slow cooker cabbage and beef soup

Ingredients

The Meat & Vegetables

• 1.5 lbs (680g) Extra-lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7 for optimal flavor without excess grease)
• 1 medium head Green cabbage (about 6 cups), chopped into bite-sized 1-inch squares
• 1 large Yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 medium Carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 3 ribs Celery, sliced
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced

The Broth & Seasonings

• 1 can (14.5 oz / 400g) Diced tomatoes (with juices)
• 1 can (15 oz / 425g) Tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups (1.4L) Low-sodium beef bone broth or beef stock
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary)
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp Olive oil (for browning beef)

Optional Finishing Touches

• 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (brightens the broth at the end)
• 1/4 cup Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the Beef & Garlic (Medium-High Heat)

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat .
2. Add the ground beef and finely diced onion. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up the beef into crumbles with a wooden spoon, until the meat is fully browned and no pink remains.
3. Add the minced garlic during the last 60 seconds of browning to release its aromatic fragrance without burning it.
4. Carefully drain off excess grease from the pan, then transfer the beef and onion mixture directly into the bottom of your 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker .

Step 2: Layer the Vegetables

1. To the slow cooker, add the chopped carrots, sliced celery, and chopped green cabbage on top of the cooked beef mixture.

Step 3: Mix the Rich Broth & Seasonings

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until well combined.
2. Pour the tomato broth mixture over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker.
3. Tuck the bay leaf down into the center of the liquid.

Step 4: Cover & Slow Cook

1. Place the lid securely on your slow cooker.
2. Choose your preferred temperature and cook intensity setting: LOW Setting: Cook for 6 to 8 hours (Recommended for the tenderest cabbage and rich, melded broth).
3. HIGH Setting: Cook for 3 to 4 hours (Ideal if you need dinner on the table sooner).

Step 5: Finish & Serve

1. Once cooking is complete, carefully remove the lid. Discard the bay leaf.
2. Stir in 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar). This crucial step cuts through the richness and brightens all the slow-cooked flavors.
3. Taste the broth and adjust salt or black pepper if needed.
4. Ladle hot soup into wide bowls and garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 245 kcal — · Protein: 26 g 52% · Fat: 9 g 12% · Carbohydrates: 15 g 5% Dietary · Saturated Fat: 3.5 g 18% · Fiber: 4.5 g 16% · Sugar: 7.5 g — Net · Sodium: 680 mg 30%