Cabbage roll soup is a hearty and flavorful meal that is perfect for a cold winter day. It’s made with ground beef, rice, and a variety of vegetables, all simmered together in a rich tomato-based broth.
My grandmother made delicious cabbage rolls. I remember coming home and smelling them cooking in the kitchen. She would cook them in a large stock pot that was filled with individually wrapped rolls filled with hamburger and rice all in a tomato based liquid. I miss her cooking.
This is the “unstuffed” version of her Cabbage Roll Soup recipe.
I know that everyone thinks “yucky cabbage”. And I am one of those with that opinion. The brown sugar adds a little sweetness to the liquid. The tomato juice helps adjust the flavor of the cabbage. The end result is not bitter but very flavorful. I love the taste of this soup.
My grandmother always serve her Cabbage Roll Soup with saltine crackers with butter on top of them. If I do not have French Bread, saltine crackers with butter is my go to. My kids at first laughed about this but once they tried it, they love it.
Refrigerate any leftovers in an air tight container for 5 to 7 days. I love eating leftover soup for lunch and will take a container a day for a couple days.
Tips for Making This Soup
This recipe can be easily customized to your taste. If you prefer a thicker soup, you can use less broth or add an additional can of diced tomatoes. You can also switch up the vegetables – try adding some diced carrots, bell peppers, or zucchini for additional flavor and nutrition. If you’d like to add some heat to the soup, you can also stir in some diced jalapeno peppers or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Cabbage Roll Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Extra Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion diced
- 2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
- 4 Cups Green Cabbage coarseley chopped and stems removed
- 4 Cups beef broth
- 1 24 oz Tomato Juice
- 1/2 Cup Uncooked Long Grain White Rice
- 1 Whole Bay Leaf
- 3 Tablespoons Light or Dark Brown Sugar
Instructions
- On the stove top, brown the ground beef, onion and minced garlic. Drain any drippings.
- Add the cooked ground beef, beef broth, tomato juice, uncooked rice, bay leaf, brown sugar and cabbage to a small stock pot.
- Simmer the soup on low for 45 minutes until the rice is cooked.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve the soup.
One Pot Hamburger Cabbage Soup
