Description
Polish cabbage roll soup delivers comforting flavors reminiscent of traditional Eastern European kitchens. Packed with tender meat, rice, and savory vegetables, this nourishing dish warms you from the inside out.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
Vegetables:
- 4 cups chopped green cabbage
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced finely
- 2 medium carrots, quartered and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Liquid and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup white rice, uncooked
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, sear ground beef over medium-high heat until thoroughly browned and crumbly, seasoning with salt and pepper throughout cooking.
- Introduce diced onions and minced garlic to the browned meat, sautéing for 2-3 minutes until vegetables become translucent and fragrant.
- Pour in beef broth, tomato sauce, and carefully add chopped cabbage, sliced carrots, white rice, bay leaf, and a touch of brown sugar, stirring to integrate all ingredients.
- Reduce heat and allow soup to gently simmer for approximately 25 minutes, ensuring rice reaches complete tenderness and flavors meld harmoniously.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, removing bay leaf to prevent excessive bitterness in the final dish.
- Ladle hot soup into serving bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley for a vibrant finishing touch, adding color and a subtle herbaceous note.
Notes
- Enhance browning by patting ground beef dry before cooking to achieve a perfect golden-brown crust.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter, diet-friendly version that maintains the soup’s hearty texture.
- Add a splash of apple cider vinegar or red wine at the end to brighten the flavors and create a more complex taste profile.
- For gluten-free adaptation, replace white rice with cauliflower rice or quinoa to keep the soup’s nutritional value and satisfying consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Eastern European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg