In the dead of winter, there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of soup. With this Stuffed Cabbage Soup, you get all the flavors of a delicious, labor-intensive meal, without all the hard work!
I based this soup on a dish your Polish grandmother might make—called galumpkis—meat, rice and vegetables rolled up in soft cabbage leaves and baked in a savory tomato sauce. Don’t have a Polish grandmother? Never fear! This soup comes together in half an hour and is very forgiving. No green onions? Garnish with dill! Don’t eat rice? Serve with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt! You can use ground beef, pork, or even turkey here. Or do what I did and use leftover meatloaf or hamburgers. See? Easy!
Stuffed Cabbage Soup
Ingredients:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or bacon fat
- 4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
- 2 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 pound cooked ground beef (I used last night’s leftover meatloaf and broke it into small pieces)
- 1/2 cup minced carrots
- 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon toasted and ground fennel seeds (or use ground fennel or anise)
- 2 green onions, minced
- rice, to serve
Directions:
- In a very large pot, sauté the minced garlic in the oil for one minute. Add the sliced cabbage and stir. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the stock and the water. Crumble the meat into the soup and add the carrots. Stir to combine.
- Add the tomatoes, paprika, and ground fennel. Turn the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook for about 15 minutes.
- To serve: Ladle soup into a big bowl. Add a scoop of rice and sprinkle with minced green onions. Eat hot!
Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana
To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!
