Slow Cooker Beef & Vegetable Soup

Total Time: 8 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes (i actually like to use sirloin steak)
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 large onions, chopped (i only use 2 large onions when adding cabbage)
• 2 cups green cabbage (chopped or shredded, can use more)
• 12 small red potatoes, cut into quarters
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (can use more)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals
• 4 cups beef broth
• salt, to taste
• sour cream (optional)
• chopped green onion (optional)

Recipe

• 1 season beef with black pepper and coat with flour.
• 2 heat oil in skillet.
• 3 add beef and cook until browned.
• 4 place onions, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, garlic and thyme in slow cooker.
• 5 top with browned beef.
• 6 mix tomato paste, coffee and 1 cup broth, making sure tomato paste is dissolved.
• 7 pour coffee mixture and remaining broth into slow cooker.
• 8 cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or until done.
• 9 i add salt at the end to suit our taste and stir well.
• 10 serve with sour cream and chopped green onions, if desired.
• 11 notes: you can also use lower sodium or certified organic beef broth in place of the regular beef broth.
• 12 i also save time by buying meat that has already been cut into cubes. sometimes i still have to cut the cubes smaller, though.
• 13 i also cut the vegetables the night before to save prep time in the morning.