Stews

Cabbage Roll Soup Instant Pot Recipe: Homey, Easy Soup for the End of Winter

My kids gobbled this up.

by Courtney Meyerhofer

Winter is soup season in our household.

It’s seasonal. It’s warming. It’s comforting.

This cabbage roll soup is reminiscent of central European stuffed cabbage rolls, without all the hassle of actually stuffing leaves of cabbage.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 onion, diced

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 lbs Saint John’s organic grass fed ground beef

  • 4 cups beef broth

  • 14 oz can diced tomatoes

  • 8 oz can tomato sauce

  • ¼ cup soy sauce

  • 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 small cabbage, chopped

  • 1 tsp salt

  • ½ tsp black pepper

  • ½ tsp parsley

METHOD

  1. Turn Instant Pot on Saute mode. Add ground beef, onion, and a pinch of salt. Cook thoroughly and break meat up into small pieces using a wooden spoon.

  2. Turn off Saute mode and add all remaining ingredients to the pot.

  3. Cook on soup mode, low pressure for 15 minutes.

  4. When finished, allow soup to release pressure for 10 minutes before switching the seal to “Venting”.

  5. Serve warm!

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

  • Sourdough bread and butter

  • Sour cream

  • Red pepper flakes

  • Sauerkraut, for those of you that are cabbage lovers

If you try this recipe, let us know by tagging us on Facebook or Instagram!

Grass Fed Beef Instant Pot Recipe: Creamy Taco Soup

Bowl of Creamy Taco Soup

Bowl of Creamy Taco Soup

This creamy soup is Tex-Mex at its finest. My Texan mom is an Instant Pot whiz, and she created this soup that I’m eager to share. Growing up in Texas, zingy and creamy dishes like this served with cornbread and butter were a staple.

As I was cooking this recipe, the smells that filled my house transported me back to late 90s north Texas, full of happy memories, simpler times, and delicious food. She was a busy, working mom, and she made a lot of effort to cook a nutritious meal for us every night.

Now that I’m a toddler mom, I use the Instant Pot several times a week to make my life easier. This soup is prepared entirely in the Instant Pot, so there is very little cleanup after cooking. All in all, active cooking time was about 25 minutes.

This recipe is flavorful without being spicy, making it a kid-friendly dish. If you like it spicier, adding a seeded and chopped jalapeno with the other pepper would be a delicious addition.

I hope you find comfort and flavor in this dish! Thanks, Mom!

Creamy Taco Soup

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup dry or 1 15 oz can pinto beans

  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, optional

  • 3 Tbsp butter

  • 1 onion, chopped

  • 1 pepper, chopped (I used bell pepper, poblano or anaheim would work nicely as well.)

  • 1 lb Saint John’s organic, grass-fed ground beef

  • 2.5 Tbsp chili powder

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 2 c chicken or beef broth

  • 15 oz tomato sauce

  • 10 oz diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained

  • ½ block cream cheese

Optional garnishes:

  • Sour cream

  • Cheddar cheese, grated

  • Roasted hatch green chiles

METHOD

Instant Pot Pinto Beans

If your pinto beans are dry, here’s how you cook them in the instant pot. If your beans are canned or already cooked, skip ahead to “Creamy Taco Soup”.

The night before or about 8 hours before cooking, soak the beans in the instant pot with water about 2 inches above the beans. Add 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, stir into beans, and let sit 8-12 hours.

Soaking the beans before cooking helps pre-digest them and neutralize lectins and other anti-nutrients. This also reduces cooking time and promotes a more even cook on each bean, preventing splitting and bursting.

Pinto beans soaking in water and apple cider vinegar.

Pinto beans soaking in water and apple cider vinegar.

When the soaking time is up, drain the beans in a colander and rinse well. Add back to instant pot and cover with water about 2 inches above the beans. Place lid on instant pot. Set valve to sealing. Select manual pressure, high setting, and cook for 25 minutes. If you didn’t soak beans, cook for 35 minutes. 

When cook time is up, allow instant pot to depressurize for 10 minutes and then quick release. Drain and rinse beans and set aside.

Drained and rinsed pinto beans.

Drained and rinsed pinto beans.

Creamy Taco Soup

Set the instant pot to the “Saute” setting and add butter. When butter is melted, add chopped onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir occasionally as the saute function is very hot.

Chopped onions, sauteeing in butter.

Chopped onions, sauteeing in butter.

Add ground beef and season with 2 pinches of salt. Break up ground beef with a wooden spoon as it cooks, stirring frequently. When ground beef is 75% cooked, add pepper.

Green pepper and Saint John’s ground beef sauteeing in Instant Pot.

Green pepper and Saint John’s ground beef sauteeing in Instant Pot.

When ground beef is finished cooking, add chili powder and cumin and turn off Saute function.

Chili powder and other spices added to Instant Pot.

Chili powder and other spices added to Instant Pot.

Add broth, tomato sauce, and drained diced tomatoes with green chiles. Stir to combine.

Place lid on instant pot. Set valve to sealing. Select manual pressure, high setting, and cook for 10 minutes.

When cook time is up, allow Instant Pot to depressurize for 10 minutes and then quick release.

Add beans and cream cheese and cover, stirring every minute or so until cream cheese is melted into soup. When cream cheese is melted, add salt to taste. The amount of salt you need will vary as sodium content in canned items and broths can vary quite a bit. Start with ¼ tsp, taste, and add more if needed. I ended up adding about ½ tsp.

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Set to “Keep Warm” setting to keep the soup warm until you’re ready to serve!

We served it with sour cream and roasted hatch green chiles. Rice or tortilla chips would make a nice pairing with this delightful soup.

Creamy Taco Soup topped with roasted green chiles.

Creamy Taco Soup topped with roasted green chiles.

We all had seconds and my husband had thirds! This soup is a perfect quick dinner for wintertime that is packed with Tex-Mex flavor. Enjoy!

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Tag us on Instagram to let us know what you think!

Paleo Grass Fed Beef Hash Recipe: Tastes like Steak and Eggs Diner-Style

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Hearty, diner-style hash using beef stew meat. Layers of garlic, pepper, and satisfying savory flavor. This recipe can easily be made gluten-free. Enjoy! 

Hearty Beef Stew Meat Hash

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb St. John’s organic, grass-fed beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-1 inch chunks

  • 1/2 cup olive or avocado oil

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce (or gluten-free alternative tamari or coconut aminos)

  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (add more if you like spicy food, we use 1/2 tsp, omit if you don’t like spicy)

  • 4-6 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning blend

  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

  • if using soy sauce alternative, add 1 tsp salt (if you use soy sauce, do not add this as it will be too salty)

  • 3-5 potatoes

  • 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil

  • 1 onion, sliced thinly into half moons

  • 1-2 bell peppers, sliced into strips

  • salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnishes:

  • fried egg

  • sour cream

  • minced cilantro

  • sliced green onions

  • sliced cherry tomatoes

METHOD

The Day Before

Marinate beef for a few hours before cooking. I usually marinate it overnight.

1. Chop beef into 1/2 - 1 inch chunks.

2. Whisk together oil, soy sauce or alternative, red pepper flakes, garlic, italian seasoning blend, black pepper, and optional salt.

3. Add meat to marinade and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

The Day Of

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat potatoes in oil, salt, and pepper. Place on baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes.

2. While potatoes are roasting, cook beef. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add meat to the pan. Be careful not to crowd the pan in order to ensure even cooking. Cook 1-2 minutes each side. I recommend using tongs. Work in batches, transferring the cooked meat to plate when done.

3. Using the same pan with delicious marinade remaining from the beef, turn the skillet to medium heat and cook onions 6-8 minutes, until well browned and limp.

4. Add peppers and continue to cook 3-5 minutes, until soft.

5. Turn down heat to low-medium, add in roasted potatoes, stir to combine, and cook for about 2 minutes. Potatoes will soak up remaining marinade left in the pan, imparting extra flavor. Add cooked beef to pan, along with any accumulated juices in bowl. Stir to combine and heat through, about 1 minute.

6. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve promptly with optional garnishes. Our favorites are fried egg, cilantro, and green onions.

A delicious alternative preparation is to use the beef as taco meat instead of in a hash. Marinate and cook according to above directions and put meat in tacos, on top of beans and rice, or in a taco salad and serve with salsa. 

I hope you enjoy this versatile, savory hash recipe. We enjoy the diner-esque vibe of this dish and add it to our meal plan regularly. Tag us on Instagram to let us know what you think!

Slow Cooker Viennese Goulash

Tender chunks of beef stewed in a rich onion gravy. Deeply flavorful, nourishing and comforting. This recipe is made in a single skillet and a slow cooker—set it and forget it!

Tender chunks of beef stewed in a rich onion gravy. Deeply flavorful, nourishing and comforting. This recipe is made in a single skillet and a slow cooker—set it and forget it!

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 lbs boneless beef stew meat, shank, shoulder, chuck roast or short ribs (or a combination thereof). Make sure the beef is at room temp before you start

  • Oil or rendered beef fat

  • 3 large onions

  • 1/2 tbsp marjoram

  • 1/2 tbsp caraway seeds

  • 2 juniper berries, crushed

  • 3/4 tsp salt

  • Pinch of sugar

  • 2 cloves of garlic 

  • 4 tbsp sweet paprika 

  • 2 tbsp tomato paste 

  • Some grated lemon rind

  • 1/2 tbsp vinegar (any kind) 

  • 2 cups chicken stock

PREPARATION 

If the meat is in larger pieces, cut into 2-inch cubes. 

Heat a few tablespoons of fat in a large skillet over high heat. Once hot, add the beef in a single layer and sear to form a brown crust on most sides. 

While the beef is browning, slice three large onions and two cloves of garlic. 

Once browned, transfer the beef to your slow cooker. 

Place the pan back over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are deeply golden. This may take longer than you expect.

Add 1/2 tbsp marjoram, 1/2 tbsp caraway seeds, 2 crushed juniper berries, 3/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of sugar. Briefly sauté. Then stir in the sliced garlic, 4 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp tomato paste, a bit of grated lemon rind (from about half a lemon), and 1/2 tbsp vinegar

Transfer the onion mixture to your slow cooker. Add 2 cups of chicken stock and some freshly ground black pepper. 

Cook on high for 3 1/2-4 hours, or on low for 6-7 hours. 

Goulash tastes even better on the second and third days, so we recommend making it a day ahead of serving. Serve with crusty bread, rolls, spaetzle, potatoes, sour cream and chopped herbs, or whatever your heart desires! 

Enjoy!