Hearty Cabbage Roll Soup (Printable Version)

A comforting blend of cabbage, beef, and rice in tomato broth, paired with crispy garlic toast.

# Ingredient List:

→ Soup

01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 3 cups chopped green cabbage
06 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
07 - 1 bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
09 - 4 cups beef broth
10 - 2 cups tomato sauce
11 - 1½ tsp dried oregano
12 - 1½ tsp dried thyme
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - ½ cup uncooked white rice
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
16 - Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

→ Garlic Toast

17 - 6 slices rustic bread or baguette
18 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
19 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
20 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
21 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart, until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add diced onion and minced garlic to the pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Stir in chopped cabbage, sliced carrots, and diced bell pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until slightly softened.
04 - Incorporate diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato sauce, dried oregano, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Bring mixture to a simmer.
05 - Stir in uncooked white rice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until rice and vegetables are tender.
06 - While soup simmers, preheat oven broiler. Combine softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt.
07 - Spread garlic butter mixture evenly across bread slices. Arrange on a baking sheet and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy.
08 - Remove bay leaf from soup. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve alongside garlic toast.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This soup comes together in one pot—a secret weapon for easy weeknights and less cleanup.
  • The garlic toast soaks up the broth perfectly, making every bite satisfying and just a bit indulgent in the best way.
02 -
  • If you let the soup boil instead of simmer, the rice will go mushy fast—a lesson I learned after a distracted phone call.
  • I discovered that leftover soup thickens overnight, becoming almost stew-like, which some people (my partner included) prefer for lunch the next day.
03 -
  • Chopping the cabbage finer helps it melt into the broth rather than float awkwardly—something I figured out after a few chunky attempts.
  • Rub the garlic directly on toasted bread before buttering if you like a sharper kick—my grandmother’s secret, and a game changer.
Go Back