Beef and Cabbage Soup is my idea of real winter comfort food. Instead of using ground beef, I slice sirloin into spoon-sized bites, seared for deeper flavor and a hearty texture that you can sink your teeth into. Add in tender gold potatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, sweet green cabbage, and plenty of aromatics, and you’ve got a simple meal-level soup that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.
Recipe Highlights
- Simple ingredients cook up in about 40 minutes — perfect for weeknight meals!
- Uses steak instead of ground beef for an easy upgrade of flavor and texture.
- Packed with protein and vegetable goodness, this soup won’t overturn your better-eating goals.
Key Ingredients
Steak — Choose a quick-cooking cut of beef, such as sirloin, flank, or short ribs. If your grocery store’s meat department sells packages of pre-cut steak, make sure you choose the one meant for fast cooking (often labeled “stir fry”), not stewing beef. Before cutting, place the beef in the freezer for 20 minutes. This firms up the stead and makes it easy to slice (remember to slice against the grain!). For a differently textured soup, you could replace the steak with the same amount of lean ground beef.
Cabbage — Common green cabbage is perfect here, although you can also use savoy or napa cabbage. You’ll only need a half head of cabbage, so be prepared to deal with the extras (I’m lucky in that my local grocery store sells half heads). Cut the cabbage into small, spoon-sized chunks. In a pinch, you could also use a bagged coleslaw mix (which usually comes with carrots and maybe green onions). The mix is usually sliced into thin strands, so I would suggest give it a quick chop to whittle it down to fit on a spoon.
Aromatic vegetables & seasonings — We start with a strong flavor foundation of onions, celery, and carrots to infuse the soup with a good dose of savoriness. Dried thyme, parsley, and rosemary are lovely herbs for this soup, but I usually reach for my big jar of Italian blend herbs as a tasty shortcut. I also season the steak with whatever steak seasoning or rub I happened to have on the shelf
Potatoes & Tomatoes — Yukon Gold potatoes add extra heft to the soup, giving it hearty stew leanings. Diced tomatoes add umami and color, and if you can find them, use a fire-roasted version for deeper flavor.
Why I Use Sirloin Instead of Ground Beef
Most beef and cabbage soups rely on ground beef, which works just fine. But using a nice cut of sirloin changes the entire personality of the soup.
When you slice sirloin into small, spoon-sized pieces and sear it first, you create those amazing caramelized edges from the Maillard reaction that result in a deeper, beefier flavor. Those browned bits in the pot become part of the broth, adding savory richness without extra ingredients. The result is a soup that feels a little more special, but still easy enough for a weeknight.
You also get a better texture. Instead of crumbles, you get tender bites of steak in every spoonful, which makes the soup heartier and more satisfying.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Make Beef and Cabbage Soup
Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to see the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through and summary of making the soup.
Sear the steak
Brown the steak pieces until the edges start to take on golden colors and leave bits of fond on the bottom of the pot. Saute the aromatic vegetables, potatoes, and Italian herbs to build layers of flavor for the base of the soup.
Add the liquids and cabbage
Pour in the broth, tomatoes, and W-sauce, along with the cabbage, and bring the soup up to an active simmer.
Finish the soup
Cook the soup until the cabbage has softened. Stir in the fresh parsley to finish, and serve!
Storing
Beef and Cabbage Soup stores very well in either the refrigerator or the freezer. Make extra for lunches this week, and future quick-and-easy meals when your schedule is packed tight!
I hope this soup becomes a regular in your winter meal rotation. It’s one of those recipes that’s so easy to make, you forget just how good it is. Especially on those nights when I need something nourishing without a lot of fuss. If you make this Beef and Cabbage Soup, I’d love to hear how it turns out for you in the comments below.
Beef and Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 1 pound beef , such as sirloin or flank, sliced into small pieces*
- 1 teaspoon steak seasoning (or salt and black pepper)
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 medium onion , diced
- 2 ribs celery , diced
- 1 medium carrot , peeled and diced
- 1 medium Yukon gold potato , scrubbed, peeled, and cut into 1/2” dice
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend
- 3 cups chicken or beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 15 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces green cabbage , washed and chopped into 1/2” pieces (about 4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley , minced
- 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Heat oil in a 4- to 5- quart soup pot or Dutch oven over medium until shimmering.
- Season the beef with the steak seasoning and flour, tossing to coat the pieces evenly. Add to the pot. Stir the beef occasionally until browned on most sides, about 5 minutes (it won’t be cooked through at this point; that’s okay).
- Add the onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, and herbs to the pot, and mix well with the beef. Let the vegetables begin to soften, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, and cabbage to the pot, stir well, and increase heat to medium-high, until the soup comes up to an active simmer (bubbles breaking the surface, but not a roiling boil). Adjust heat to main this simmer (lowering to medium), and partially cover the pot with a lid.
- Let the soup cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cabbage is softened but not wilted.
- Before serving, mix of the parsley into the soup, and sprinkle the remainder on top.
- Taste the soup and add more salt as needed, to taste. If the soup needs brightening, squeeze juice from half of the lemon, catching the seeds, and give it another taste.