High-Protein Slow Cooker Beef and Cabbage Soup
Per serving (about 1.5 cups)
How I calculate this → Protein calculator →
10g of protein per 100 calories, more than 17 of the other 27 dinner recipes here.
I brown the beef before it goes into the slow cooker, and I add the cabbage near the end instead of the whole time, so it doesn't turn to mush. Otherwise this is about as hands-off as dinner gets, and it holds up well as a make-ahead lunch all week. This is one of the soups I think improves overnight. The broth picks up more flavor from the beef and vegetables, so I'm perfectly happy making a full batch knowing most of it is going into the refrigerator for later.
Why you'll love this
- 18g of protein per serving, and mostly hands-off once the beef is browned
- Freezes well for up to 3 months
- Adding the cabbage near the end keeps it from turning to mush
Recipe
High-Protein Slow Cooker Beef and Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking the beef apart as it cooks, for 6 to 8 minutes, until no pink remains. Drain off the excess fat.
- Transfer the beef and onion to the slow cooker. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the carrots and celery are tender.
- Stir in the chopped cabbage. Cook for another 45 minutes to 1 hour on low (or 20 to 30 minutes on high), just until the cabbage is tender but not falling apart. Adding it late keeps it from turning to mush over a long cook.
- Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.
Equipment
- Slow cooker
Notes
- I always brown the beef first and drain the fat. Skipping it leaves a greasy layer on top of the finished soup instead of a clean broth.
- I double this one often. It freezes well for up to 3 months, and the texture holds up better than most soups since the cabbage already got a shorter cook time.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 180 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 18g |
| Carbs | 14g |
| Fat | 7g |
| Fiber | 4g |
Where these numbers come from
I calculate every figure above from USDA FoodData Central, ingredient by ingredient, then divide by the servings the recipe makes. Each FDC number links to the exact USDA entry I used. How I calculate nutrition
- Lean ground beef: FDC #171793 (Beef, ground, 90% lean meat / 10% fat, patty, cooked, pan-broiled), 1.5 lb raw (680g), scaled to a 75% cooked yield for ground meat = 510g cooked.
- Onion: FDC #170000, 1 medium = 110g.
- Garlic: FDC #169230 (Garlic, raw), 3 cloves = 9g.
- Carrots: FDC #170393 (Carrots, raw), 3 medium = 183g. Celery: FDC #169988, 2 medium stalks = 80g.
- Crushed tomatoes: FDC #170501, 28 oz can = 794g.
- Beef broth: FDC #171538 (Soup, beef broth or bouillon, canned, ready-to-serve), 4 cups = 960g.
- Tomato paste: FDC #170459, 1 tbsp = 16g. Thyme: FDC #170938, 1 tsp leaves = 1g.
- Green cabbage: FDC #169975 (Cabbage, raw), 1/2 medium head = 454g (FDC: 1 medium head = 908g).
- Bay leaf not counted. Batch totals: 163.1g protein, 1,635 kcal, 60.2g fat, 121.4g carb, 35.9g fiber, about 3,117g; divided by 9 servings of about 1.5 cups (346g).
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
FAQ
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?
Yes. Ground turkey works the same way; brown it the same as the beef and drain any fat, then follow the recipe as written.
Do I have to brown the beef first?
You don’t have to, but it’s worth the extra 10 minutes. Raw ground beef added straight to the slow cooker tends to clump and release a lot of fat into the soup instead of rendering it off first.
Can I make this on the stovetop instead?
Yes. Brown the beef, add everything except the cabbage, bring to a simmer, and cook covered for about 30 minutes until the carrots are tender. Add the cabbage and simmer another 10 to 15 minutes.
Looking for more meal-prep-friendly dinners: the garlic butter steak bites are a faster beef option for nights when a slow cooker isn’t in the plan.
For how beef cuts compare on protein, see the beef section of High-Protein Meats.
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