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Slow Cooker Spicy Cabbage Beef Soup

Slow cooker spicy cabbage beef soup with a deep red-orange tomato broth, tender shredded cabbage, and well-seasoned ground beef. Set it on Low for 7–8 hours for melt-in-your-mouth vegetables.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef base
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Brown and drain before adding to the slow cooker.
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 1 cabbage Core and roughly chop.
  • 3 carrots Slice.
  • 3 celery Slice.
  • 1 onion Dice.
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
Tomatoes and broth
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 4 cup beef broth
Seasonings
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes Adjust to taste.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 salt To taste.
  • 0.5 pepper To taste.
For serving
  • 1 green onions Sliced, for topping.
  • 1 hot sauce Serve alongside, to taste.

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet until no longer pink, then drain excess fat.
  2. Transfer the browned and drained ground beef to the slow cooker.
Build the soup
  1. Add cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker.
  2. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and beef broth until everything is combined.
  3. Mix in Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and cumin.
Slow-cook
  1. Cook on Low for 7–8 hours, until the cabbage and vegetables are very tender, with the lid left on.
  2. Alternatively, cook on High for 4–5 hours if you need it sooner, checking that vegetables are very tender.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste; the soup should turn thick and deeply flavored.
  2. Serve hot with green onions and hot sauce on top.

Notes

For best flavor, resist opening the slow cooker during the first 2–3 hours so the broth stays hot and the vegetables soften evenly. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; freezer yes, up to 3 months—thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently. For a gluten-free option, use a Worcestershire sauce brand labeled gluten-free (and keep other seasonings unchanged).