucchini
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 can or 8 ounces of tomato sauce
  • 14 ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cups beef bone broth
  • 1 parmesan rind (see note above, my secret ingredient)
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste (I recommend 1-2 tbsp salt, see the note above)

How to Make Vegetable Beef Soup with Cabbage

Stove-top Version

  1. Heat a large Dutch-oven or heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat
  2. Brown ground beef and drain most of the grease once browned
  3. Add onions, carrots, zucchini, and green pepper and sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 mins
  4. Add garlic, sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute
  5. Add tomato juice, diced tomatoes, herbs, broth, salt, and pepper
  6. Stir well to combine
  7. Add bay leaf on top
  8. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer
  9. Simmer on the stovetop for at least 45 minutes, stirring periodically
  10. During the last 20 minutes of cook time, add the parmesan rind
    • Note: If you add the parmesan rind before this, it may disintegrate.
  11. The soup is done when the cabbage is wilted and the carrots are soft
  12. Remove the parmesan rind and bay leaf
  13. Serve and top with parmesan cheese

Crockpot Version

  1. Heat skillet over medium-high heat
  2. Brown ground beef and drain most of the grease once browned
  3. Add onions to skillet, cook until soft
  4. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant
  5. Add the contents of the skillet to the crockpot
  6. Add carrots, zucchini, green pepper, and cabbage
  7. Add tomato juice, herbs, broth, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and parmesan rind
  8. Cook on low for 6-8 hours
  9. Remove parmesan rind and bay leaf before serving
  10. Serve and top with parmesan cheese
vegetable beef soup with cabbage

Vegetable Beef Soup with Cabbage

This hearty, filling, and delicious soup is a staple and favorite in our household.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or crock pot
  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
  • 1/2 head cabbage chopped into thinly sliced chunks
  • 3 large carrots sliced
  • 1 green pepper diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 zucchini quartered, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic pressed or sliced
  • 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
  • 1 14 ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cups beef bone broth
  • 1 parmesan rind see note above if unsure what this is
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1-2 tbsp sea salt
  • pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Stove-top Version

  • Heat a large Dutch-oven or heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat
  • Brown ground beef and drain most of the grease once browned
  • Add onions, carrots, zucchini, and green pepper and sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 mins
  • Add garlic, sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute
  • Add tomato juice, diced tomatoes, herbs, broth, salt, and pepper
  • Stir well to combine
  • Add bay leaf on top
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer
  • Simmer on the stove-top for at least 45 minutes, stirring periodically
  • During the last 20 minutes of cook time, add the parmesan rind
  • The soup is done when the cabbage is wilted and the carrots are soft
  • Remove the parmesan rind and bay leaf
  • Serve and top with parmesan cheese

Crockpot Version

  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat
  • Brown ground beef and drain most of the grease once browned
  • Add onions to skillet, cook until soft
  • Add garlic and sauté until fragrant
  • Add the contents of the skillet to the crockpot
  • Add carrots, zucchini, green pepper, and cabbage
  • Add tomato juice, herbs, broth, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and parmesan rind
  • Cook on low for 6-8 hours
  • Remove parmesan rind and bay leaf before serving
  • Serve and top with parmesan cheese
Keyword beef, cabbage, soup
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I hope you enjoy this family favorite recipe! Let me know how you liked this recipe by giving it a rating, or a leaving a comment on this post. Can’t wait to hear back!

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2 comments

J Smith September 29, 2022 - 11:03 pm

When do you add the cabbage?

Reply
Alexis November 10, 2022 - 2:44 pm

I add it when I add the broth, just before I start the simmer 🙂

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