Weight Loss Cabbage Stew Recipe (High Protein, Low Calorie)
on Apr 02, 2026
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Weight Loss Cabbage Stew 🍲 – but make it taste like I’m not depriving myself of the joy in life 😂. This isn’t the 90’s – we’re not doing deprivation in 2026! But swimsuit 👙 season is coming, and I’m definitely trying to reverse all the comfort food choices I made when I was cold 😅. Sooooo, if you want to look snatched and still eat actual food, I 👏 GOT 👏 YOU! This ONE POT osso bucco stew is hearty, filling, and absolutely delicious. (The rich bone broth it renders is 5000/10 🙌🔥!) If you loved my Weight Loss Cabbage Soup, then think of this healthy cabbage stew as its bolder cousin that’s doing the absolute most – and never gets in trouble for it 🤭!
Key Takeaways
- Weight Loss Cabbage Stew is a delicious, low-calorie meal packed with 51 grams of protein per serving.
- The stew features rich flavors from osso bucco and a variety of vegetables, making it hearty and satisfying.
- Preparation takes only 15 minutes, with a hands-off simmering process for tender meat.
- You can customize the recipe by swapping ingredients like using chicken thighs or sweet potatoes.
- This stew is perfect for meal prep and tastes even better the next day.
Table of Contents
- Key Takeaways
- Why You’ll Love this Weight Loss Cabbage Stew Recipe
- Ingredients
- Nonna’s Tip 👩🍳🥄
- Why This Stew Helps With Weight Loss
- Tips for Making the Perfect Cabbage Stew
- Variations and Substitutions for Weight Loss Cabbage Stew
- Best Served With
- Similar Recipes
- Common Questions
- Weight Loss Cabbage Stew Recipe
Why You’ll Love this Weight Loss Cabbage Stew Recipe
✨ Low-calorie: Coming in at just under 500 cals, this hearty stew will leave you satisfied for hours without the urge to snack between meals.
💪 High-protein: One serving of this stew packs a whopping 51 grams of protein!
👋 It’s mostly hands off: This Osso Bucco stew takes only 15 minutes of prep – the rest is hands-free simmering time.
👓 It passes the tenderism test: 2 hours of low and slow simmering will have the meat falling off the bone. Just don’t break your glasses.
Ingredients
🥩 Veal shanks (osso buco): Rich bone-in cuts that build deep flavor, create a nutrient-rich broth, and become fall-off-the-bone tender.
🫒 Olive oil: Creates a nice crust when searing the meat and builds the base of the stew.
🧂 Salt and pepper: Essential for seasoning the meat.
🧅 Onions: Adds natural sweetness and depth of flavor.
🫑 Red bell pepper: Brings subtle sweetness and balance to the stew.
🥕 Carrots: Adds a hearty, colorful twist.
🧄 Garlic: Provides a rich, aromatic base.
🍅 Tomato paste: Concentrates the broth and adds a tomatoey element.
🥬 Cabbage: The star of the show – bulks up the stew and adds fiber.
🥔 Yellow potato: Makes the stew hearty and satisfying while thickening the broth slightly.
🌿 Fresh dill: Gives the dish a bright finish.
🍲 Vegetable broth: Keeps the stew light while allowing the flavors to come together.
Nonna’s Tip 👩🍳🥄
Once everything is simmering, resist the urge to stir constantly. Letting it cook undisturbed helps the meat stay intact and allows the flavors to build.
Why This Stew Helps With Weight Loss
This healthy cabbage stew recipe is built to help you hit your macros 🎯. It comes in at only 491 calories per serving, packs 51 grams of protein, and is loaded with fiber from veggies 🥬 like peppers, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. The osso bucco creates a rich bone broth that is both flavorful and excellent for gut health, so you get a cozy comfort meal without the heaviness 😋. It’s the kind of meal that helps you hit your goals because it’s filling, nourishing, and actually satisfying.
Tips for Making the Perfect Cabbage Stew
- Sear for max flavor: Searing the meat before simmering builds a deep, rich base and adds layers of flavor.
- Low and slow: Keep the stew at a gentle simmer in your Dutch oven or Rondeau Pan – not a rapid boil. This allows the meat to become tender while the broth develops.
- Layer the seasoning: Season lightly at each stage instead of all at once. This helps build balanced flavor throughout the dish.
- Add potatoes later: Stir in the potatoes toward the end of cooking so they stay tender without falling apart.
- Let it rest: Stew always tastes better after sitting. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving—or even overnight for deeper flavor.
Variations and Substitutions for Weight Loss Cabbage Stew
- Keep it high-protein 🥩 with swaps like beef shank or beef short ribs if you can’t find osso bucco. Additionally, you can use stewing beef for a lighter option.
- Steering clear of red meat? Bone in chicken thighs will still give you that rich bone broth vibe while maintaining your health goals.
- No cabbage? No problem! You can use fresh spinach or kale instead 🥬.
- Swap potatoes for sweet potatoes 🍠 for a slightly sweeter, nutrient-dense twist. Additionally, skip potatoes altogether for a lower-carb version.
- Use beef broth instead of veggie broth for deeper, richer flavor.
Best Served With
- No Knead Bread
- Steamed rice 🍚
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Lemon Parmesan Salad 🥗
Similar Recipes
Common Questions
If you like! This healthy soup is a well balanced meal made with all natural ingredients. It contains protein and is loaded with veggies containing vital nutrients and fibre – making it perfect for weekly meal prep.
Yes! Each serving contains 51 grams of protein!
Weight Loss Cabbage Stew contains 491 calories per serving – perfect for a low cal option that still leaves you feeling full.
Absolutely! In fact, it’s even better the next day once the flavors have had time to marry and deepen. Weight Loss Cabbage Stew does require you to simmer it low and slow for about 2 hours, so it’s perfect for making ahead of time.
Weight Loss Cabbage Stew
Ingredients
The Meat
- 4 pieces veal shanks, osso bucco
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper , to taste
The Veggies
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 carrots, finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced
- salt , to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5 cups unsalted vegetable broth
- 1 large yellow potato, peeled and diced
- ½ head cabbage, chopped
- fresh dill for serving
Instructions
- Sear the meat. Heat olive oil in a large wide pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season veal pieces with salt and pepper. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- In the same pan over medium heat, add the diced onion, bell peppers, and carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
- Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and cook it off. Add in the shredded cabbage, salt, and stir. Nestle the seared osso bucco pieces on top and in between the vegetables.
- Add unsalted vegetable broth (enough to cover the top), bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
- After 1.5 hours, add peeled and diced potatoes. Cook another 30 minutes or until the meat is tender and potatoes are cooked.
- Take off heat, garnish with fresh dill and enjoy with hot pepper on top or anything you like. Spoon into bowls and top with plenty of fresh dill. Best served with crusty bread or over rice.
Nonna’s Notes
- Protein Swaps: Use beef shank or beef short ribs if osso buco is unavailable. Stew beef can also be used as a slightly leaner option. For a non-red meat alternative, bone-in chicken thighs will render rich, flavorful broth.
- Veggie subs: If cabbage is not available, substitute with fresh spinach or kale. Add these toward the end of cooking to prevent over-softening.
- Potato options: Swap regular potatoes for sweet potatoes for a slightly sweeter, more nutrient-dense variation. For a lower-carbo version, potatoes can be omitted.
- Broth variation: For a deeper, richer flavor, use beef broth in place of vegetable broth.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I ate this for 3 weeks straight and IDK if I lost a pound but it sure did taste good (didn’t loose a pound because I put cheese in it lol)