The dish in your photo appears to be a ground beef and cabbage vegetable soup—a hearty, tomato/beef-broth soup with ground beef, cabbage, carrots, celery, onion and other vegetables. Here is a close homemade version designed to give the same chunky, rich appearance.
Recipe
Yield: 6–8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45–55 minutes
Total: about 1 hour
Ingredients
Meat
500 g (about 1.1 lb) lean ground beef
1 tbsp olive oil, only if the beef is very lean
Vegetables
½ large green cabbage, chopped into bite-size pieces
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium potato, diced — optional
1 cup diced tomatoes
½ cup peas — optional
½ cup diced green or red bell pepper — optional
Broth & seasoning
1.5 liters (6 cups) beef broth
1 cup water, as needed
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp black pepper
½–1 tsp salt, to taste
1 bay leaf
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce — optional
1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice at the end — optional, but excellent for balancing the richness
Detailed Instructions
1. Prepare the vegetables
Wash the vegetables thoroughly.
Cut:
cabbage into chunky pieces
carrots into thin rounds
celery into small pieces
onion into small dice
potato into approximately 1–2 cm cubes
Keeping the cabbage fairly large will give you the chunky appearance shown in the photograph.
2. Brown the beef
Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
Cook for approximately 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly browned.
Drain excess fat if necessary.
For food safety, ground beef should reach 160°F/71°C internally; color alone isn’t a reliable indicator of doneness.
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MyPlate
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3. Build the flavor
Add the onion and celery to the browned beef.
Cook for 4–5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften.
Add the garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds.
Stir in:
tomato paste
paprika
oregano
thyme
black pepper
Cook for about 1 minute. This helps the tomato paste and spices develop a deeper flavor.
4. Add the broth
Pour in the beef broth.
Add the diced tomatoes and bay leaf.
Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to release the browned bits.
Bring everything to a gentle boil.
5. Add the vegetables
Add the carrots and potatoes first.
Simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
Then add the cabbage.
The cabbage will look like a lot at first, but it will shrink considerably as it cooks.
Add peas or bell pepper if using.
6. Simmer
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover partially and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The soup is ready when:
cabbage is tender but not completely mushy
carrots are fork-tender
potatoes are cooked through
the broth tastes rich and savory
USDA’s beef-and-vegetable soup recipes similarly combine browned ground beef with vegetables and broth and simmer them together to blend the flavors.
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MyPlate
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7. Finish the soup
Remove the bay leaf.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
For a brighter flavor, add 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice.
If the soup is too thick, add a little hot water or broth.
If it’s too thin, simmer uncovered for another 5–10 minutes.
How to Get the Same Look as the Photo
For the chunky appearance shown:
Don’t shred the cabbage too finely.
Use small crumbles of ground beef, rather than large pieces.
Cut carrots into visible rounds.
Use green cabbage rather than very finely shredded cabbage.
Keep the vegetables colorful and slightly chunky.
Don’t overcook the cabbage.
Serve with plenty of broth around the vegetables.
For an especially rich broth, brown the beef well before adding liquid.
Optional Flavor Variations
Spicy version
Add:
½ tsp chili flakes
½ tsp cayenne
1 chopped green chili
Tomato-rich version
Add:
another 1 cup diced tomatoes
2 additional tbsp tomato paste
Creamy version
At serving time, add a spoonful of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Low-carb version
Simply leave out the potato and increase the cabbage, celery and zucchini.
Rice version
Add ½ cup cooked rice to each bowl, or stir cooked rice into the finished soup.
Approximate Nutrition
For 1 of 8 servings, using lean ground beef and without rice, sour cream or bread:
Nutrient Approx. amount
Calories 250–320 kcal
Protein 20–25 g
Carbohydrates 15–22 g
Fat 12–16 g
Fiber 4–6 g
Sugars 6–9 g
Sodium ~500–800 mg*
*Sodium varies dramatically depending on the beef broth and added salt.
As a useful comparison, a USDA/MyPlate beef-and-vegetable soup provides 18 g protein and 5 g fiber per 1½-cup serving, although its ingredients differ from this recipe.
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MyPlate
Main nutritional benefits
Ground beef: protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12.
Cabbage: vitamin C, vitamin K and fiber.
Carrots: beta-carotene/vitamin A.
Celery: fluid, fiber and small amounts of several micronutrients.
Tomatoes: lycopene and vitamin C.
Nut Information / Allergy Information
This recipe is naturally nut-free as written.
It contains:
beef
cabbage
carrots
celery
onion
garlic
tomatoes
beef broth
herbs and spices
There are no peanuts or tree nuts in the basic recipe.
However, check packaged ingredients
If cooking for someone with a serious allergy, check the labels on:
beef broth
Worcestershire sauce
tomato paste
spice blends
bouillon cubes
canned vegetables
Manufacturing facilities can sometimes handle allergens.
Recipe Q&A
Can I make this without beef?
Yes. Substitute ground turkey or chicken. You can also use lentils or beans for a vegetarian version.
Can I use frozen vegetables?
Absolutely. Add frozen vegetables toward the latter part of cooking so they don’t become mushy.
Can I use red cabbage?
Yes, although it will change the color of the broth. Green cabbage gives the appearance closest to your photograph.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and sauté the onion/garlic first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook approximately 4–6 hours on LOW or until the vegetables are tender. Don’t use an overnight low-temperature method for raw meat; USDA specifically cautions against unsafe prolonged low-temperature cooking.
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Ask USDA
Can I make it in an Instant Pot?
Yes. Brown the beef using sauté mode, add the remaining ingredients, then pressure cook for roughly 6 minutes, followed by a controlled natural release. Exact timing depends on the size of the vegetable pieces.
Why is my soup greasy?
Your ground beef may have a higher fat percentage. Brown it, then drain the excess fat before adding the broth.
How can I make it thicker?
Simmer uncovered, mash a few potato pieces into the broth, or add a small amount of cooked rice.
How can I make it thinner?
Add additional beef broth or hot water.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cool it promptly, portion it into freezer-safe containers, and freeze. If possible, slightly undercook the cabbage and potatoes because they soften further after freezing and reheating.
How long does it keep?
Refrigerate leftovers promptly and keep them properly chilled. For raw ground beef, USDA recommends refrigeration at 40°F/4°C or below and using it within 1–2 days or freezing it.
A
Ask USDA
Can I use beef stock instead of beef broth?
Yes. Stock usually gives a richer mouthfeel; broth can be lighter.
What should I serve with it?
Excellent choices are:
crusty bread
garlic bread
naan
whole-wheat bread
crackers
a simple green salad
Isthis soup keto-friendly?
Nut Information / Allergy Information
This recipe is naturally nut-free as written.
beef
cabbage
carrots
celery
onion
garlic
tomatoes
beef broth
herbs and spices
However, check packaged ingredients
If cooking for someone with a serious allergy, check the labels on:
beef broth
Worcestershire sauce
tomato paste
spice blends
bouillon cubes
canned vegetables
Recipe Q&A
Can I use frozen vegetables?
Absolutely. Add frozen vegetables toward the latter part of cooking so they don’t become mushy.
It can be, if you omit the potato, peas and any added rice/pasta and use a low-carb broth. Cabbage, celery and ground beef work well for a lower-carbohydrate version.
Can I make it ahead?
Definitely. In fact, the flavor often becomes better after several hours because the beef, cabbage and seasonings have more time to blend.
My recommended version
For the closest match to your photo, I’d use 500 g lean ground beef + ½ cabbage + 2 carrots + 2 celery stalks + onion + garlic + 1 potato + tomatoes + 6 cups beef broth + tomato paste + paprika + black pepper.
Simmer until the cabbage is tender, then finish with a tiny splash of vinegar or lemon juice. That last step makes the rich beef broth taste noticeably brighter without making the soup taste sour.