Cabbage Roll Soup

5 from 2 votes

All the classic flavors of stuffed cabbage rolls in an easy one-pot cabbage roll soup. Hearty, comforting, and perfect for a chilly night!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, European

Keyword cabbage roll soup, cabbage roll soup recipe, cabbage soup, stuffed cabbage roll soup, unstuffed cabbage roll soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 380kcal

4 slices bacon, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage (about ½ of a medium head)
4 cups beef broth
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 dried bay leaf
2 cups cooked white rice
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Optional garnish: dollop of sour cream; chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, or oregano

In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a plate; reserve the drippings in the pot.
Add the ground beef to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute.
Stir in the cabbage, beef broth, tomato sauce, tomatoes, brown sugar, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer until the cabbage is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Stir in the rice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the parsley.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each bowl with reserved bacon.

Shortcut: If you don't want to boil a pot of rice for this soup, you can microwave a packet of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice in about 90 seconds. Each packet is approximately 2 cups of rice.
If adding uncooked rice to the soup, use ½ cup of uncooked long-grain white rice, increase the broth by about 1-2 cups, and simmer until the rice is tender.