Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup

1. 1
   saute · ~6 min

   Brown the ground beef.

   1.Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

   2.Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned (5-6 min).

   3.Drain excess fat if needed, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pot.
2. 2
   saute · ~6 min

   Sauté the aromatics and tomato paste.

   1.Add diced onion to the pot and cook until softened (3-4 min).

   2.Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant (30 sec).

   3.Add tomato paste and smoked paprika, stirring constantly for 1 min to deepen the flavor.

   TIPDon't skip blooming the tomato paste — it caramelizes the sugars and removes the raw tinny taste.
3. 3
   mix · ~3 min

   Add the vegetables and liquids.

   1.Add chopped cabbage, diced carrots, and diced tomatoes to the pot.

   2.Pour in water and add bay leaves, salt, and black pepper.

   3.Stir everything together and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. 4
   simmer · ~35 min

   Simmer the soup until vegetables soften.

   1.Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 min.

   2.Add the uncooked rice, stir, and continue simmering covered for another 18-20 min.

   3.Check that rice is tender and cabbage is soft but not mushy.

   TIPStir once or twice while the rice cooks to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
5. 5
   mix · ~1 min

   Finish and adjust seasoning.

   1.Remove bay leaves from the pot.

   2.Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

   3.Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

   TIPThe soup thickens as it sits — if reheating leftovers, add a splash of water to loosen it up.

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