Cabbage Roll Soup
With winter moving on and my carrot supplies shrinking, it is time to focus on another neglected CSA vegetable—cabbage. Although red cabbage is clearly my “favorite child,” green is delicious too and today I am using it in Cabbage Roll Soup. Almost in time for World Cabbage Day!
Cabbage Roll Soup
Did you eat cabbage rolls growing up? I remember my mother rolling up the pale leaves with meat and rice, and nestling the sausage-like packets in rich tomato sauce. She always used a square electric frying pan, fitting in the rolls like a jigsaw puzzle. Although a picky eater, I looked forward to breaking in and working my knife around the fastening toothpicks.
But I never tried them myself. I suppose I knew the neat rolls would elude me, a bygone art like hospital corners and looping penmanship.
Cabbage Roll Soup Served
But the flavor is easy!
A number of years ago, my sister discovered a dish called “Unstuffed Cabbage.” Tasty and casserole-like, it was our then-best substitute. Move over for Cabbage Roll Soup!
Cabbage Roll Soup Closeup
The original soup recipe from blog A Dash of Megnut actually used red cabbage which made an exquisitely beautiful presentation. But since green cabbage was my mission—and my mother never made red cabbage rolls anyway, I went with green (using a bit of chopped red cabbage as a garnish compromise). Other changes included adding some carrots (“add a veggie wherever you can”) and incorporating some of the things I do with Stuffed Peppers like using quinoa instead of rice, adding dill and using less meat.
Cabbage Roll Soup from above
The batch is giant, but I think it should freeze well. Though I admit that after two batches, I haven’t tested this since we’ve gobbled it all down.
After months of storage, our fall cabbages look worse for the wear, gone gray and shrunken in the spare refrigerator. But remove the outer leaves and they transform! Hooray for that!
Old Cabbage Transformation
- • 1 pound ground pork (or beef)
- • 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- • 2 cloves garlic, minced
- • 1 small head cabbage, sliced finely or chopped
- • 7 ounce jar tomato paste diluted w 7 oz water
- • 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- • 3 large carrots, diced
- • 6 cups vegetable broth (or 8 if you want a thinner soup)
- • ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- • 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- • juice from 1 lemon (about 2 T)
- • 1 tablespoon honey
- • 2 teaspoon paprika
- • 2 teaspoon dried dill
- • 1 teaspoon salt
- • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- Brown pork in dutch oven or stockpot
- Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Leave some of the grease, about 1-2 tablespoons, in the pot and add onions. Cook until onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add shredded cabbage, and cook a few minutes until it wilts.
- Add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil. Then let simmer and cover with a lid.
- Cook for 30 minutes, or until the carrots and quinoa are tender.
- Top with fresh parsley before serving.
Hi Inger,
Oh yes, I remember those cabbage packets filled with rice. Actually, I don’t think I liked them very much growing up but we didn’t have a choice. We had to eat what was on our plates no matter what!
My daughter was just telling me that Unstuffed Cabbage was on her menu this week. Once again, I will be sharing this recipe with her via Pinterest because those grandkids of mine just LOVE cabbage. And what’s not to love about this dish. GREAT job, Inger, thanks for sharing…
How nice when your kids/grandkids are liking healthy food! This make a lot so it’s a good family recipe (or good anyway if you like leftovers 😉 )
P.S. If you know a way to link this to my Cabbage Day post, be my guest. I’d do it but I don’t know how to do a back link, lol…
Just got you linked in Louise! What timing!
Inger – we didn’t eat a lot of cabbage when we were growing up. My mother hated the way it made the kitchen smell… I, however, have no fear of cabbage think, and look forward to making this! (My secret is using the burner on the outdoor grill…)
I remember a fish dish that would have been good to prepare outside! Yes, just one more reason to cook outdoors!
Years ago, I used to do the cabbage soup diet! Take out the meat and the quinoa and you have it. I have a green cabbage in the fridge that is calling out to me.
Well I’ll just have to hope that this helps in the weight arena then. There is really just 1 1 /2 ounces of meat per serving in this (shhhh).
I have always thought of making deconstructed cabbage rolls to take some of the work out of it. I love this soup! It’s making my mouth water! I’ve got to try it!
I hope you get a change to try it Thao! Let me know any feedback if you do!