Easy Cabbage Roll Soup with Ground Beef and Rice
This easy cabbage roll soup combines ground beef, tender cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, and rice in one hearty pot. It has all the comforting flavor of stuffed cabbage rolls without the extra work.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or 6-quart soup pot with lid
- Wooden spoon or sturdy cooking spoon
- Cutting Board
- Sharp chef’s knife
- measuring cups and spoons
- Can opener
- Ladle for serving
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 5 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 small green cabbage cored and chopped (about 7 cups)
- 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 tablespoon honey optional
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional
- Chopped fresh parsley for serving optional
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking the beef into crumbles, until the meat is browned and the onion begins to soften. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Add the sliced carrots and minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the tomato paste, salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Stir in the chopped cabbage and uncooked rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- When the rice, carrots, and cabbage are tender, taste the soup and adjust the salt. Add the honey if the tomatoes taste too acidic. Add the lemon juice if the broth needs a brighter flavor.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the soup rest uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving, if desired.
Notes
Do not add extra broth until the cabbage has cooked down and released its moisture.
The soup will thicken as it rests and will continue to thicken during refrigeration.
For a thinner soup, stir in additional beef broth after the rice is completely cooked.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze the cooled soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
The rice may become softer after freezing. Add a little beef broth or water when reheating if the soup has become too thick.