Print

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe

Cabbage roll soup in a bowl garnished with parsley and a little yogurt.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

This cabbage roll soup is the easy version of cabbage rolls. Cabbage, ground beef, tomato sauce and rice come together and make this amazing hearty and filling soup.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 250 g/0.5 lbs ground beef (90% lean)
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup pureed tomato 
  • 4 cups white cabbage, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper 
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried mint
  • 4 cups hot water 
  • ½ cup rice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice 
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
  2. Add in onions and cook until translucent.
  3. Add in ground beef. Cook it by pressing on the large blocks of meat with a spatula until no blocks are left. Continue cooking it covered for 5 minutes.  
  4. Add in garlic, tomato paste and pureed tomato. Keep cooking it covered for 5-10 minutes.
  5. Add in chopped cabbage. Sprinkle spices over it. 
  6. Pour hot water over them, add in rice and give it a good stir.
  7. Finally add in lemon juice and parsley. Bring it to a boil. 
  8. Reduce the heat to medium low and let it simmer (with the lid ajar) for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender.
  9. Serve with yogurt and more parsley on the top.

Notes

  • Make sure there is no large block of ground beef when cooking.

  • If the ground beef doesn’t release its juice easily, add a splash of water and continue cooking.

  • To make the soup even easier, use store-bought tomato sauce.

  • We use uncooked rice, but you can use cooked rice.

  • We use plain water, but you can use chicken stock or beef stock.

  • We don’t use any sweetener in the soup as we are more on the side of tangy flavor. But you can add a tablespoon white or brown sugar, which is traditional when making cabbage roll soup.

  • Make sure you leave the lid ajar when it is simmering. Otherwise the soup might overflow.

  • To store: After it has completely cooled, put the soup in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3 days.

  • To freeze: Place the soup in an airtight container after it completely cools down. For extra protection, wrap the entire container in plastic wrap to prevent it from leaking. Place a label on the foil to write the date and describe what is inside. Keep it in the freezer for about 3 months.

  • To Reheat: Simply place it in the fridge to defrost overnight and then reheat in a dutch oven or another pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. 

  • This soup thickens as it sits, so when reheating you might need to add ½ or 1 cup water or chicken or beef stock. 

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.giverecipe.com/stuffed-cabbage-soup-beef-rice/