I made this soup on a whim to use up scraps from another recipe. I uttered the words “oh my God!” when I tried it. I may have thrown in another term, too, but I’m keeping this site “G” rated.
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I don’t always go for things that are quick and easy to make, I just feel like it kind of limits the meal options. I am fortunate to have the occasional bouts of time to make large batches of foods and the space to store it, so I don’t mind tackling meals that may require a few more steps. Really, I don’t expect you to make my Clam Chowder or French Onion Soup for dinner after getting home from a full day of work. I mean, you could, but I wouldn’t advise it. (You could make them in stages, though, I’ve included lots of “start and stop” points to make the process much easier! Check them out!)
This recipe, though, is super quick and easy to make. You could multiply the recipe to have extra for freezing in meal-sized portions, too. Once you’ve got the ingredients prepped, the cooking time is only about 20 minutes or so. I have found most soups and stews taste better after being allowed to sit for a few hours or more to allow the flavors to “blend”, but this tastes fantastic straight from the pot!
Cabbage-Beef Soup Recipe
Ingredients
-
- 1 lb. ground beef or pork
- 1/3 c. white rice (wild or brown rice could be used, but you will need to increase your cooking time)
- 2 Tbsp. dried parsley or 1/4 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (about 4 large cloves)
- 1/2 to 1 c. tomato sauce (use what suits your taste)
- 4 or more c. finely chopped green cabbage (use the amount that is to your liking, and use the core for extra flavor)
- 6 – 8 c. chicken or pork broth
- salt and/or pepper to taste
- Lemon juice to taste
- extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Put the first four ingredients into a mixing bowl. Using your hand, smoosh it all together until uniformly combined. This allows the meat to start absorbing the flavors of the seasonings. Set it aside while you prep your remaining ingredients.
Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil into a stock pot or deep pan large enough to hold all your ingredients. Set the stove to high and add the meat mixture. Sauté until the meat is browned and cooked through. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent scorching.
Add the tomato sauce and mix in, then add the cabbage. Stir together until mixed. Add the broth, starting with the lower amount. Add the remaining broth as needed to reach the desired consistency. Turn the heat to a low simmer and cook until the rice is tender and the cabbage softened. This should be about 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, as desired. This soup’s tangy tomato-y flavor pairs well with a dollop of sour cream, too!
Mostly Greek 
That sounds a wee bit un-Greek.
When I was in school, we cooked cabbage on top of fried pepperoni. It sort of made a soup. It was really good, but I don’t know why. There was not much too it. A truck full of cabbage fell over on the highway near our home, so we had an abundance of cabbage for a while.
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Well there’s one way to do your grocery shopping! There really isn’t a whole lot of diversity of Greek soups. Though I was making something very Greek, cabbage rolls! And I had leftover materials after all the leaves I had were rolled. What better way to use up leftovers than to make soup? Opa! LOL
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I did not know that there was such a thing as Greek cabbage rolls. I do not remember cabbage growing in the gardens of the Greek households.
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You find it more in northern Greece, but it’s definitely a Greek dish. My aunt makes excellent ones!
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My great grandmother made scrappels (NOT ‘scrapple’, and pronounced with a drawn out ‘els’, like ‘scrap-eL’). They were like tepura, but without the mix. There were just battered and deep fried cauliflower. The cauliflower was boiled first so was overly cooked in the finished product, but the batter was often undercooked and gooey. No one knows if they were Italian, or Italian American. I would guess the latter, but I really do not know.
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I think I heard the name before but your description doesn’t make it sound that appetizing! Although I could see how a fried cabbage could be good. We do something similar with zucchini slices. Just a little flour and milk and put into hot oil. They taste really good with some tzatziki.
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Yes, it is like that zucchini or okra, but with more of a batter rather than a coating of damp flour. There is no way of making it sound appetizing. The uncooked batter does not sound good. I really liked them for some reason.
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I suppose if my people can eat cabbage, yours can too
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Lol!
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