Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup
All the cozy vibes of cabbage rolls, minus the hassle! This hearty soup is loaded with tender cabbage, savory meat, and perfectly cooked rice, simmered in a rich tomato broth. Comfort food, simplified!
Servings: 12 cups
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork sausage
- 1 small green cabbage chopped into bite-sized pieces, about 7 to 8 cups
- 3 cups marinara sauce (24 ounces) or homemade tomato basil sauce
- 4 to 5 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- fresh parsley for garnish
- Sour cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and pork sausage to the pot. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease if needed.
- Toss in the chopped cabbage and stir until slightly softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf and uncooked white rice. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the cabbage is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
- Remove the bay leaf and ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired.
Notes
- To keep this soup gluten-free, use a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce and ensure your broth is certified gluten-free.
- White rice works best, but if using brown rice, increase the broth and simmer longer until tender.
- For a low-carb version, swap in cauliflower rice and add it during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- This soup thickens as it sits. If reheating leftovers, add a splash of chicken or beef stock to loosen it up.
- If you plan to freeze, consider cooking the rice separately and adding it fresh when serving to prevent a mushy texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 949mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2141IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg
