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Hearty and extremely delicious, this one pot hamburger cabbage soup recipe is easy to make and always a huge hit! Simple ingredients for a family favorite soup everyone loves!
Don’t want all the extras in a recipe post? We provide a skip to recipe button in the top left corner, as well as a clickable table of contents, just below, to help make this page easier to navigate.
We add lots of tips in our recipe – so you can make this dish, understand why it works and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help home cooks of any skill level better understand the processes we use and why!
Table of contents
Beefy Cabbage Stew
I’m going to start out this recipe with an admission – I don’t love cabbage soup – which is sort of a funny thing to say at the start of a recipe for cabbage soup.
I like sautéed cabbage, and I LOVE fresh shredded cabbage on tacos and in salads – but the cabbage soups I’ve had (excluding some I’ve had in Ireland and Poland which were amazing) didn’t really leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings.
If I’m honest, most of the cabbage soups I’ve had are overly bitter and a bit thin – not something I crave on the regular – but this soup? So good.
It is so incredibly good – it’s made me a believer!
Rich, full of flavor, and not the least bit bitter.
And while I don’t usually put beans in non-chili soups, the addition of kidney beans make this soup’s texture fantastic – not too thick, not too thin.
This cabbage soup has tons of meaty flavor, and the cabbage cooks down with the meat for a rich buttery taste, without the bitterness cabbage can sometimes have.
It is so easy and simple – seriously anybody can make this soup!
This soup can also be made in the slow cooker for an easy soup you can place in the crockpot and come home to after a long day – or can be made in big batches to be frozen as individual serving meals.
This is an incredibly versatile soup too – you can swap out the beans or vegetables if you don’t love them and try out other flavors you love to make your own delicious hamburger soup recipe that you’ll cherish for years and years.
I hope you love this hearty soup as much as I do!
How to Make Hamburger Cabbage Soup
To make this recipe, we will need the following ingredients:
- Ground Beef: Adds a hearty, meaty base, and tons of flavor.
- Celery: Provides a crunchy texture and earthy taste.
- Cabbage: Adds bulk and nutrients, as well as a mild sweetness.
- Canned Tomatoes: Offers acidity and sweetness, while the juice adds depth to the broth.
- Kidney Beans: Adds fiber, protein, and a contrasting texture.
- Beef Stock: Deepens the meaty flavor and richness of the soup.
- Beer: Imparts a unique depth and slightly bitter notes.
- Water: The liquid base for the soup; dilutes the stronger flavors.
- Garlic Powder: Infuses the soup with a robust garlic kick.
- Paprika: Provides a smoky, sweet note.
- Celtic Sea Salt: Enhances all the flavors; this particular type also adds trace minerals.
- Pepper: Adds a slight heat and rounds out the flavor profile.
- In a large dutch oven, brown ground beef and cook into crumbles (about 8 minutes).
- Add diced celery and cabbage, cook until soft (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add salt and pepper. Add diced tomatoes (with the liquid from the can- don’t drain it off!) and kidney beans (go ahead and drain these off). Stir to incorporate. Add garlic and paprika, mix. Add beer or stock and water, stir.
- Let simmer on low until soup has thickened and turned a darker red, 1 hour (or 4 hours on low in a slow cooker).
- Serve immediately, soup tastes even better the next day!
Tips to Perfect Hamburger Cabbage Soup
Let vegetables brown: Cooking the meat, celery, and cabbage before adding stock helps give the cabbage a buttery, rich flavor and take away bitterness. This is an extra step, sure, but the difference it makes on the flavor is what makes this soup so special and crave-able. Take a few extra minutes to pre-brown your cabbage and don’t rush it – it really is worth the payoff!
How To Freeze Hamburger Cabbage Soup: If you’d like to make a big batch of this soup and save some for later – or you can’t finish all of this recipe, this soup can easily be frozen for later using some simple and easy tips and tricks:
- Place soup in ziploc bags that hold roughly the serving you’d like to reheat. If you can only eat about 1-2 cups of soup at a time, don’t put all of your soup in a huge gallon bag, since you’ll have to thaw and re-freeze some soup.
- Portioning out soup in smaller bags isn’t just convenient for managing your portion, it also helps prevent freezer burn and helps to thaw evenly.
- Freeze soup by laying plastic bags flat in your refrigerator so it doesn’t bunch up into a big “ball” shape – the soup will thaw more evenly if first frozen to lay flat, making it a longer and thinner shape.
- Let soup thaw naturally in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat soup by placing in a pot on the stove and bringing to a quick boil, remove and serve when piping hot.
Slow Cooker Hamburger Cabbage Soup: To make this deliciously easy cabbage soup in the slow cooker, I suggest browning all of the vegetables and the meat, and then tossing it in the slow cooker to cook. This will give your soup SO much more flavor and a better texture. While it is an extra step to pre-brown vegetables and meat when tossing this soup in the slow cooker, it is totally worth the flavor that you get.
Instant Pot: This can also be made in an Instant Pot, by browning everything then sealing and cooking about 5 minutes with a natural release.
Meat Quality: Use good-quality ground beef for more flavor.
Sauté Veggies: Sauté the celery and cabbage before adding liquids for extra flavor.
Tomato Paste: For a richer tomato flavor, add a tablespoon of tomato paste when sautéing the veggies.
Beer Choice: Pick a beer that complements the beef, like a stout or amber ale.
Bean Rinse: Rinse kidney beans if you’re not a fan of their canned liquid.
Spice Level: Feel free to adjust spices like paprika or even add a pinch of cayenne for heat.
Simmer Time: The longer you simmer, the more the flavors meld. Just don’t let it reduce too much!
Taste As You Go: Always taste and adjust the seasoning, especially before serving.
Fresh Herbs: A sprinkle of fresh parsley or thyme before serving can add a fresh twist.
Storing: This soup stores well and often tastes better the next day as flavors meld overnight.
Recipe FAQ’s
This recipe was designed to taste great with or without the beans – we often skip them when trying for lower carb meals, and it still tastes fantastic.
Of course! This recipe doesn’t call for fresh garlic because it’s an old family recipe and powder was often easier. For fresh, add 2-4 cloves garlic, minced, then cooked and softened to fragrant when cooking cabbage for soup.
Yes! This soup is super adaptable – you can add other vegetables or meat to this soup.
Yes, this soup freezes well. Just make sure it’s cooled before transferring to an airtight container. It’ll keep for up to 3 months.
Absolutely! Ground turkey is a leaner option but will change the flavor profile slightly.
Yes! Swap the beef for a plant-based ground meat substitute and use vegetable stock instead of beef stock.
Green cabbage is usually the go-to, but feel free to experiment with Savoy or Napa cabbage.
Skip the kidney beans and use a keto-friendly beer or more beef stock, and you’re good to go!
This soup tastes even better the next day and will keep in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Totally! Just brown the meat beforehand and then throw everything into the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.
What to Serve With Hamburger Cabbage Soup
Crusty Bread: Perfect for soaking up that delicious broth.
Green Salad: Light and refreshing, it balances the meatiness of the soup.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Because who doesn’t love a soup and sandwich combo?
Cornbread: Adds a slightly sweet contrast to the savory soup.
Roasted Veggies: Keep up the hearty theme with some roasted carrots or Brussels sprouts.
Mashed Potatoes: For when you’re in ultimate comfort food mode.
Pasta Salad: A cold pasta salad could provide a nice texture contrast.
Fruit Salad: A simple fruit mix can cleanse the palate and is a light way to end the meal.
Hamburger Cabbage Soup Recipe
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One Pot Hamburger Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef ground
- 2 Celery rinsed well and diced
- ½ cabbage diced
- 1 8 oz tomatoes Can and diced, do not drain
- 1 8 oz kidney beans
- 4 oz beef stock
- 4 oz dark beer or your favorite beer
- 4 cups water
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 tsp celtic sea salt
- 2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, brown ground beef and cook into crumbles (about 8 minutes).
- Add diced celery and cabbage, cook until soft (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add salt and pepper.
- Add diced tomatoes (with the liquid from the can- don't drain it off!) and kidney beans (go ahead and drain these off).
- Stir to incorporate.
- Add garlic and paprika, mix.
- Add beer or stock and water, stir.
- Let simmer on low until soup has thickened and turned a darker red, 1 hour (or 4 hours on low in a slow cooker).
- Serve immediately, soup tastes even better the next day!
I have made this soup before. I used to eat this soup at Shoneys restaurant s here years ago before they left town. I asked a person in the kitchen for the recipe and all she said was we use beef buillion. The rest I figured out. Same as this one!!
I used to eat the Cabbage Soup at Shoney’s also, I really liked it, I have not tried this recipe yet but I am looking forward to trying it since I miss the Cabbage Soup from Shoney’s
I can’t stand recipe websites these days. Recipes don’t need a novel length preface. It’s gotten so out of hand. Why not start with the recipe first and then write a book? If we’re interested, we’ll read. FFS, enough with this “story and a recipe” trend!
There is a button at the top where you can click “skip to recipe” and it will auto scroll for you. When I don’t put lots of info in posts, I get tons of questions. If I do put it in, I get lovely people like you yelling at me. Happy holidays, indeed!
Boy aren’t we snooty….MERRY CHRISTMAS
Just scroll down to recipes . No need to be nasty.
Just scroll down to recipes . No need to be nasty.
Dear Recipe Finder, I think that you’re a I’m not going 2 go there as I don’t know what u r but a Mean person!! U should apoligize 2 Courtney,she is helping people w/her experience + if u were intelligent u could’ve scrolled down like I did as I had 2 cook + print the recipe. I doubled the recipe Courtney + it’s delish. also after I did read it all + next time will try your tips,Thank-U,better then a meat-loaf tonite LoL PS I didn’t c a button 2 get down faster but now I know lol
Agree!!!
Well, a lot of us like the story and recipe. if you don’t….just scroll on down.
WHich is why, at the very beginning, it was said that if you don’t wanna read a whole story, click on the link to go right to the recipe. So, there’s that-instead of complaining about it, just use some basic reading comprehension.
keep your negativity to yourself. No one else wants to read your rudeness. if you don’t like it then stay off the page!
I hope you ignore immature and stupid Courtney! Thank you for sharing.
If you don’t like it, go to a recipe site that’s not a blog, but it’s completely unnecessary and so utterly rude to leave a nasty comment like this.
It was good but thought it lacked some depth. So I added onion and butter and real garlic. Then it was quite tasty!
I loved the soup. I thought it tasted even better the next day. I did add a little bit more beef broth and water as I liked more broth. Easy to make and tastes great.
I used ground bison and smoked paprika. Very tasty but the aroma was a little odd
YEP…HUGE HIT!! Made it to bring to work but had my mother try some (she loves cabbage), she loved it! That’s saying something! She wanted to make sure I left her a bowl.
My coworkers all agree it was delicious, as well! Too bad we didn’t have some cornbread today.
Really good, hearty soup! The only thing I would change is not simmering it for an hour. The cabbage was a bit mushy but that is it! We will definitely be making it again.