Stuffed Cabbage Roll Stew
I grew up eating a lot of stuffed cabbage. It’s one of the dishes my mom would make often. I loved them, especially served with rice. I wanted to take that classic dish and turn it into an easy weeknight soup. No need to peel the cabbage and boil and then fill and roll and wait for the cabbage rolls to slowly cook. This soup comes together quickly and without much effort, which makes it perfect for the week when you’re short on time or energy.
This soup can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer for later on. Just allow the soup to cool completely and then pour into a freezer-safe container or heavy duty freezer storage bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and then just thaw overnight in the fridge, pour into a pot and heat through over moderate heat.
Stuffed Cabbage Roll Stew
Equipment
- Large pot
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups chicken stock or beef stock
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans fire roasted tomatoes
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 small head of cabbage roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley for garnish
- 1 cup cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground sirloin, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper until evenly incorporated. Portion out into very small meatball, roughly shaped to about a big rounded teaspoon. They don’t have to be smooth or perfect; you want them to look misshapen a bit.
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat with the oil. Once hot, add the meatballs in a single layer and cook for about 4 minutes on heat side. You don’t want to over-crowd your pot, so you might have to cook the meatballs in batches. Also, you don’t need them to cook all the way, just develop some color on all sides. They’ll finish cooking later on.
- Remove the meatballs onto a plate with a slotted spoon. Then add the onions and garlic to the hot pot and cook until softened and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar, stock, tomatoes (with their juices), and tomato sauce. Return the meatballs to the soup. Season with the remaining salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the cabbage and cook until it has wilted slightly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve the stew with cooked rice and a sprinkling of fresh parsley. Enjoy!
