This red cabbage soup recipe is a hearty and filling soup, made with red/purple cabbage, ground beef, onions, and tomatoes in a rich & savory broth. It makes a cozy winter dinner idea, and a great recipe to make with a head of red cabbage.
This soup is ready in about 45 minutes, and can easily be made ahead or batch cooked for the week. I love to serve this soup with a thick slice of crusty homemade bread, and an apple and walnut salad for dinner!
There’s nothing better in the fall and winter than cozying up with a hot bowl of soup on a cold night! On our homestead, and this simple Red Cabbage Soup is a favorite for winter nights or fall lunches. I love a big pot of fresh winter vegetable soup or stew, especially when I can find good red cabbages in stores.
While traditional cabbage soups are made with green or napa cabbage, I added red cabbage to mine for all the extra health benefits! Red cabbage is naturally low in calories, just 30 per 1-cup serving. It’s loaded with anti-oxidants in the pigment, and is also anti-inflammatory. And just one serving of day can cut the risk of cancer growth in half! I’ll take a second helping.
This Red Cabbage Soup Recipe Is
- Bright
- Fresh
- Healthy
- Savory
- Satisfying
- Earthy
- Simple to Make
- A Great Fall or Winter Comfort Food
The Best Soup Recipe with Red Cabbage
Soups are staples year-round on our homestead, even in the summer (hello gazpacho)! Soups are simple to make, are inexpensive and budget-friendly, and can help with weight loss goals. I love making soup with red cabbage- the flavor is just fantastic!
Making your own soup from scratch (for yourself or your family) takes comfort food to the next level. Canned soups can be convenient, but they are loaded with sodium, preservatives, and junk. Browse 100+ free homemade soup recipes here for inspiration to simmer!
What’s In This Beef and Cabbage Soup Recipe?
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- Red Cabbage – also called purple cabbage!
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use this fruity olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s inexpensive & I like to keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry. For the quality of oil you get, it’s an excellent value.
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Brown Sugar: I like to use a dark brown sugar for my recipes because I find it has a really nice deep molasses flavor.
- Ground Beef – I like to use a 95% lean ground sirloin.
- Thyme & Oregano
- Diced Tomatoes: I only use no salt added diced tomatoes, these boxed tomatoes are really great to stock up on! I like boxed tomatoes better because they are BPA free and more eco-friendly than aluminum cans. If you haven’t read about the dangers of consuming foods stored in BPA cans, head over to Nutrition Facts to read more.
- Beef Stock or Bouillon – You can use traditional pre-made beef stock, or I like to use beef bouillon which takes up less room in the pantry and fridge!
- Aged Balsamic Vinegar: I use this aged balsamic vinegar because it has a really great flavor and a nice consistency for this recipe!
- Black Pepper
How Do I Make Soup with Red Cabbage?
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef to the pot, and cook for 10 minutes or so, breaking up the beef pieces with a wooden spoon. When all the pink has been cooked from the beef, remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
- To the same pot, add the onion and sauté for 6 or 7 minutes until translucent. Toss in the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes longer.
- Add the beef stock, thyme, oregano, tomatoes, red cabbage, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir, and add the cooked beef back into the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasonings as needed – adding more salt, black pepper, or balsamic vinegar to taste! Serve with fresh cracked pepper and enjoy.
Meal Prep Cabbage Soup For Easy Lunch Ideas
This red cabbage soup is the perfect recipe for healthy homemade meal prep. I am a huge fan of meal prepping, batch cooking, and making recipes ahead. I love the convenience of cooking once and being able to enjoy healthy homemade meals during the week when I don’t have time. I make a big batch of this soup on Sunday, and enjoy ready-made lunches during work.
There’s a whole section of TheHerbeevore.com dedicated to my favorite tried & true meal prep recipes. With just a little planning and prep, you can have a week’s worth of recipes ready in the time it would take to make one portion. Just batch cook, divide into individual containers, and place in the fridge or freezer for later! I also made a list of my favorite meal prep products on Amazon that I use weekly. They make cooking easy-peasy.
More Cozy Homemade Soup Recipes You’ll Love!
Creamy Spinach Tortellini Soup
Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup with Potatoes Recipe
Mushroom Soup with Coconut Milk
Avgolemono Soup with Orzo Recipe (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup)
Italian Egg Drop Soup Recipe (Stracciatella)
Get the Same Ingredients for this Purple Cabbage Soup Recipe
As always, if you make this gluten free red cabbage soup recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipes!
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Red Cabbage Soup
Equipment
- Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 2 carrots sliced
- 4 stalks celery chopped
- 8 cups Beef Stock
- 1 teaspoon each thyme and oregano
- 28 ounce can No-Salt-Added Diced Tomatoes with the juice
- 1 small head red cabbage about 5 cups chopped
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Tellicherry Black Pepper
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef to the pot, and cook for 10 minutes or so, breaking up the beef pieces with a wooden spoon. When all the pink has been cooked from the beef, remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
- To the same pot, add the onion and sauté for 6 or 7 minutes until translucent. Toss in the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes longer.
- Add the beef stock, thyme, oregano, tomatoes, red cabbage, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir, and add the cooked beef back into the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasonings as needed - adding more salt, black pepper, or balsamic vinegar to taste! Serve with fresh cracked pepper and enjoy.
Video
Notes
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