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This keto cabbage soup is a hearty meal full of stewed beef and vegetables that will keep you warm and satisfied! And with only 2 net carbs, this is a soup you can’t pass up.
❤️ Why You’ll Love It
I love soups and eat as much as I can because they are so rich and flavorful. I like that I can throw different combinations of vegetables and beef or chicken and whip up a satisfying soup. Soup is even more necessary and satisfying when the weather is cold, as it helps warm you up from the inside.
This keto cabbage soup is not only deliciously satisfying but also provides various health benefits due to the vitamins and minerals in the vegetables. It can also help with weight loss and portion control because it fills you up quickly, curbing overeating.
💭 What is Keto Cabbage Soup?
Keto cabbage soup is an easy recipe with flavorful ingredients like cabbage, beef chunks, tomato, and aromatic herbs and spices. In this recipe, I add an African twist to these classic flavors by adding cayenne pepper and ground crayfish!
Have you ever had a cabbage roll? They’re usually ground beef sauteed with white rice, onions, and garlic, wrapped in a cabbage leaf, then slowly braised in tomato sauce. This recipe is basically like an unstuffed cabbage roll soup!
You have all the rich, hearty flavor without fussing over wrapping up little rolls. Plus, I substitute beef stew meat for bigger, more filling pieces.
This keto soup is way easier than it looks, tastes excellent, and will give you plenty of leftovers! It’s ideal for a busy weeknight and is the perfect meal for those cold winter nights.
🥘 Equipment Used
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Instant pot – Feel free to use any regular pressure cooker. You can use a Crock Pot or slow cooker, but it will take much longer (around 5-6 hours).
🧾 Ingredients Used
- Stew beef chunks: These are beef chunks that are usually cut into cubes and become soft and tender when cooked. Look for stew meat, or you can cut any tender beef into smaller pieces as long as you cut it into chunks and remove the bones.
- Vegetables: Chop up your cabbage, red bell peppers, scallions, and garlic.
- Tomato paste: Instead of fresh tomatoes, the tomato paste lends a more robust, concentrated flavor.
- Spices: I use cayenne pepper, bouillon powder, thyme, salt, and ground crayfish. Ground crayfish is popularly used to spice up soups and stews in West Africa, giving this an earthy, traditional flavor. You can leave it out or substitute it with coconut aminos or soy sauce for a delicious, umami flavor.
- Olive oil is used to brown the beef. Browning is a necessary step because it gives the beef an incredible depth of flavor.
- Beef broth: You will need stock, broth, water, or a combination of both. I used 2 cups of stock and 2 cups of water. You can use more or less of either, but you might have to adjust the salt and spices for the right blend of flavors you desire.
🔪 How To Make Keto Cabbage Soup
- Pour in the olive oil, then add the beef. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper and stir the meat until it is browned. If you have a smaller Instant Pot, you should do this in batches.
- Brown the meat on high heat for a few minutes till it is browned. Add the scallion and garlic and stir till softened.
- Add the red bell pepper, tomato paste, and spices. Pour in the meat stock and water and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Press the manual mode on the Instant Pot and set it to 45 minutes. It will take 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. Make sure the vent is set to sealing.
- After the instant pot counts down 45 minutes, do a quick release. Use a wooden spoon to move the vent at the top from the sealing to the venting position. Be careful so you don’t get burned! I like to keep a respectful distance when doing this.
- Open the Instant Pot and switch to sauté mode. If you want, add more salt and spices until you are satisfied. Add the cabbage and simmer for 5-10 minutes. The Instant Pot automatically switches to the warming function but still has enough heat to soften the cabbage. If you want it crunchier, leave it for only 5 minutes.
🥫 Storing And Reheating
This recipe makes a lot of soup! Unless you have a large family, you likely want to store your leftovers in meal prep containers.
If you’re eating it at home, you can pour your leftovers into airtight containers like mason jars. However, choose a container that can be easily microwaved if you’d like to reheat it at work or away from home.
Plan to eat your keto cabbage soup leftovers within approximately five days.
💭 Tips And Variations
- Use your favorite oil to sear – Instead of olive oil, feel free to sear the beef in coconut oil, avocado oil, or your favorite cooking oil.
- Be flexible with your broth options – You have plenty of options for this keto cabbage soup recipe! You can use bone broth, beef stock, diluted beef bouillon cubes, beef bouillon paste, chicken broth, or even vegetable stock. Feel free to use half stock and half water, too.
- Use your favorite cabbage variety – This low carb cabbage soup is excellent with green cabbage, savoy cabbage, or even red cabbage. Just know that the color will change slightly with red cabbage, but it will still taste great! Aim for one medium-sized head of cabbage. If you can only find large ones, cut one in half. If you can only find small ones, grab two!
- Add more veggies – You can add more veggies like carrots, celery, and diced tomatoes.
- Ground crayfish substitution – This African ingredient has a satisfying umami flavor. Try replacing it with soy sauce, coconut aminos, or even a bit of bouillon for that extra flavor.
- Substitute your favorite protein – I love the taste of slow-cooked beef because it reminds me of pot roast. This recipe is also great with ground beef or ground turkey. You can even use diced chicken and substitute chicken stock for a lighter version of this hearty soup recipe!
🍽️ What Can I Eat With Keto Cabbage Soup?
Although this delicious cabbage soup is filling enough to be a low carb meal on its own, you may enjoy these serving options:
👩🍳 Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Cabbage is a naturally low carb vegetable that can be used in various ways. If you’re on a keto diet, cabbage should be your friend.
One serving of this keto cabbage soup recipe has 3 grams of carbohydrates and one gram of fiber (2 net carbs). This makes this the perfect soup to fill up without extra carbs!
The answer depends on the recipe you’re following! My keto cabbage soup recipe is naturally low carb and has only two net carbs per serving.
Others may include starches like white rice or potato that increase the carb count.
📚 Related Recipes
Need more keto soups? Next time, try these!
Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup
Keto Mushroom Soup
Oxtail Soup
Keto Buffalo Chicken Soup
Italian Wedding Soup
Tofu Soup
Here are some more recipes you can make with your instant pot!
Instant Pot Pork Chops
Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup
Goat Curry
Keto Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
Pumpkin Chicken Curry
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
📖 Recipe
Keto Cabbage Soup
This keto cabbage soup is a hearty meal loaded with beef and vegetables that will keep you warm and satisfied! And with only 2 net carbs, this is a soup you can’t pass up.
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Servings:6
Calories:238kcal
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Instructions
Turn on the instant pot and switch to Saute mode.
Add the olive oil,then add the beef.
3 tablespoon olive oil,1.5 lbs stew beef
Add a pinch of salt and black pepper and stir the beef till it is browned.
pinch of black pepper,pinch of salt
Add the scallions and garlic and stir till softened.
1 scallion,2 garlic cloves
Add the red bell pepper,tomato paste,and all the spices.
1 tablespoon tomato paste,1 red bell pepper,½ teaspoon cayenne pepper,1 teaspoon bouillon powder,1 teaspoon thyme,1 teaspoon ground crayfish,1 teaspoon salt to taste
Pour in the meat stock and water and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
2 cups meat stock,2 cups water
Press the manual mode on the Instant pot and set it to 45 minutes.
After the instant pot counts down,do a quick release.
Switch the instant pot to Saute mode.
Add more salt and spices if you desire.
Add the cabbage and simmer for 5 –10 minutes.
2 cups cabbage
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Brown the beef in batches if you have a smaller instant pot.
- Always leave the instant pot lid OFF when using the saute function.
- It will take 10 minutes for the instant pot to come to pressure when using the manual mode.
- Use a wooden spoon to switch the vent to the venting position for the quick release. Be careful not to get burned!
- If you want a slightly crunchier cabbage,only leave it for 5 minutes in the end.
Nutrition
Calories:238kcal| Carbohydrates:3g| Protein:25g| Fat:12g| Saturated Fat:2g| Cholesterol:70mg| Sodium:181mg| Potassium:495mg| Fiber:1g| Sugar:2g| Vitamin A:765IU| Vitamin C:35.4mg| Calcium:35mg| Iron:2.6mg