Twisted Cabbage Roll Soup
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Ground beef browned then mixed with softened onions and carrots, spiced with Worcestershire and paprika. Cabbage wilts in before beef broth, tomatoes, ketchup, bay leaves, and rice join the pot. Simmer low, covered, till rice softly swells, releasing hearty aromas. Bay leaves out, parsley on top. Rich, chunky, tangy with an undertone of Italian herbs. Swapped garlic paste for minced fresh garlic, bumped rice slightly. Watch rice texture not just time. Perfect for weeknight dinners when you want cabbage rolls without the rolling hassle. Season and adjust liquid if broth starts looking tight before rice cooks through.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
60 min
Servings:
8 servings
#American comfort
#one pot meals
#cabbage recipes
#ground beef
#weeknight dinners
Ever started craving cabbage rolls but dread the rolling fuss? Been there, burned my fingers on the hot leaves, saw rice overcook. This approach skips that mess altogether while keeping the soul of cabbage rolls—meat and rice wrapped in cabbages, but now swimming in a robust broth. Ground beef, onions, carrots all sautéed till they’re singing together. Then cabbage wilts right in, soaking up those seasonings. The trick is in covering and letting rice slowly steam in the pot, no peeking until close to done. The aroma fills the kitchen, a nostalgic mix of savory tomato and smoky paprika. Rounded off with fresh parsley, it’s a rustic, stick-to-your-ribs meal. I swapped garlic paste for fresh minced garlic—freshness punches through here, trust me. You may find yourself wanting this on repeat for chilly nights. Simple, no fiddly prep, solid flavors from pantry staples, an honest bowl of comfort without fuss or fancy.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- 1 medium head cabbage chopped
- 6 cups beef broth low sodium
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes 14.5 oz
- 1 can tomato sauce 8 oz
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup long grain white rice rinsed
About the ingredients
Ground beef should be 80-85% lean for good flavor without greasy broth. If leaner, drain fat carefully; fattier cuts yield richer soup but risk slick finish. Fresh minced garlic vibrates more than paste—if you have both, use fresh for step two, paste can burn if sautéed too long. Carrots add subtle sweetness that balances acidity of tomato products—don’t skip or exchange with parsnips if you want a twist. Use low sodium beef broth to control salt, especially since canned tomatoes and ketchup have salt too. Rinsing the rice stops starch from thickening soup excessively and helps grains remain distinct. Italian seasoning blend involves oregano, basil, thyme—if fresh, add at end to keep fragrance. Bay leaves impart deep herbal notes but remove fully before serving—too much bitterness otherwise.
Method
- Heat Dutch oven medium-high; crumble beef breaking apart. Cook till no pink visible, meat browned but not overcooked. Drain fat well—too greasy flavors soup funny. Return beef to pot. Toss in onions, carrots, and fresh minced garlic; stir, hear onions soften and smell that sweet onion-garlic combo? Roughly 6 minutes—onions should translucently glisten, carrots just starting to give.
- Spice time: splash Worcestershire, season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders, smoked paprika, Italian herbs. Stir to evenly coat meat and veg. Paprika adds smoky depth not found with plain paprika; I learned this swap mid-pantry raid. Always taste at this stage; spices concentrate here.
- Add chopped cabbage straight in. Stir cabbage for 2-4 minutes until it wilts but retains bite—should shrivel visibly, greener parts soften slightly. Important: cabbage volume shrinks; don’t rush or you’ll get soggy mush.
- Pour in beef broth, diced tomatoes with juices, tomato sauce, and ketchup—ketchup works here like a subtle sweet punch to tomato acidity. Toss bay leaves in. Stir in the rinsed rice thoroughly.
- Bring everything to high boil—bubble-heavy, steaming thick steam smacking the lid—then immediately reduce to low heat. Cover tightly. Don’t peek too early, lid traps steam for rice to absorb all liquid and soften slowly. Peek at 28 minutes; if rice still firm, return lid and cook 5 more minutes. Visual cue: rice grains swell but not broken down to mush.
- Final step: fish out bay leaves—they’ll have imparted earthy background but no one wants to eat those leathery leaves. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley for freshness and color. Serve hot; soup clings to the back of spoon like cabbage roll filling but broth-light enough to sip.
- Pro tip: If you don’t have garlic paste, mince fresh garlic finely. If rice is stubborn, add splash broth and stir carefully without breaking rice. Cabbage choice matters—Green or Savoy are best, Napa gets slimy.
- Leftover tip: This soup thickens as it sits; add broth when reheating to loosen. Flavor intensifies overnight, which I find worth the wait.
Cooking tips
Brown beef well but avoid dry meat—fat and juices meld with veggies. When adding onion and carrots, listen for sizzle and watch onions go translucent, carrots lose some bite but still firm. Fresh garlic added last in this stage preserves pungency without burning. Spices come early to bloom in fat and meat juices, critical for balanced flavor all through. Cabbage wilting should be gentle and quick to retain texture—shrinking volume gives a key visual marker. Liquids should just cover ingredients; watch boil, rapid bubbles indicate heat high enough to start cooking rice. Covering stores steam and heat for rice to absorb liquid slowly; opening blocks that, extending cook time. Visual rice cues: grains swell, slightly translucent edges with opaque center but soft. Overcooking mushes rice, ruining texture. Use lid weight or clean towel under lid for tighter seal if needed. Remove bay leaves before serving avoids unpleasant bites. Garnishing with parsley adds fresh color and mild herbiness—don’t substitute with dried. Leftovers thicken as rice absorbs more; add broth or water when reheating to return soup loose again.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown beef thoroughly but avoid drying it out. Fat renders and binds flavors with vegetables. Drain excess carefully if meat too lean. Fat slickness changes final broth feel - balance is key.
- 💡 Add minced garlic last in the initial sauté to keep pungency without burning. Garlic paste can scorch easily, fresh minced garlic holds aroma better under medium heat. Onions translucent signals readiness for spices.
- 💡 Watch cabbage volume shrink as it wilts; stir gently two to four minutes. Don’t rush or cabbage turns mushy. Texture matters. Visual clues: greener parts soften first, edges shrivel before that soft bite hits.
- 💡 Slow simmer with lid on traps steam for rice absorption. Resist temptation to peek early; peek around 28 minutes when steam thickens, rice grains swell but remain intact. Add broth if rice’s firm, no broken grains allowed.
- 💡 Bay leaves add depth but pull them before serving. Leathery leaves ruin eating. Sprinkle fresh parsley last for brightness; dried herbs lose punch here. Use green or Savoy cabbage; Napa wilts into slimy mess. Small adjustments preserve texture.
Common questions
Can I use garlic paste instead of fresh minced?
Paste burns easily; flavor flattens if cooked too long. Fresh garlic holds sharpness better. If paste only, add late and reduce heat. Minced is more forgiving mid-sauté.
What about rice substitutions?
Long grain works for firm texture. Short grain gives mush; not recommended. Rinsing rice helps stop excess starch that thickens broth too much. Trying quinoa or barley? Adjust cook time, liquid amounts shift.
How do I fix dry or tough rice?
Add broth slowly near end of cooking. Rice texture needs attention, not just time. Cover tightly to trap steam. If broth starts low, supplement in small sips. Patience over heat spike.
How to store leftovers?
Refrigerate in airtight container. Soup thickens overnight because rice swells. Add broth or water when reheating. Can freeze but rice texture softens; reheat gently, avoid boiling after thaw.
