All of the flavor of homemade cabbage rolls without the hard work of rolling them. This cabbage roll soup hits the spot every time!

I really didn’t mean to post two soup recipes in the same week, but we’re nearing the end of soup season and we all need to get our kicks while we can.

Let me tell you about what is going on in the world of me today.

I’m writing this at my desk which faces a window looking out across the neighbor’s acreage. It’s about this time of day that I usually see my very special friend, a gigantic grey coyote who likes to trot around our house and completely piss off our dog.

Sure enough, I saw him stalk by just a few minutes ago, followed by the sound of several rifle shots being fired by the neighbor. I imagine the neighbor is trying to protect his chickens, but I will seriously be distressed if I never see that big dog again.

Sighting him has become part of my daily ritual. In the early morning, it’s the geese flying in onto the pond. If it’s foggy, I usually see an enormous heron pottering around on the island like a prehistoric relic. Around lunch time I see the coyote, then the mallards and wood ducks show themselves in the afternoon. Just before dusk, the nutria makes his way across the pond and disappears underwater to wherever it is he calls home.

We’ve lived here two months now and I’ve gotten used to watching these daily happenings. The coyote reminds me that it is lunch time! I don’t have any chickens, so his presence doesn’t bother me one bit. I wish the neighbor wouldn’t try to kill him.

Yeah…. so that’s what’s going on in my world today. Operation save the coyote is underway!

It’s a completely gorgeous spring day, and cabbage roll soup is definitely on the menu.

When I started writing this post it occurred to me that this is the very first Russian-inspired recipe I’ve ever posted on the blog. How is that even possible!?

I’m pretty sure I’m the last person on the planet to catch up with the latest season of House of Cards, but all of the drama with the Russian President (and all of the vodka drinking) has piqued my interest in the motherland. I think I just might have to add a trip to Moscow to my never-ending bucket list.

Until such a time when I can up my vodka-drinking game to experience Moscow the right way, I’ll stick with helping myself to a bowl of this cabbage roll soup to assuage my wanderlust.

Here’s the Recipe!

Easy Russian Cabbage Roll Soup

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

All of the flavor of homemade cabbage rolls without the hard work of rolling them. This cabbage roll soup hits the spot every time!

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
• 1 cup diced carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 4 cups chopped green cabbage (about half of one head)
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the ground beef and brown evenly for 2 minutes. Drain excess fat if desired.
2. Add the onion and carrot to the pot; saute for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cabbage to the pot, along with the diced tomatoes and chicken broth.
3. Stir the rice into the pot and add the paprika, bay leaf, and salt. Allow the soup to come to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and place a lid on the pot. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and the cabbage is softened.
4. Stir in the sugar, Worcestershire, and vinegar. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with fresh parsley.

Notes

*When re-heating leftover soup, you may want to add additional broth to thin out the consistency.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 343 Total Fat 13g Saturated Fat 4g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 7g Cholesterol 67mg Sodium 1259mg Carbohydrates 28g Fiber 5g Sugar 9g Protein 30g

Nutrition information has been auto-calculated for your convenience.