Description
Hearty Cabbage Roll Soup combines ground beef, tender cabbage, rice, tomatoes, vegetables, and fragrant herbs in one comforting pot. It delivers the traditional flavor of stuffed cabbage rolls with much less preparation.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
1 medium green cabbage, chopped, about 6 cups
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 cup uncooked white or brown rice
6 cups beef or chicken broth
1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 ounces
1 can diced tomatoes, 15 ounces
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, optional
Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, optional
Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil or butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the ground beef. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned. Drain excess grease when necessary.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth. Mix until combined.
4. Add the paprika, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a gentle boil.
5. Stir in the uncooked rice. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add the chopped cabbage. Continue simmering for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cabbage feels tender and the rice cooks fully.
7. Remove the bay leaf. Taste the soup and adjust the salt, pepper, paprika, or herbs. Add extra broth when you prefer a thinner consistency.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with parsley and sour cream or Greek yogurt. Serve with warm crusty bread.
Notes
Ground turkey, pork, chicken, or a plant-based alternative can replace the ground beef.
Brown rice may require additional cooking time and extra broth.
The rice continues absorbing liquid during storage, so add broth or water while reheating.
Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze cooled soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
For firmer rice after freezing, slightly undercook it before storing the soup.
Add parsley, sour cream, yogurt, or cheese immediately before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Soup
- Method: Stovetop, One-Pot
- Cuisine: Eastern European-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 19 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
Keywords: Hearty Cabbage Roll Soup, cabbage soup, ground beef soup, one-pot soup, stuffed cabbage soup