Mum’s Cabbage Stew Recipe – Laxano Me Kreas

This cabbage stew recipe comes straight from my mum, which means it’s both delicious and slightly impossible to replicate exactly. You know how mums cook; no exact measurements, just instinct and years of experience. But don’t worry, I’ve done my best to pin it down so you can recreate the magic at home.

It’s hearty, humble, and deeply satisfying. It also happens to be budget-friendly and feeds an army (or just you for the next four days). And while it won’t win any beauty contests, it makes up for it by being the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out.

Wanna see this recipe come to life? Visit my Tik Tok or Youtube account.

If you love this dish, you’ll also love my Fasolakia with Beef. It has a very similar process just beans and potatoes instead of cabbage!

Why You Need Mum’s Cabbage Stew in Your Life

• It’s a hug in a bowl – Perfect for cold nights, bad days, or when you just need a meal that feels like home.
• It’s budget-friendly – Cabbage is cheap. Chuck beef is semi cheap. Your taste buds? They won’t know.
• It basically cooks itself – A little chopping, a little stirring, and then the pot does all the work.
• It’s one of those “better the next day” meals – The flavours deepen overnight, making leftovers even better.

Mum’s Ingredients

• 800g chuck beef – Because anything leaner will be drier than my sense of humour.
• 1 can diced tomatoes – Essential for that rich, tomatoey goodness.
• 1 tbsp tomato paste – For depth of flavour and because mum said so.
• Salt and pepper to taste – Don’t be shy, this stew can handle it.
• 1 tsp dried chillies (optional) – For a little kick, if you like to live dangerously.
• 1 onion, diced – Because all good things start with onion.
• 2 tbsp dried oregano – The Greek secret weapon.
• ½ cabbage, chopped – The star of the show.
• 6-8 cups water – We’re making a stew, not a dry roast.
• 1 tsp minced garlic – Obviously.
• 1 tbsp olive oil – To get that beef sizzling.
• 2-3 tbsp cornflour (optional) – To thicken up the sauce at the end.

How to Make Mum’s Cabbage Stew

Step 1: Brown the Beef

Cut your chuck beef into chunks and season generously with salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp of oregano. Heat some olive oil in your pot (mum swears by Bessemer, but any solid pot will do). Sear the beef on high heat until beautifully browned. Remove and set aside.

Step 2: Build the Base

Drop the heat to low, add diced onion, and let it sweat. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, letting them cook for a minute until fragrant.

Step 3: Tomatoes & Slow Cooking

Pour in the diced tomatoes and scrape up any flavourful bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the beef back in, then fill the pot with enough water to completely cover the meat. Season with salt and the rest of the oregano. Cover and simmer on low for 2-3 hours, checking every 40 minutes to make sure the water hasn’t evaporated (because nobody likes a burnt pot). Add more water if needed.

Step 4: Enter the Cabbage

Chop your cabbage, getting rid of any thick stalks. Add it to the pot, letting it settle in and wilt. Once that happens, add more water until the cabbage is covered. Lid back on, cook for another 40 minutes on low.

Step 5: The Secret to the Perfect Sauce

By now, you’ll notice there’s a lot of liquid. That’s where the cornflour comes in. Mix 2-3 tbsp with a little cold water until smooth, then stir it into the stew. Keep the lid off and simmer until the sauce thickens into a rich, velvety saltsa.

Serve hot, ideally with crusty bread for dunking. And if you want the full mum experience, eat it with a spoon while standing over the stove.

FAQs: Cabbage Stew Recipe