Nordic Instant Pot beef and cabbage
June 29, 2026 · 1 min read
Beef and cabbage is humble, thrifty Nordic cooking at its most comforting — tender braised beef and sweet, soft cabbage in a light, savory broth. The pressure cooker delivers the deep flavor of an all-afternoon braise in well under an hour, and adding the cabbage at the end keeps it in tender wedges rather than cooking it to nothing.
Caraway or allspice is the small touch that nudges this from generic to Nordic.
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef chuck, cut in chunks
- 1 tablespoon rapeseed (canola) oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 small head green cabbage, cut in wedges
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon caraway or allspice
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh dill or parsley, to serve
Steps
- Season the beef and brown it in the oil using the sauté setting, then turn it off.
- Add the onion, broth, tomato paste, caraway, and bay leaves and stir.
- Seal and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Lay the cabbage wedges on top, seal again, and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes with a quick release, so the cabbage softens but holds its shape.
- Discard the bay leaves, season, and serve in bowls with the broth and fresh herbs.
Notes and swaps
Chuck is the cut for a pressure braise — it turns silky where leaner beef dries out. Stagger the cooking: beef first, cabbage in the last few minutes. Caraway leans Scandinavian; allspice is a gentler, sweeter option. Add carrots or potatoes with the cabbage to make it heartier. Serve with rye bread and a spoon of mustard. It's even better reheated.
Tell Nordic Diet Companion "beef and cabbage" and it reflects how the meal fits your Nordic week.