Beef and Cabbage Soup

By Beth Moncel

Light, but filling, this Beef and Cabbage Soup will fill you up without weighing you down, and will keep you warm from the inside out. 

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
• 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.26)
• 1 lb. ground beef ($5.99)
• 5 cups cabbage, shredded (about 1 lb.) ($0.29)
• 2 15oz. cans stewed tomatoes ($0.98)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
• 1/2 tsp dried basil ($0.05)
• freshly cracked black pepper ($0.07)
• 6 cups beef broth* ($0.78)
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.06)
• 1 lemon ($0.32)
• 1 handful fresh parsley ($0.25)

Instructions

1. 1

   Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add both to a large soup pot with the olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft (about 5 minutes). Add the ground beef and continue to sauté until browned. If using a higher fat content beef, drain the fat once the beef has browned.

2. 2

   Add the shredded cabbage, stewed tomatoes (with juices), oregano, basil, some freshly cracked pepper (I like it peppery, so about 20 cranks of a pepper mill), the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Stir everything to combine.

3. 3

   Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and allow it to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the cabbage is very soft.

4. 4

   Taste the soup and add salt if needed (I did not add salt, but you may need to depending on the type of broth you use). Use a spoon to break any larger pieces of tomato into smaller pieces. Squeeze about 1 Tbsp of lemon juice into the soup and add a handful of chopped fresh parsley. Stir to combine, taste once more and make adjustments if needed, then serve.