Beef Cabbage Stew

Loading up a Dutch oven with diced beef and chunky vegetables is a culinary rite of passage. Once you’ve conquered your first beef stew, you know you’ve found a filling, healthy dish that will never let you down. It’s a recipe you can tweak and personalize over time too. Perhaps you’ll even pass yours on one day. 

This beef and cabbage stew recipe is hearty enough to enjoy by itself as a kind of thick winter soup. Alternatively, spoon it over rice or mashed potatoes, or soak it up with a hunk of crusty bread. It’s the country farmhouse favorite you can take to work, slow-cook over a campfire, or a dish to delight visitors with straight from the stove throughout the day. 

Ingredients for Beef Cabbage Stew 

• Beef stew meat: Cut the braising beef into 1-inch pieces. You want a cut with fat and collagen which will melt and soften during braising. Chuck steak is the standard choice or choose rib eye steak for a real treat.  
• Beef bouillon cubes: These are the convenient way to make beef broth without simmering aromatics and bones for hours. 
• Onion: Chop a large white or yellow onion to form one third of a classic mirepoix as the base for this stew.
• Bay leaf: Don’t forget the unsung hero of many a slow-cooked stew; bay leaf adds an herby aroma. Remove it before serving. 
• Medium potatoes: Peel and cube any waxy potato, like a Yukon Gold or Red, that will hold its shape during braising rather than becoming mushy. 
• Celery ribs: You can remove the fibers that run the length of each stalk if you find celery too chewy, but usually the slow cooking will break down their texture. Chop them across the stalk into even pieces.  
• Shredded cabbage: Use any standard green, savoy, or red cabbage, though note that red cabbage will give your finished stew a darker color. Don’t shred too fine like you would for cabbage slaw. Thicker, rustic cuts that fit nicely on a spoon are ideal. 
• Carrot: Chopped carrots give the stew sweetness and color in each bite. 
• Tomato sauce: Canned tomato sauce gives the braising liquid body. Pick according to your preferred consistency. Go for a velvety-textured passata or crushed tomatoes if you want more texture. 

Directions    

Step 1: Brown the beef and make the bouillon

In a Dutch oven, brown the diced beef, allowing the meat plenty of room so it doesn’t steam in the liquid. Meanwhile, dissolve the bouillon cubes in water, then add it to the beef. Stir in the chopped onion, pepper, salt and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until tender.

Step 2: Build the beef and cabbage stew

Add the diced potatoes, celery, cabbage and carrot. Then cover and simmer for 30 more minutes or until the vegetables are tender. 

Step 3: Add the tomato sauce

Stir in tomato sauce and season with salt. Simmer the stew uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes more so that it thickens. Discard the bay leaf and serve. 

Editor’s Tip: Some tomato sauces catch you by surprise with their acidity and sourness. Those with added herbs are often underwhelming. You can usually fix this with a pinch of sugar. 

Recipe Variations 

• Use ground beef: You can certainly try this recipe with ground beef if that’s what’s in your refrigerator, but it’s best to use a fattier (20%) mix than lean ground beef or ground chuck.  
• Slow cooker: Want a slow cooker beef stew waiting for you when you get home? Brown the beef as before, but put everything in a slow cooker and leave on low for 8-10 hours. 

How to Store Beef Cabbage Stew

Allow your cabbage and beef stew to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. It will be good to eat for up to 3 days. 

Can you freeze beef cabbage stew?

This is such a great dish to prepare in bulk, and you can divide it into smaller portions to freeze for later. Leave a little room for expansion in an airtight container. Freeze the beef stew for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator, then simmer on the stovetop. 

Beef Cabbage Stew Tips    

How do you fix a watery beef cabbage stew?

An easy fix is to improve the testure of a watery stew is by using a little cornstarch. Mix a tablespoon or two with an equal amount of cold water and add it the soup, simmering and stirring until it thickens. Alternatively, leave the stew to simmer uncovered for longer. Check out our guide for more ideas on how to thicken a sauce, soup, or stew. 

How can I boost the flavor of my cabbage and beef stew?

This beef stew with cabbage recipe is something of a blank canvas. You can customize it with herbs, such as dried oregano and thyme, or add a little heat with paprika and chili flakes. If you want a more voluptuous texture, add a dash of heavy cream towards the end of the final simmering session. 

Do I have to use bouillon?

Beef bouillon is a standard shortcut ingredient, but you can definitely use store-bought stock, bone broth, or homemade beef broth or stock. Here’s how to make beef stock the old-fashioned way.