The Heartiest Stuffed Cabbage Soup Recipe for Cozy Evenings

Warming hearty stuffed cabbage soup brings comfort straight to your kitchen table with minimal effort and maximum flavor.

Memories of grandmother’s traditional cooking dance through this modern interpretation.

Tender cabbage leaves nestle among savory ground meat and perfectly seasoned broth.

Rich tomato undertones complement the robust ingredients, creating a deeply satisfying meal.

Fragrant herbs and carefully selected spices elevate each spoonful into a culinary experience.

Simplified preparation means you can enjoy this classic dish without spending hours in the kitchen.

One taste transports you to a cozy family dinner that feels like a warm embrace.

Why Stuffed Cabbage Soup Is Pure Comfort In A Bowl

• Savor Hearty Comfort: Perfect for Family Dinners
• – Crowd-Pleasing Simplicity: One-pot meal that requires minimal cooking skills, making it ideal for home cooks of all experience levels.
• – Nutritious Flavor Explosion: Packed with protein from ground beef and pork, vegetables from cabbage, and balanced carbohydrates from rice, creating a complete and satisfying meal.
• – Versatile Winter Warmer: Excellent for cold-weather gatherings, potlucks, or cozy family meals that bring everyone together around the table with its rich, warming flavors.
• – Budget-Friendly Cooking: Uses affordable ingredients like cabbage, ground meats, and pantry staples, delivering maximum taste without breaking the bank.

What’s In Stuffed Cabbage Soup

• Ground Beef: A rich and hearty meat that adds robust flavor to the soup.
• Ground Pork: Provides additional depth and richness to the meat mixture.

• Green Cabbage: A classic soup vegetable that adds texture and mild sweetness.
• Onions: Provides a foundational aromatic base for the soup.
• Garlic: Adds a pungent and flavorful undertone to the dish.

• Chicken Broth: Creates a savory and light liquid base for the soup.
• Tomato Sauce: Offers a rich, tangy background flavor and helps thicken the soup.
• Water: Helps adjust the overall liquid consistency of the soup.

• Rice: Adds heartiness and helps make the soup more filling.
• Salt: Enhances the overall flavor profile of the soup.
• Black Pepper: Provides a subtle heat and depth to the seasoning.
• Paprika: Contributes a warm, slightly sweet spice to the dish.
• Bay Leaf: Offers a subtle herbal undertone to the soup.

• Fresh Parsley: Adds a bright, fresh flavor and visual appeal.
• Sour Cream: Provides a cool, creamy contrast to the warm soup.

• Olive Oil: Used for sautéing vegetables and browning meats.

How To Make Stuffed Cabbage Soup In No Time

Step 1: Prep the Cabbage

Break down the green cabbage by removing the core and chopping it into bite-sized chunks. Aim for consistent piece sizes to ensure even cooking throughout the soup.

Step 2: Start the Flavor Base

Warm olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. The oil should be hot and slightly shimmering before adding the next ingredients.

Step 3: Sauté Aromatic Vegetables

Toss in diced onions and cook until they become soft and translucent. Their edges will start to turn golden and release a sweet, inviting aroma. Quickly add minced garlic and stir for just a brief moment to prevent burning.

Step 4: Brown the Meats

Introduce ground beef and ground pork to the pot. Break the meat into small, uniform crumbles using a wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is completely browned with no trace of pink remaining.

Step 5: Build the Soup’s Flavor Profile

• Salt
• Black pepper
• Paprika

Add a bay leaf to infuse deep, complex flavors into the soup.

Step 6: Create the Liquid Base

• Chicken broth
• Tomato sauce
• Water

Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Step 7: Add Remaining Ingredients

Mix in uncooked rice and the prepared cabbage chunks. Ensure all ingredients are well combined and distributed evenly throughout the pot.

Step 8: Slow Simmer to Perfection

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup gently simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes until the cabbage becomes tender and the rice is fully cooked.

Step 9: Final Touches

Remove the bay leaf to prevent any bitter flavors. The soup is now ready to be served.

Step 10: Serve and Enjoy

Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and add a dollop of creamy sour cream on top. Serve immediately while steaming hot for the most satisfying experience.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup Tips For More Flavor

• Master Meat Blending: Combine ground beef and pork for a richer, more complex flavor profile that elevates the traditional stuffed cabbage soup taste.
• Precise Cabbage Chopping: Cut cabbage into uniform bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the soup.
• Rice Cooking Hack: Add uncooked rice directly into the soup to absorb flavors and create a hearty, one-pot meal without extra dishes.
• Temperature Control: Simmer soup on low heat to allow ingredients to meld together and prevent burning, creating a deep, rich taste.
• Garnish for Greatness: Top with fresh parsley and a dollop of sour cream to add brightness and creamy texture that cuts through the soup's richness.

Fun Variations Of Stuffed Cabbage Soup

• Vegetarian Cabbage Soup: Replace ground beef and pork with plant-based protein like lentils, quinoa, or crumbled tofu for a hearty meat-free version.
• Mediterranean Cabbage Soup: Add oregano, feta cheese, and kalamata olives for a Greek-inspired flavor profile with zesty Mediterranean herbs.
• Spicy Korean Cabbage Soup: Incorporate gochujang paste, kimchi, and green onions to create a bold, fiery Korean-style soup with complex heat and depth.
• Keto-Friendly Cabbage Soup: Substitute rice with cauliflower rice and increase protein content, making it low-carb and suitable for ketogenic diets.

Best Bites To Serve With Stuffed Cabbage Soup

• Pair with Hearty Red Wine: Select a robust Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot to complement the rich, meaty flavors of the stuffed cabbage soup, cutting through its savory profile.
• Enhance with Crusty Sourdough Bread: Serve alongside a warm, crispy slice of sourdough to soak up the delicious broth and add a delightful textural contrast.
• Balance with Crisp Side Salad: Prepare a light green salad with tangy vinaigrette to provide a fresh, acidic counterpoint to the soup's hearty and warm characteristics.
• Match with Polish Vodka: For an authentic Eastern European experience, offer a chilled shot of traditional vodka that cleanses the palate between spoonfuls of the soup.

How To Store Stuffed Cabbage Soup With Care

• Transfer cooled soup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, ensuring the lid is tightly sealed to maintain freshness and prevent absorption of other food odors.
• Pour completely cooled soup into freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving about an inch of space for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months to preserve its delicious flavors and texture.
• Thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator, then warm gently in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of chicken broth if the soup seems too thick, until heated through completely.
• Divide soup into individual serving-sized containers before storing, making it easy to defrost and reheat exactly the amount you want without repeatedly thawing and refreezing the entire batch.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup FAQs You’ll Want To Read

• Is this soup healthy?

Yes, it’s packed with protein from beef and pork, fiber from cabbage, and balanced with nutritious rice. The recipe uses lean meats and includes vegetables, making it a wholesome meal option.

• Can I make this soup gluten-free?

Absolutely! Simply replace regular rice with gluten-free rice and ensure your chicken broth is certified gluten-free. All other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

• What if I want to reduce the meat content?

You can easily reduce the ground meat quantity by half or substitute part of the meat with additional vegetables like diced carrots or celery to maintain volume and nutrition.

• Do I need any special cooking skills to make this soup?

Not at all! This recipe is beginner-friendly. It requires basic chopping, sautéing, and simmering skills that even novice cooks can master with confidence.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup Recipe

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4.7 from 17 reviews

• Total Time: 50-55 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Hearty Polish Stuffed Cabbage Soup brings classic comfort straight from grandmother’s kitchen to your bowl. Savory ground beef, tender cabbage, and rich tomato broth blend into a soul-warming meal you’ll crave on chilly evenings.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 1 head green cabbage
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork

Liquid Base:

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 cup water

Additional Ingredients:

• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 bay leaf

Garnish/Optional:

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1/4 cup sour cream

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Instructions

1. Core and roughly chop the green cabbage into bite-sized pieces, ensuring uniform size for even cooking.
2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
3. Sauté diced onions until translucent and fragrant, approximately 3-4 minutes.
4. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
5. Incorporate ground beef and ground pork, breaking meat into small crumbles and cooking until completely browned and no pink remains.
6. Sprinkle salt, black pepper, paprika, and add bay leaf to the meat mixture, stirring to distribute seasonings evenly.
7. Pour in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water, bringing the liquid to a gentle simmer.
8. Stir in uncooked rice and chopped cabbage, ensuring all ingredients are well combined.
9. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 25-30 minutes until cabbage is tender and rice is fully cooked.
10. Remove bay leaf before serving.
11. Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and a dollop of sour cream.
12. Serve immediately while piping hot.

Notes

• Use uniform cabbage pieces to ensure consistent texture and even cooking throughout the soup.
• Brown meat thoroughly to develop deep, rich flavors and eliminate any potential raw meat taste.
• Low and slow simmering helps tenderize cabbage and allows seasonings to meld beautifully, creating a more complex taste profile.
• Swap ground meats with plant-based alternatives like crumbled tofu or lentils for a vegetarian version that maintains hearty protein content.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Lunch
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Eastern European

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 325
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 600 mg
• Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 25 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 20 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg