German Cabbage Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: approx. 90 min
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 lb ground beef
3 lbs coarsely chopped green cabbage
2.5 lb potatoes, cut into chunks (no need to peel unless the skins are thick or for preference)
2 carrots, peeled, quartered, and sliced
4 cups beef broth (or bouillon cubes)
2 tsp salt, or more to taste
1/4 tsp pepper, or more to taste
2 tbsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp distilled vinegar
Maggi cube (optional)
2 tbsp chopped parsley, to garnish (optional)
Directions:
In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent.
Add the ground beef and continue to cook until the meat is browned. Add 1/4 cup water to deglaze the bottom of the pot and stir again.
Add the cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and broth to the bot. If the broth doesn't reach 1-inch below the vegetables, add some extra water so it reaches. Add the salt, pepper, and the caraway seeds to the pot and stir together.
Bring the pot to a boil then cover and simmer for about 60 minutes. Cook longer if the potatoes need more time.
After cooking for an hour, stir the soup well and add the vinegar and, if using it, the optional Maggi cube.
Optional step: Ladle 1-2 cups of soup into a blender and blend until smooth and pour it back into the pot. By blending a small portion of the soup, you will make the soup more creamy and thick. **Note: Be careful blending hot soup if you've not done it before. Blenders are not necessarily made for hot foods so let it cool a bit before blending.
Stir well again, taste and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle some parsley over the top to serve. Enjoy!
*Vegan/vegetarian: you can use vegetable broth and substitute the ground beef with a vegan "ground beef" alternative or just leave it out all together since a lot of substance will be given by the potatoes and cabbage, so it's not necessary to replace it.