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Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup

All the ingredients of a cabbage roll — ground beef, rice, cabbage, tomatoes — cooked together in one pot without the rolling. Popular on Reddit as a lazy version of a classic.

Total Cost $13.72
Per Serving $3.43
Prep 15 min
Cook 35 min
Servings 4
  • beef
  • cabbage
  • rice
  • soup
  • one-pot
  • comfort-food
  • high-protein

Ingredients

  • 350 g lean ground beef $7.00
  • 0.5 head green cabbage (~500 g), roughly chopped $1.50
  • 1 can (796 mL) diced tomatoes $2.00
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste $0.19
  • 200 g dry long-grain white rice $0.50
  • 500 mL beef or chicken broth $0.83
  • 1 medium onion, diced $1.23
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced $0.24
  • 1 tsp paprika $0.05
  • 1 tsp dried thyme $0.05
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce $0.08
  • to taste salt and black pepper $0.05
  • Recipe total$13.72

Instructions

  1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it apart, until browned — about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
  2. Add onion. Cook 4 minutes until softened.
  3. Add garlic, paprika, and thyme. Cook 1 minute.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes.
  5. Add the diced tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and chopped cabbage. Stir to combine.
  6. Bring to a boil. Add the dry rice. Stir once.
  7. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 18–20 minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed much of the liquid.
  8. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. The soup should be thick and hearty.
  9. Serve immediately.

Nutrition per Serving

Estimated values per serving.

490 Calories
30g Protein
50g Carbs
15g Fat
5g Fiber
540mg Sodium
~25% DV Iron~8% DV Calcium~35% DV Vitamin C

Gluten-Free

This recipe can be made gluten-free with substitutions.

  • Replace Worcestershire sauce with GF-certified Worcestershire sauce, or omit (no cost difference)

Beef, cabbage, rice, and tomatoes are naturally gluten-free. Use a GF broth.

Budget Notes

  • Cabbage is one of the most cost-effective vegetables in Ontario. A whole head is $2–$3 and lasts a week in the fridge.
  • The rice continues absorbing liquid as the soup sits. If reheating next-day leftovers, add a cup of water or broth.
  • Traditional cabbage rolls take 2+ hours to assemble and cook. This has the same ingredients and takes 50 minutes total.
  • Ground beef at $20/kg is the main cost driver. The rice and cabbage make 350 g stretch across four full servings.