Best Cabbage Roll Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 32 minutes

Total Time 47 minutes

Servings: 5 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ medium cabbage chopped (about 6 cups chopped)
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup uncooked white rice rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Optional: roughly chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Brown the meat. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, onions, and garlic. Use a spatula to break up the meat and cook until browned.
  2. Add the seasoning. Add the paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir for another 30 seconds.
  3. Add the cabbage, carrots, broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and rice, and bring to a boil. Give it a stir, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover. Let it simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom, and cooking until the vegetables and rice are softened.
  4. Finish and serve. Stir in the chopped parsley and lemon juice before serving.

Notes

  • I’m using 90% lean ground beef, so that I don’t have to drain any grease from the pot.
  • You could also add a splash of red wine vinegar instead of the lemon juice to brighten the soup.
  • If the soup thickens up a bit too much, you can always stir in another cup of water or broth to make it soupier.
  • Storage tip: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. If it’s too thick after reheating, just add a bit more broth or water to thin it out.