When the weather turns chilly, there is something so comforting about a big pot of soup gently simmering on the stove while people you love wander through the kitchen. This cozy cabbage soup with hamburger is packed with tender potatoes, sweet carrots, soft cabbage, and flavorful ground beef in a tomato beef broth that feels like a hug in a bowl. It is simple enough for a busy weeknight, but special enough to share with friends from church, your small group, or a neighbor who needs a little extra care.
Cabbage Soup With Hamburger
You’ll love these Cabbage Soup with Hamburger because it is an easy one pot dinner that comes together with simple pantry ingredients, it makes a hearty beef cabbage soup that is full of vegetables and tender ground beef, it is naturally a budget friendly way to feed a crowd, it makes a wonderfully cozy and comforting cabbage soup with ground beef for cold nights, it is an easy cabbage soup with hamburger that can be prepped ahead and reheated all week, and leftovers of this ground beef cabbage soup freeze beautifully so you can share a jar with someone the Lord puts on your heart.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a quick overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. For the full list of ingredients and exact measurements, be sure to check the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Ground beef: Choose fresh, lean hamburger and plan to crumble and brown it directly in the pot.
- Onion: Pick a firm yellow or white onion and finely chop it so it softens into the broth.
- Carrots: Use firm, bright carrots and dice them into small pieces so they cook evenly in the soup.
- Dried oregano: Use your favorite dried oregano and add it early so the flavor has time to bloom.
- Salt: Season with a good kosher or sea salt, adding a little at a time as the soup cooks.
- Pepper: Use ground black pepper and stir it in with the beef and vegetables for gentle warmth.
- Beef broth: Choose a quality beef broth and pour it in to create a rich, savory base.
- Diced tomatoes: Use canned diced tomatoes and add them with their juices to brighten the broth.
- Potatoes: Select waxy potatoes like red or gold, then cut them into bite size cubes so they stay tender.
- Cabbage: Look for a tight head of green cabbage and chop it into spoon friendly pieces that will soften as the soup simmers.
- Fresh parsley: Grab a small bunch of parsley, then chop it just before serving for a fresh finish on each bowl.
How To Make Cabbage Soup with Hamburger
Build the Beef and Vegetable Base
Start by setting a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, chopped onion, carrot cubes, potatoes, dried oregano, salt, and pepper all at once. As the beef begins to brown, use a meat chopper to break it into small crumbles, stirring everything together until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are starting to soften and smell sweet.
Once the beef is cooked through, go ahead and pour in the beef broth along with the diced tomatoes and all of their juices. Set it to a steady simmer. Let it cook, covered, until the potatoes are almost tender
Stir In the Cabbage and Simmer
Now just stir in the chopped cabbage right on top of the simmering soup. It will look like a lot at first, almost like it will not all fit, but as the cabbage cooks, it softens and wilts down into the broth. Leave the lid off at this point and let the cabbage soup with hamburger simmer until all of the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened slightly. If it feels a little too brothy for your taste, simply let it bubble away uncovered for a few extra minutes so some of the liquid can cook off.
Variations, Substitutions, and Recipe Tips
Dietary Modifications: If you want a lighter bowl of soup you can swap in lean ground beef for ground turkey while still keeping all the cozy flavor of cabbage soup with ground beef.
Flavor Enhancements: If you want a deeper flavor in your hamburger cabbage soup, you can add a bay leaf while the soup simmers, stir in an extra clove of fresh minced garlic with the vegetables, or finish each bowl with a tiny splash of apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the tomato and beef broth.
Add-In Options: You can easily add extra vegetables like chopped celery, green beans, or corn, or stir in a handful of frozen peas right at the end for a pop of color, and if your family likes a heartier bowl you can add a drained can of white beans or kidney beans to make this easy cabbage soup with hamburger even more filling.
Simple Substitutions: If you do not have beef broth on hand, chicken broth will still make a delicious ground beef cabbage soup, red or gold potatoes can stand in for one another, and in a pinch you can use a bag of coleslaw mix instead of chopping a head of cabbage, though fresh chopped cabbage will give you the best flavor and texture.
Tips for Recipe Success: For the best results, try to cut your potatoes and carrots into similar sized cubes so they cook at the same pace, be sure to season with enough salt so the broth tastes rich instead of flat, and give the soup enough time to simmer so the cabbage, carrots, and potatoes are fully tender and the flavors have had a chance to blend before you serve it.
My Favorite Way to Evenly Chop Veggies
Buy Now → You can adapt this recipe for a slow cooker by browning the ground beef with the onion, carrots, potatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper on the stovetop first, then transferring that mixture to your slow cooker. Add the broth and tomatoes, cook on low until the potatoes are almost tender, then stir in the cabbage and continue cooking on low until the cabbage is soft and everything is hot and flavorful.
To use an electric pressure cooker, use the sauté setting to brown the ground beef with the onion, carrots, potatoes, and seasonings, then add the broth and tomatoes. Lock the lid and cook at high pressure for a short time until the potatoes are nearly tender, release the pressure, stir in the cabbage, and use the sauté function again to simmer until the cabbage is soft and the soup tastes rich and well seasoned.
Hospitality Challenge: Soup on the Stove Dinner
This weekend, host a Soup on the Stove Dinner, with a double batch of this cabbage soup gently simmering on your stove. Invite a mix of people who may not usually gather together, maybe a small group couple, a single friend, a neighbor, or someone new to the area. Set out bowls of Southern Sweet Potato Corn Bread, 7-Up Biscuits, and butter; keep the mood casual, and let people help themselves from the simmering pot. This soup is hearty and welcoming, creating a space where no one feels rushed, only cared for, reminding everyone that the gospel often shows up best in warmth, presence, and a shared bowl at the table.
More Hearty Soups
- Instant Pot Vegetable Stew
- Sweet and Spicy Southern Chili
- Copycat Wendy’s Chili
- Crock Pot Hamburger Vegetable Soup
- Cheesy Hamburger Potato Soup
If you make this Cabbage Soup with Hamburger, I would love to hear how you shared it. Come back and leave a star rating and a comment, and tell me who gathered around your table or who you blessed with a bowl so we can keep cheering one another on as we practice intentional hospitality.
Cabbage Soup with Hamburger
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, 90 percent lean
- 1/2 cup onion, ( yellow or white, chopped)
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes I like to use my food chopper so the pieces are evenly cut)
- 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups beef broth
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, canned
- 1 1/2 cups potatoes, diced into bite size cubes (peeling is optional) I like to use Yukon Gold or red potatoes)
- 3 cups cabbage, diced into 50 cent piece size
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Build the Base
- Cook the ground beef, onion, carrots, potatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Break up the beef as it cooks and continue until it is no longer pink.1 pound ground beef, 1/2 cup onion, 1 cup carrots, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 1/2 cups potatoes
- Stir in the beef broth, and diced tomatoes with their juices. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.4 cups beef broth, 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- Cover and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender.
Finish the Soup
- Add the cabbage and cook uncovered until all the vegetables are tender and the soup thickens slightly. If you soup seems to watery, cook with the lid off.3 cups cabbage
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve hot and sprinkle parsley over each portion.2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Gina’s Notes and Tips
