Though the days are lengthening and warming, when the night temperatures dip back down, spring nights feel extra cold to me. Warm up with this simple yet hearty soup! It’s very similar to a soup my mother-in-law used to make for us. Plus, it’s a great way to use up some seasonal vegetables that might still be lingering in your root cellar.

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Ground Beef Soup
Aaron Crossley

– 1 pound ground beef
– 1 large onion (I used three small onions I had on hand), diced large
– 3 carrots, peeled and diced large
– 1 red bell pepper, diced large
– 2 bay leaves
– 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
– 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
– 1 teaspoon garlic powder
– 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
– 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
– 2 liters beef stock (I had some leftover beef roast gravy from my mom – thank you, Mom! – so I used the gravy [about 500 mL] + enough water to equal 2 liters)
– Salt, to taste

1.  Brown beef, onion, carrots, and bell pepper in large pot, until onions start to become translucent and carrots soften a bit (I used beef that was fairly lean; you’ll want to drain the juices if there is too much fat; however, you’ll want about 2 tablespoons of fat/juices if you want steps two and three to work).
2. Stir in the bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, paprika, and garlic powder, and cook for about a minute to bloom the spices.
3. Stir in the flour, and brown for three minutes, stirring often.
4. Add cabbage, and cook until beginning to soften, about five minutes.
5. Bring on the stock (or gravy + water combo)! Bring to a simmer, and let it stay there for about 20 minutes, until slightly thickened and velvety.
6. Taste for salt, and add to taste (most Cajun seasonings have salt added, so you might not need any).