Dinner
Dirty Cabbage with Savoury Beef Mince
Don’t let the name put you off — Dirty Cabbage is one of those simple meals that tastes far better than you expect! Tender cabbage is cooked down with savoury beef mince, onion, garlic and smoky spices until everything is coated in a rich, flavour-packed sauce. It’s inexpensive, uses everyday ingredients and only needs one pan. Perfect for those nights when you want proper comfort food without spending a fortune.
Ingredients
- 500 g beef mince
- 1 medium green cabbage, roughly chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon mild paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes, optional
- 1 beef stock cube
- ½ cup (125 ml) hot water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar, optional, to balance the tomato
- Fresh parsley or spring onion for serving, optional
Method
- 1
Brown the mince. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan or pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and cook until nicely browned, breaking it into rustic pieces with a wooden spoon.
- 2
Add the onion and garlic. Stir in the onion and cook for about 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds.
- 3
Build the flavour. Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, paprika, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder and chilli flakes. Stir everything through the mince and cook for about 1 minute.
- 4
Add the cabbage. It will look like far too much cabbage at first — that’s normal! Add it gradually and toss it through the seasoned mince as it begins to wilt.
- 5
Make it saucy. Dissolve the stock cube in the hot water and pour it into the pan. Add the brown sugar if using.
- 6
Cook it down. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cabbage should become tender but still have a little texture.
- 7
Finish uncovered. Remove the lid and cook for another 5–8 minutes. This allows the excess liquid to reduce and all those lovely flavours to cling to the cabbage and mince.
- 8
Taste and serve. Season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley or spring onion and serve piping hot.
Notes & tips
Lora’s Kitchen Tip Don’t boil the cabbage. The secret is allowing it to cook in the mince and seasoning so that it absorbs all that flavour. Letting it fry for a few minutes uncovered at the end makes a big difference. Make It Stretch Further For a really budget-friendly family dinner, use 400 g mince instead of 500 g and add an extra half cabbage. You could also add grated carrot or diced peppers that need using up. Serve it as-is for a lower-carb meal, or with mashed potatoes, rice, crusty homemade bread or pap when you need it to feed more people.