Let your slow cooker handle dinner with this comforting Corned Beef Soup. Inspired by a traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage meal, this hearty soup combines tender corned beef, green cabbage, carrots, potatoes, sauerkraut, and reduced-sodium chicken stock. Everything simmers together until the beef is easy to shred and the vegetables are soft, flavorful, and satisfying.
St. Patrick’s Day is always a special occasion in our house. A classic corned beef and cabbage dinner is usually the centerpiece of the celebration, served around the kitchen table with plenty of potatoes, carrots, and cabbage.
This year, instead of making the traditional stovetop dinner, I turned those familiar ingredients into a rich and chunky slow cooker corned beef and cabbage soup. It has all the cozy flavor of the classic meal, but it is easier to prepare and even better for busy days.
Why I Love Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup
This slow cooker corned beef soup is ideal when you want a traditional Irish-inspired meal without spending hours watching the stove. The slow cooker does most of the work, gently cooking the corned beef until it becomes tender enough to shred into bite-sized pieces.
The vegetables make the soup filling and colorful. Carrots add sweetness, potatoes give the broth body, cabbage brings classic flavor, and sauerkraut adds a tangy note that works beautifully with the salty corned beef. The result is a stick-to-your-ribs soup that is simple, rustic, and deeply satisfying.
It is also a practical make-ahead recipe. Like many soups and stews, the flavors continue to develop as it sits, making leftovers especially delicious the next day. Serve it as a complete meal on its own or pair it with a slice of Irish soda bread for an even heartier dinner.
The Ingredients
- Corned beef
- Yellow onion
- Carrots
- Red and white potatoes
- Green cabbage
- Sauerkraut
- Reduced-sodium chicken stock
- Water
- Fresh parsley
The full ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card below. If your corned beef comes with a spice packet, add it to the slow cooker along with the beef and vegetables for extra flavor.
Recipe Substitutions
- Yellow onion gives this soup a mild, savory base, but white onion can be used instead.
- A mix of red and white potatoes looks appealing in the finished soup, but all red or all white potatoes will also work.
- Reduced-sodium vegetable stock may be used in place of reduced-sodium chicken stock.
Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
This corned beef and cabbage soup is very easy to make. Once the ingredients are chopped, everything goes into the slow cooker and cooks until tender.
- Add all the ingredients except the parsley to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on High for 4 to 4 ½ hours or on Low for 7 to 8 hours. The corned beef should shred easily, and the vegetables should be tender.
- Remove the pieces of corned beef from the slow cooker and shred them into bite-sized pieces. Return the beef to the soup and stir well.
- Stir in the chopped fresh parsley just before serving.
- Serve immediately, or store the soup in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Cooking Tips
A few simple details help turn a classic corned beef and cabbage dinner into a flavorful, chunky soup.
- Cut the carrots, onions, potatoes, and cabbage into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Trim excess fat from the corned beef before cutting it into chunks.
- Add the corned beef spice packet to the slow cooker if one is included with the meat.
- Use reduced-sodium stock because corned beef is already a salty cut of beef.
- Shred the beef after cooking, then return it to the slow cooker so every bowl has tender pieces of meat.
- Add the parsley at the end for a fresh finish.
More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
- Rustic Irish Soda Bread
- Guinness Irish Lamb Stew
- Reuben Casserole
- Mint Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Just One More Thing
If you make this slow cooker corned beef soup recipe, it is a wonderful choice for St. Patrick’s Day or any cool-weather meal. It is cozy, filling, and packed with the familiar flavors of corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and sauerkraut. The slow cooker keeps the process simple, making it easy to enjoy a traditional-style dinner with very little hands-on cooking.
Recipe
Corned Beef Soup {Slow Cooker}
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ pounds corned beef trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 medium yellow onion diced, about 1 cup
- 4 carrots diced, about 2 cups
- 1 ½ pounds small red and white potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ small green cabbage cut into 2-inch pieces, about 3 cups
- 1 cup sauerkraut
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
-
Add all the ingredients except the parsley to a slow cooker and stir to combine.
-
Cover and cook on High for 4 to 4 ½ hours or on Low for 7 to 8 hours. The corned beef should shred easily, and the vegetables should be tender.
-
Remove the corned beef from the slow cooker and shred it into bite-sized pieces. Return the beef to the soup and stir to combine.
-
Stir in the chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Add the spice packet that comes with the corned beef, if included.
- Use reduced-sodium stock because corned beef is salty on its own.
Nutrition
| Calories: 344kcal
| Carbohydrates: 25.8g
| Protein: 22g
| Fat: 16.8g
| Sodium: 1411mg