WHY CABBAGE? Well it is so good for you. It’s considered low carb and detoxes the body. In fact, there was such a thing as the “cabbage soup diet” in the 80’s and 90’s. It lost its popularity like any other fad diet. For one thing, it just used plain cabbage soup with no meat, so it was bland and boring. If only they would have thought to spruce up their soup maybe it would have lasted a few more decades… 🙂 So let’s take all the goodness of cabbage and mix it with meat. How about two kinds of meat? Yes, this is where my soup gets flavorful. It not only has hamburger meat, but I’m adding in some yum pork sausage. That really elevates the flavor of this simple soup. We are going to give you not one, not two, but three methods to cook this, depending on what the day demands or what you feel like. There is the crockpot method, which takes longer, but once everything is in the crockpot you are carefree to do whatever you want. Just forget it till dinner time. There is the instant pot method for an instant meal on some hectic days. And I will give you a regular stove top method, for people who might not have access to crock or insta.
This is you need for this low carb soup
Meat – We are using equal amounts of ground beef and pork sausage.Aromatics – Onion and garlic.Herbs and spices – Oregano, thyme, cumin and red chili flakes.CabbageTomatoes – canned.Beef brothSalt and pepper
Just regular pantry staples. Easy ingredients… Easy peesy methods..
Crock Pot method
Sauté chopped onion and garlic in a little oil in a skillet. Once onion is translucent, add in meat and cook until it is no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes, breaking it up a bit with a spoon as you go along. Browning the meat adds amazing flavors to the soup, so please don’t skip it, even on the days when you feel lazy. That extra few minutes of work is worth it when you dig into that bowl later in the evening. Now the easy part. Thrown in the cooked meat in your lightly greased crock pot. Add in the herbs and spices along with canned tomatoes. Give it a stir. Add in beef broth and top it with chopped cabbage. Put on the lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. While it’s cooking, be sure to check out my roundups of the 35 BEST Crockpot Soup Recipes and Sausage Recipes!
Stove top method
You will cook the meat the same as above. Then season it with all the herbs and spices along with diced tomatoes and chopped cabbage. Mix well. Add in beef broth and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until cabbage is cooked and tender. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
Instant Pot method
Set the instant pot to Saute mode. Once it’s hot, add in oil and sauté onion and garlic till onion becomes translucent. Stir in meat and sauté till it is no longer pink in color. Next add in tomatoes along with all spices and herbs and beef stock. Mix well. Add in cabbage on top. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Once the cook time ends, allow the steam to naturally release for 5-10 minutes. Once all the steam is released open the lid and serve hot. Whatever method you use to make this easy yet delicious soup, you can garnish it with a little sprinkling of parsley. Some days top it with heaps of shredded cheddar, it goes really well with all the rest of the flavors.
What to serve this tasty soup with
This is very hearty meal in itself, most of the time it’s all you need for a comforting, cozy evening. You can always supplement this with some salad like my Spanish pipirrana or Israeli couscous salad. That adds a rainbow of colors and more veggies to your table. Sometimes we like to dip in some breadsticks, a toasted baguette, or my favorite no knead bread.
Variations
How long can you store it?
Like any soup, it just ages so well in your refrigerator up to 4-5 days. All the flavors get more intense when they mingle for a few days. It’s a great meal prep option. So make a giant batch and you are set with easy lunches or dinners for the next few days. This soup freezes well for a couple of months in an airtight container. Just thaw and reheat it on the stove top. So guys, soup’s ON!! Whatever the method, we need these easy, simple yet delicious things in our lives. If you have that head of cabbage in your kitchen, throw this easy soup together in no time. Cuddle up with your family over a bowl and enjoy an easy evening.
Meaty Cabbage Soup, in my Gypsy Bowl… enjoy!
Try these other great soup recipes!Zuppa ToscanaLoaded Cauliflower SoupBahamian Boiled FishGrilled Cheese Tomato SoupMoroccan Lentil SoupKorean Ground Pork SoupYakamein
2. Close the lid, set the valve to sealing and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Once the cook time ends, allow the steam to naturally release for 5-10 minutes. Once all the steam is released, open the lid and serve hot.
Stovetop method
- Heat oil in soup pot on medium high heat and sauté onion and garlic. After 2-3 minutes, stir in meats and cook for 4-5 minutes till they become brown.
- Add in spices and herbs along with diced tomatoes. Combine well. Add in broth, salt, pepper and cabbage and stir well. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, till cabbage is soft and tender.
