Arkansas Soup–a hearty cabbage and beef soup made with V8 juice, red beans, sweet corn, and Rotel tomatoes for a flavorful dinner! Easy to make in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Arkansas Soup
This soup surprised me in the best way! It is thick and filling and full of flavor with only 249 calories per serving and 21 grams of protein. I ate it for dinner, lunch and then dinner the next day too 🙂 To add extra protein I scooped some cottage cheese on top and it was so yummy. You can make it quick in the Instant Pot or let it simmer for hours in the slow cooker. For me, this was a one pot meal but you can serve it alongside some French bread or cornbread. This is also a great recipe to freeze in single serving portions for a fast and easy lunch or dinner when you don’t have time to cook. (Recipe adapted from Arkansas Chili on Cooks.com).
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Lean ground beef–or ground turkey
- Onion–yellow or white
- Zesty Italian salad dressing mix–I used Good Seasons brand
- Smoked paprika
- Chili powder
- V8 vegetable juice–or tomato juice
- Cabbage
- Rotel–I used mild
- Small red beans–or kidney beans
- Frozen sweet corn
Steps
WATCH MY YOUTUBE VIDEO to see this recipe demonstrated. Turn Instant Pot to sauté and brown the beef and onion for about 5 minutes, then drain the grease. Stir in half the Italian dressing mix, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Pour in the V8 and scrape the bottom of the pot, then turn off sauté. Add the cabbage, Rotel, beans, corn, and remaining dressing mix. Secure the lid, set to SOUP for 8 minutes, and let it sit 5–10 minutes before releasing pressure. Stir and serve hot.
Notes/Tips
- Serve it with crusty bread, cornbread, or even a grilled cheese sandwich.
- I ate this for lunch the next day with a big scoop of cottage cheese on top. It was a delicious protein packed lunch!
- Top each bowl with shredded cheese, sour cream/cottage cheese, or crushed tortilla chips for extra flavor.
- Add diced bell peppers, carrots, or celery for extra vegetables.
- Stir in a handful of cooked rice, quinoa, or small pasta at the end if you want to bulk it up.
- The flavors get even better the next day…this one makes amazing leftovers!
- This recipe is gluten free as long as your Italian dressing mix is gluten free.
- To make this lower sodium use Low Sodium V8.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with V8 are Instant Pot Fat Burning Soup and Instant Pot 3-Item Beef Stew.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Arkansas Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes (with a 5-10 minute pressure release)
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A hearty cabbage and beef soup made with V8 juice, red beans, sweet corn, and Rotel tomatoes for a flavorful dinner! Easy to make in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 16 oz lean ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 packet zesty Italian salad dressing mix
- 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 3 cups V8
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 (10 oz) can Rotel
- 1 (15 oz) can small red beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onion. Brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease.
- Stir in half of the Italian dressing mix, smoked paprika and chili powder.
- Pour in the V8 and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Add in the cabbage, Rotel, beans, corn and remaining dressing mix.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set SOUP button to 8 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir, ladle into bowls and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onion. Brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Stir in half of the Italian dressing mix, smoked paprika and chili powder.
- Stir in the V8, cabbage, Rotel, beans, corn and remaining dressing mix.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
- Stir, ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes
If you want a very thick texture use 3 cups of V8. If you want it more soupy then add in 4-5 cups of V8.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
More recipes with cabbage…
Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Casserole
A super easy and fast way to have the flavors of cabbage rolls for dinner tonight.
Cabbage, Potatoes and Sausage
Instant Pot Cabbage, Potatoes and Sausage is such an easy and delicious one pot supper. With bacon and sausage it’s got lots of flavor. Plus you get your vegetables in with the cabbage, carrots and red potatoes.
Instant Pot Amish Cabbage and Potato Casserole
Seasoned ground beef with cabbage, potatoes and a creamy sauce.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Temp dropped here yesterday & was rainy. Perfect day for soup! It was amazing, everything you said it would be. I tried your suggestion to add celery & carrots. Served it in bowl over cooked rice with cheese & chopped scallions on top. YUM!! So delicious. Thanks again.
I love the idea of serving it over rice! And the cheese and scallions sounds perfect too.
Made this yesterday in the slow cooker, turned out great! Added a little oregano to the above ingredient list. Like a warm hug in a bowl. Will be making again this Fall for sure.
“a warm hug in a bowl” is exactly what I was going for! 🥰 So glad it turned out great in the slow cooker, and the oregano sounds like the perfect touch. Thanks for sharing and happy fall cooking!
what is V8???
I guess I thought everyone knows V8. It’s a vegetable juice. It’s been around forever. TV commercials, magazine ads,ect. WOW, GOTTA HAVE A V8!!!
I’m not living in the US 🙂
Hi Ina, V8 is a blended vegetable juice. It’s made mostly from tomatoes with a mix of other veggies like carrots, celery, beets, and spinach. You’ll find it near the tomato juice at the grocery store!
thank you!