Description
This Cabbage Roll Soup is a hearty and flavorful soup that captures all the delicious flavors of traditional cabbage rolls in an easy-to-make, deconstructed format. It features ground beef, cabbage, carrots, rice, and a rich tomato-based broth.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chopped green cabbage (about 1/2 medium head)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat Oil: Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.
- Brown Beef: Add the ground beef to the pot. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula, until it’s browned and cooked through. Drain off any excess grease, if necessary.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the pot with the browned beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is softened and translucent.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the chopped cabbage, sliced carrots, tomato sauce, beef broth, rinsed uncooked white rice, bay leaf, and brown sugar to the pot. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
- Simmer: Bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the cabbage and carrots are cooked through. Stir occasionally.
- Remove Bay Leaf: Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot.
Notes
- Ground Beef: You can use lean ground beef, ground sirloin, or even ground turkey or Italian sausage.
- Cabbage: Green cabbage is traditional, but you can use savoy cabbage or a combination.
- Rice: Long-grain white rice is recommended. Rinsing the rice before adding it to the soup helps to remove excess starch and prevents it from becoming sticky.
- Beef Broth: Use low-sodium beef broth to control the saltiness of the soup.
- Brown Sugar: The brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. You can adjust the amount to your preference.
- Serving Suggestions: This soup is a hearty meal on its own, but you can serve it with crusty bread or a side salad.
- Make-Ahead: This soup can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over medium-low heat.
- Storage Store in the fridge.