Description
Hearty cabbage roll soup delivers classic Polish comfort in a single pot, merging traditional flavors with modern convenience. Robust beef, tender cabbage, and rich tomato broth create a satisfying meal you’ll crave during chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) lean ground beef
- 4 cups green cabbage, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups beef broth (or chicken broth)
- 1 can (14.5 oz/411 g) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (8 oz/227 g) tomato sauce
- 3 tbsps tomato paste
- ½ cup uncooked long-grain rice (or instant brown rice)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsps brown sugar
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Meat Searing: Heat a large pot and brown ground beef thoroughly, breaking it into fine crumbles while seasoning, then drain excess fat.
- Aromatic Foundation: Sauté finely chopped onions and minced garlic until they become translucent and release their fragrant oils.
- Soup Assembly: Add shredded cabbage, sliced carrots, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar into the pot, creating a robust liquid base.
- Herbal Infusion: Sprinkle Italian seasoning and insert a bay leaf, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer to allow flavors to meld and develop depth.
- Rice Integration: Pour rice directly into the simmering liquid, reduce heat, cover the pot, and let the soup cook quietly for 25-30 minutes until rice is tender and ingredients are harmoniously blended.
- Final Seasoning: Taste and adjust salt and pepper, removing the bay leaf to complete the flavor profile.
- Serving Presentation: Ladle the steaming soup into bowls, garnishing with freshly chopped parsley for a bright, fresh finish.
Notes
- Achieve deep caramelization by searing ground beef on high heat, ensuring maximum flavor development and eliminating excess fat for a cleaner, richer soup base.
- Add rice directly into the soup during the last 30 minutes to prevent overcooking and maintain perfect texture, absorbing surrounding flavors without becoming mushy.
- Slice cabbage uniformly and not too thin to retain slight crunch and structural integrity, preventing disintegration during extended simmering process.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based protein crumbles for lighter versions; use cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice for low-carb alternative, maintaining soup’s hearty essence.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Eastern European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg