Easy Stuffed Cabbage Soup

So let’s talk about the ingredients for stuffed cabbage soup:

Cabbage – Pick up a head of cabbage at the grocery store, or you can use bagged chopped or shredded cabbage for convenience. But if you can get a locally-grown cabbage at a farmer’s market, it will most likely be even sweeter and tastier.

Ground Beef – I use 85/15 grass-fed ground beef. You can use any ground beef of your choice, but be sure to drain off any extra grease from the pan when you cook it. You can also use a different type of ground meat like ground turkey or chicken, or leave out the meat for a vegetarian cabbage soup. 

Onion – Use any type of onion you like and have on hand. Sweet onions like Vidalia are my favorite choice for this recipe. 

Bell Pepper – I prefer a green bell pepper. If you’re not a fan of green bell peppers, use the color you prefer. 

Crushed tomatoes – There are a variety of tomato products you can use here. I like the consistency of crushed tomatoes, so that is what I typically use. You can also use tomato puree. For a chunky broth, I use a combination of diced tomatoes and bottled tomato juice.

Beef Broth – Use a beef broth that tastes good to you since it is a big part of the flavor of this soup. You can use homemade or boxed broth or stock. If I don’t have homemade, I often use a powdered base or wet beef base and reconstitute it with water. 

Rice – I use plain white rice, typically jasmine or long-grain rice. Brown rice will work, too, but you may have to simmer the soup a bit longer to soften the rice. If you want a low-carb cabbage soup, you can leave out the rice or substitute cauliflower rice.

V8 Juice – This is an optional ingredient. I like to use v8 juice to thin down the soup if needed, but plain water or broth will work, too.  

Dried Dill – I enjoy the flavor of dried dill in this soup, but if dill isn’t your thing, substitute dried Italian seasoning. 

Here are a few tips for making the best Stuffed Cabbage Soup:

Give it time. The secret ingredient to making the best cabbage soup is time. While the prep is fairly quick, the magic happens in the slow and gentle simmering. Allow the soup to gently bubble away until the flavors are melded and the cabbage is tender to your liking.

Wait to add the rice. If you add the rice to the soup immediately, it will dissolve into the soup by the time the cabbage is cooked. I like to simmer the cabbage in the soup for about 45 minutes and then add the rice. You can also cook the rice separately and add it when the soup is finished cooking. 

Season your soup to taste before serving. I like to sprinkle in a little extra dill and freshly ground black pepper.

How to store cabbage soup:

Store any leftover soup in the fridge for 2-3 days. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container in the freezer, for up to 3 months for best quality.