This low-carb Green Chile Beef Cabbage Bowl is so tasty and you can make the green chile beef in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot! And any family members who aren’t cabbage fans can eat the spicy green chile shredded beef inside tortillas if they prefer.

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Green Chile Shredded Beef Cabbage Bowl second photo

If you look in the Cabbage Archives on Kalyn’s Kitchen, it’s not hard to see that I’m a huge cabbage fan! And since March is the month when cabbage goes on sale for St. Patrick’s Day, it seems like the perfect time to feature this favorite low-carb Green Chile Beef Cabbage Bowl.

I first made the green chile beef for this recipe in the slow cooker. But I’m updating the recipe with instructions for the Instant Pot as well, because this slightly-spicy beef with green chiles can easily be made using the Instant Pot if you add a bit more liquid. 

I really loved these bowls with slightly-spicy green chile beef and cabbage and a tasty avocado topping!The recipe does have a few carbs, but remember the nutritional information is for the complete meal. And I guess the avocado salsa is optional if you want slightly fewer carbs, but I would never skip it myself; the tasty avocado salsa really makes this a wow!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

How spicy is this green chile beef?

In this cabbage bowl meal I thought the beef was just spicy enough to be interesting. If you’re cooking for kids, you might use a slightly smaller amount of diced green chiles when you cook the beef, and maybe save the Green Tabasco Sauce to be added at the table.

Would you make green chile beef in the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker?

I use 6 Quart Instant Pot (affiliate link) for all my Instant Pot Recipes. Check out my collection of Instant Pot Recipes! I used my Crock-Pot 3-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link) for making this recipe in the slow cooker.

How to eat the green chile beef if you’re not a cabbage fan?

The tasty green chile beef used in these cabbage bowls could be served in low-carb tortillas or over cauliflower rice for people who aren’t cabbage fans.

Want more ideas for tasty bowl meals?

Check out 20 Amazing Low-Carb Bowl Meals for more dinners that are served in a bowl!

Green Chile Shredded Beef Cabbage Bowl process shots collage

How to make this Green Chile Beef Cabbage Bowl:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. I started with a 3 pound chuck roast, then trimmed the fat until it was just over 2 pounds of lean meat. 
  2. Rub the pieces of meat with Kalyn’s Taco Seasoning (or your favorite Southwestern spice blend.) 
  3. Then heat a little olive oil and brown the meat well on all sides.  (Don’t skip this step; the browning adds a lot of flavor.)
  4. Put the meat into a small slow cooker with 2 cans diced green chiles and the juice.
  5. I used my Crock-Pot 3-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker (affliate link) for this recipe.  It could be a little smaller but I wouldn’t use a bigger one unless you double the recipe.
  6. You can also make this in the Instant Pot (affiliate link); see the recipe below for those instructions.
  7. Cook on high for 3-5 hours, or until the beef shreds apart easily. (You’ll be surprised how much liquid there is.)
  8. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred apart. (Keep the juice in the slow cooker.)
  9. Then put the shredded meat back in the slow cooker to absorb the liquid and stay warm while you make the cabbage slaw and salsa.
  10. We used a Mandoline Slicer (affliate link) with the 1.5 mm  blade to make really thinly sliced cabbage, but you can also cut it by hand.
  11. Toss the green cabbage, red cabbage, and green onions with the mayo-lime dressing that includes Green Tabasco Sauce.
  12. To make the salsa, toss avocado and diced poblano pepper with lime, olive oil, and chopped cilantro.
  13. Layer cabbage slaw, green chile beef, and avocado salsa into individual bowls and serve.

Green Chile Shredded Beef Cabbage Bowl with Avocado Salsa (Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker) found on KalynsKitchen.com

More Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Beef:

Want more low-carb beef recipes for the slow cooker?

Check out 20 Keto Slow Cooker Recipes with Beef for lots more tasty ideas for dinners with beef!

Weekend Food Prep:

This Green Chile Beef Cabbage Bowl recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Green Chile Shredded Beef Cabbage Bowl second photo
Yield: 6 servings

Green Chile Beef Cabbage Bowl

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes

Spicy shredded beef with green chiles is cooked in the slow cooker or Instant Pot and served over cabbage slaw for a delicious Green Chile Beef Cabbage Bowl meal.

Ingredients

Ingredients for Beef:

  • about 3 lb. beef chuck roast (see notes)
  • 1 T  Kalyn’s Taco Seasoning (see notes, or use your favorite Southwestern spice blend)
  • 2 tsp. olive oil (depending on your pan)
  • 2 cans (4 oz. can) diced green chiles with juice
  • (See directions below for additional beef stock for Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot version)

Ingredients for Cabbage Slaw and Dressing: 

  • 1 small head green cabbage
  • 1/2 small head red cabbage
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
  • 6 T mayo
  • 4 tsp. fresh squeezed lime juice (see notes)
  • 2 tsp. (or more) Green Tabasco Sauce

Ingredients for the Avocado Salsa:

  • 2 large avocados, diced
  • 1 medium Poblano (Pasilla) pepper, diced very small
  • 1 T fresh-squeezed lime juice (I use my fresh-frozen lime juice)
  • 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro (or use thinly-sliced green onion if you’re not a cilantro person)

Instructions

Slow Cooker Directions:

  1. Trim all visible fat and any undesirable parts from the chuck roast and cut into thick strips. (I save all those scraps to make homemade beef stock.)
  2. Rub strips of beef with the taco seasoning.  Heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan and brown the beef well on all sides.  (Don’t skip this step; the browning adds a lot of flavor.)
  3. Put the strips of browned beef in the slow cooker and pour in the diced green chiles and juice from the cans. 
  4. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beef shreds apart easily.  (If you’re going to be out you can also cook this for 6-8 hours on low.) 
  5. When the beef is done, use a large slotted spoon to remove it to a cutting board, leaving the liquid in the slow cooker. Shred the beef apart with two forks and put it back in the slow cooker to absorb the liquid and keep warm while you make the cabbage slaw and salsa.
  6. Cut the cabbage into very thin strips. We used a Mandoline Slicer (affiliate link) with the 1.5 mm  blade to make really thin slices, but you can also cut it by hand.) Slice the green onions. 
  7. Whisk together the mayo, lime juice, and Green Tabasco Sauce (affiliate link) to make the dressing.  (Taste to see if you want more lime or Green Tabasco and adjust to taste.)  Then put the cabbage and green onions into a bowl and toss with the dressing.
  8. Peel and cut up the avocado, place in a bowl, and toss with the lime juice.  Finely chop the cilantro (or green onion) and the Poblano chile and add it to the avocado.  Drizzle in the olive oil and gently toss again.
  9. To assemble the bowl, put a layer of the slaw, then a generous amount of the spicy beef, topped by a couple of spoonfuls of the avocado salsa.  I served this with extra Green Tabasco for those who wanted a little more heat.
  10. If this makes more than you’ll eat at one time I would only dress the amount of cabbage you’ll be using.  Refrigerate the ingredients individually and then warm the beef and toss the cabbage with the dressing when you want to eat the leftovers.

    Notes

    Start with a chuck roast that's close to 3 pounds, then trim fat and any unwanted parts. I use Kalyn’s Taco Seasoning for this recipe. Be sure to choose a brand without sugar if you're using purchased taco seasoning. I use my fresh-frozen lime juice.

    Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker Directions:

    1. Use the ingredients as above for slow cooker version, but you will need an additional 3/4 cup beef stock for cooking in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
    2. Brown meat as above, or brown in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
    3. Put the strips of browned beef in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker and pour in the diced green chiles with juice from the cans and 3/4 cup beef stock.
    4. Lock the lid, set to MANUAL, HIGH PRESSURE, and set time for 45 minutes.
    5. When the time is finished, use NATURAL RELEASE for 15 minutes, then use quick release method to release the rest of the pressure.
    6. Make cabbage slaw, dressing, and avocado salsa as above to finish the recipe.
    7. Remove beef to a cutting board to shred, then put it back into the pressure cooker to absorb the liquid. (You can use the simmer or saute setting on the pressure cooker to reduce some of the liquid if you think there will be too much.)
    8. Assemble bowls as above.
    This recipe created by Kalyn.

    Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    6

    Serving Size:

    1

    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 815Total Fat: 59gSaturated Fat: 18gUnsaturated Fat: 37.4gCholesterol: 194mgSodium: 429mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 7.4gSugar: 5.4gProtein: 59g

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

    Green Chile Shredded Beef Cabbage Bowl shown in two serving bowls with avocado salsa.

    Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
    This Green Chile Beef Cabbage Bowl would be approved for low-carb and Keto diets. It’s probably a bit high in fat for the original South Beach Diet but if you used lean beef, reduced fat mayo, and use portion control on the avocado salsa, it wouldn’t be that much of a splurge for South Beach. 

    Find More Recipes Like This One:
    Use Bowl Meals to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type photo index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

    Historical Notes for this Recipe:
    This recipe for green chile beef serve as a cabbage bowl meal was first posted as a slow cooker recipe in 2014. It was later updated to add the Instant Pot Option and the recipe was last updated with more information in 2024.

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