Description
Hearty Beef and Cabbage Soup brings German comfort to your kitchen with rich, savory flavors. Tender beef chunks and silky cabbage simmer in a robust broth, offering warmth and satisfaction you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 2.5 pounds (1.13 kilograms) roast beef, preferably with marbleized fat, cut into 2–3 inch chunks
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium cabbage (about 10 cups), chopped
- 2 leeks (light green and white parts only, about 2 cups), chopped
- 2 stalks celery (about 1 cup), chopped
- 4 carrots (about 3 cups), chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 3 bay leaves
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 5–6 cups mixture of water and lower-sodium beef broth (half water, half packaged broth)
- 7–8 cups lower-sodium beef broth, including the reserved broth
- 15 ounces (425 grams) tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Select a high-quality beef roast, approximately 2 to , and trim excess fat. Pat the meat dry with paper towels to ensure proper browning.
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Cut the roast into 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) chunks, seasoning generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Carefully place beef chunks into the hot oil, allowing each piece to develop a rich, golden-brown crust. Brown meat in multiple batches to prevent overcrowding and ensure even caramelization.
- Remove browned beef and set aside. Deglaze the pot by adding tomato paste and beef broth, scraping up flavorful browned bits from the bottom.
- Return beef to the pot, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2.5 hours until meat becomes exceptionally tender and easily pulls apart.
- Remove beef, shred using two forks, and reserve the cooking liquid separately.
- In the same stockpot, heat an additional olive oil. Sauté finely chopped leeks, diced celery, sliced carrots, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and pepper for 4-5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic during the final 30 seconds of vegetable cooking to prevent burning and release aromatic flavors.
- Pour in tomato sauce, reserved cooking liquid, chopped cabbage, Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves, and additional seasoning.
- Simmer the soup until cabbage becomes tender and slightly translucent, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Reintroduce shredded beef to the pot, stirring gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, removing bay leaves before serving.
- Ladle the hearty soup into warm bowls, ensuring a balanced mixture of beef, vegetables, and flavorful broth.
Notes
- Batch Browning Technique ensures deep, rich flavor development by searing meat in smaller portions to prevent steaming.
- Deglazing magic transforms stuck-on browned bits into an intense flavor base that elevates the entire soup’s complexity.
- Gradual vegetable sautéing releases natural sugars, creating a robust aromatic foundation that enhances the soup’s depth.
- Slow simmering breaks down tough beef fibers, transforming a potentially chewy cut into meltingly tender meat.
- Strategic layering of ingredients builds complexity, allowing each component to contribute its unique taste profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 65mg