Hamburger Soup with Cabbage and Potatoes

(Last Updated On: April 4, 2023)

On a cold autumn or winter day, this hamburger soup with cabbage and potatoes really hits the spot, although it’s not just for rainy winter days, you can serve this soup throughout the year.

This recipe is super easy to make, it tastes amazing, and it’s also healthy for you. It’s a lot like hamburger vegetable soup or stew, or beef cabbage soup with all of the vegetables added. This soup has lots of cabbage, onions, carrots, potatoes, corn, and green beans in it. However, I must admit that the cabbage and potatoes in this soup are my favorite.

🥣 Key Ingredients

• 3 pounds of ground beef
• 20 cups of tap water
• 5 teaspoons of table salt
• 3 teaspoons of black pepper
• 3 cups of ketchup
• 8 Russet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks (or 8 to 9 red potatoes not peeled)
• 2 yellow onions
• 1 head of cabbage
• 2-3 cans of green beans
• 3 cans of diced carrots
• 3 cans of whole kernel corn

👩‍🍳 How to Make Hamburger Soup (Step-by-Step Instructions with Detailed Photos)

First of all, we make a big batch of this hamburger soup recipe so we can have leftovers for the next couple of nights, that’s how much we love it. But, you can always make half of the recipe, or even less than that, if you prefer to make a smaller batch.

Also, we will have 3 steps going at once, browning the hamburger, getting the water to a boiling point, and cutting up the vegetables.

Step 1. Put the Ground Beef in a Frying Pan

Put 3 pounds of ground beef in a large frying pan. We use lean ground beef, but you can use whatever ground beef you prefer.

Step 2. Brown the Ground Beef

On medium-high heat, chop the ground beef in large chunks as it is browning in the frying pan so you get larger pieces of hamburger in the soup. This way you don’t have to make individual meatballs the old-fashioned way. I like to save time when I cook and make things as easy as possible. 🙂

Note: If you prefer you can roll the ground beef into meatball shapes and fry it that way, but it is easier to chop them into bigger chunks as they fry in the frying pan.

Step 3. Drain the Grease

Keep turning the ground beef as it browns in the frying pan, but in the meantime, while the ground beef is browning, go to step 4 which is filling a pot with water.

Note: After the ground beef is done, turn the heat off, then drain any unwanted grease from the frying pan.

Tip: An easy way to remove the fat from the frying pan is to move the ground beef to one side of the pan, then slightly tilt the pan and use a paper towel to sop up the grease, then discard the paper towel in the trash can.

Step 4. Fill a Pot with Water

The ground beef will take a little bit of time to brown, so keep an eye on it, but in the meantime, let’s start the pot of water. You’ll need one pot, a big stock pot unless you are cutting the recipe in half, then a smaller pot will do. Fill the stock pot with 20 cups of tap water.

Step 5. Add the Salt

Add 5 teaspoons of table salt together with the water, then stir thoroughly. Turn the heat on high until the water starts to boil. After the water has come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high to keep the water boiling, but not running over.

Step 6. Peel the Potatoes

While the water is heating up, peel 8 Russet potatoes, or 8 to 9 red potatoes not peeled, your choice. We have made this hamburger soup both ways, with peeled Russet potatoes, and red potatoes not peeled. Both ways taste pretty much the same. But, it is much easier and faster to skip the peeling. Not having to peel all the potatoes makes this stew a quick and easy meal when you are in a hurry. However, today we aren’t in a hurry, so we peeled 8 Russet potatoes.

Step 7. Cut the Potatoes

Cut all of the potatoes into eighths. So you would cut each potato in half, then cut those halves into half, and then one last time, cut those halves into half. That would be 8 pieces for each potato. You can cut the potatoes smaller if you prefer, but you will have to reduce the cooking time since smaller cut potatoes will cook faster than bigger cut potatoes.

Note: Remember to keep checking the ground beef as it browns and the water that we started boiling.

Step 8. Add the Potatoes to the Water

As you cut each potato, drop them into the hot water and cook them until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. A fork or toothpick should slide into the potato with ease, but not make the potato fall apart. After that, reduce the heat to simmer.

Step 9. Cut the Onions

While the potatoes are cooking, take the 2 yellow onions and cut them into chunks, slices, or diced, whichever you prefer. We cut ours into bigger chunks. Set aside.

Step 10. Slice the Cabbage

Then prepare the cabbage by cutting it into pieces. Don’t cut the cabbage pieces too small or they will turn to mush after cooking in the hot water. Cabbage doesn’t take too long to become tender, so keep an eye on it after it is put into the hot water in step 15, but for now, set the cut cabbage aside.

Step 11. Add the Onions to the Water

Next, add all of the onions to the simmering pot of water together with the potatoes. Stir.

Step 12. Add the Cans of Corn to the Water

Open the 3 cans of whole kernel corn and drain the liquid out, then add them to the pot of hot water together with the potatoes and onions. Stir.

Step 13. Add the Cans of Carrots to the Water

Drain the liquid out of the 3 cans of diced carrots and add them to the pot of hot water together with the potatoes, onions, and corn. Stir.

Step 14. Add the Cans of Green Beans to the Water

After that, drain the liquid out of 2 or 3 cans of green beans and add them to the pot of water together with the potatoes, onions, corn, and carrots. Stir.

Step 15. Add the Sliced Cabbage to the Water

Add the cut-up cabbage to the pot of water together with the potatoes, onions, corn, carrots, and green beans. Stir all of the ingredients together.

Step 16. Add the Black Pepper to the Water

Take the 3 teaspoons of black pepper and add it together with the rest of the vegetables.

Step 17. Stir the Ingredients

After adding the black pepper, give the pot a good stir.

Step 18. Add the Ketchup to the Water

Pour 3 cups of ketchup into the pot of soup and stir together with all of the vegetables.

Step 19. Add the Browned Ground Beef to the Water

After the ground beef has completely browned into large chunks, then add it together with all of the vegetables. Stir contents.

The pot is getting quite full at this point, but the ground beef is the last of the ingredients we will add to the pot. Of course, you can sprinkle some parsley flakes in the soup at this time, or if there is any other ingredient you would like to add. Simmer until ground beef is warmed… only about 5 minutes since the rest of the soup has already been simmering a while.

Step 20. Hamburger Soup with Cabbage and Potatoes Served Hot

The hamburger soup with cabbage and potatoes is done and ready to serve. It is best served with some sort of bread. Homemade bread, buttered rolls, or french bread are some great choices.

❔ FAQs

💡 Final Thoughts

A delicious and hearty cup of hamburger soup with plenty of cabbage, potatoes, and veggies. This hamburger soup has been a favorite of our family for years. When I first started making it years ago, I never added cabbage. Once I started adding the cabbage, I haven’t been able to stop! This meal is a delicious and satisfying dinner when you need something light, healthy, and budget-friendly too. Enjoy!

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