Description
A simple and forgiving homemade cabbage soup that is warm, hearty, and perfect for any beginner cook. Loaded with flavors from fresh cabbage, stewed tomatoes, and ground beef, it’s an easy one-pot meal that can be customized to suit your taste.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large cabbage, cored and roughly chopped (about 8–10 cups shredded)
- 2 small onions, diced (or 1 large onion)
- 2 cans (14–15 oz each) stewed tomatoes
- 1 bag Lipton onion soup mix
- 1 large celery stalk, chopped small (about ¾ cup)
- 1–2 lbs ground beef
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 6–8 cups water (or low-sodium beef or vegetable broth)
- 1–2 tablespoons cooking oil
- Optional add-ons:
- 2–3 carrots, sliced or diced
- 1–2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- A handful of chopped parsley or dill
- A squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar
- A handful of cooked barley or rice
Instructions
- Core the cabbage and slice it thinly or chop it into bite-sized pieces.
- Dice the onions and celery into small, even pieces.
- Chop any optional vegetables like carrots or garlic.
- Salt the ground beef lightly before cooking.
- Fill a large soup pot halfway with water or broth and bring it to a boil.
- Add the chopped cabbage, diced onions, chopped celery, and the canned stewed tomatoes to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to low or medium-low and let the vegetables soften for 10–15 minutes.
- While the cabbage simmers, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil.
- Add the ground beef and brown without stirring for the first minute.
- Break the beef into pieces as it cooks until no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes.
- Drain excess grease if necessary and season beef with salt and pepper.
- Taste the soup and add salt, pepper, smoked paprika, or bay leaf to your liking.
- Sprinkle in the Lipton onion soup mix and stir until dissolved.
- Add the browned beef to the soup and simmer everything together for 5–10 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning and remove the bay leaf before serving.
- Stir in fresh herbs just before serving and enjoy with crusty bread or a side salad.
Notes
This soup is versatile and forgiving, allowing for various vegetable and meat substitutions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: cabbage soup, homemade soup, one-pot meal, easy recipe