Description
This Easy Cabbage Meatball Soup is a hearty and comforting dish featuring tender homemade meatballs simmered in a flavorful tomato-based broth with shredded cabbage, vegetables, and herbs. It balances nutritious ingredients like ground beef or pork, fresh herbs, and vegetables, resulting in a warming meal perfect for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 500 grams (17.6 ounces) ground beef or pork or half and half
- 80 grams (2.8 ounces) ripe tomato
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove (minced or pressed)
- 50 grams (½ medium-sized) onion (minced)
- 50 grams (4 tablespoons) short-grain rice
- 1½ tablespoons parsley (minced)
- 1½ tablespoons dill (minced)
- ⅔ teaspoon mint (minced)
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ⅔ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ teaspoon ground pepper
Soup
- 10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 450 grams (15.8 ounces) ripe tomatoes (chopped/diced)
- 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 10 tablespoons tomato sauce (tomato passata)
- 8 cups hot water or stock (vegetable, beef, or chicken stock)
- 1 bay leaf
- 100 grams (1 small) green bell pepper (diced)
- 70 grams (2.4 ounces) celery stalks including leaves (chopped)
- 450 grams (15.8 ounces) white cabbage (shredded)
- 100 grams (9 tablespoons) short-grain rice (rinsed)
- 2 tablespoons parsley (minced)
- 1½ tablespoons dill (minced)
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Extra lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Prepare The Meatballs: In a mixing bowl, combine ground meat, ripe tomato, egg yolk, olive oil, minced garlic, minced onion, short-grain rice, parsley, dill, mint, sweet paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Knead thoroughly until all ingredients are well integrated. Shape the mixture into 12 round meatballs, about 60 grams each. Place them on a dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the shape.
- Prepare The Soup: Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cooking pot over high heat. Add the diced tomatoes and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Tomato Paste and Sauce: Stir in the tomato paste and tomato sauce, season with salt, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to blend flavors.
- Bring to Boil: Pour in the hot water or stock and add the bay leaf. Bring the soup to a hard boil.
- Add Meatballs: Gently add the meatballs one by one by dipping them in with a spoon, waiting 30 seconds between each addition to allow the temperature to return to a boil.
- Simmer Meatballs: Reduce heat to medium and cook the meatballs for 20 minutes with the pot lid slightly open to allow some steam to escape.
- Add Vegetables: Incorporate shredded cabbage, chopped celery stalks and leaves, and diced green bell pepper into the pot. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking for 10 minutes to soften the vegetables.
- Cook Rice and Finish Soup: Add rinsed rice and the remaining 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook for another 20–25 minutes or until the rice is tender and cooked through.
- Add Fresh Herbs and Lemon Juice: Stir in the minced parsley, dill, and fresh lemon juice. Cook for an additional minute and then turn off the heat.
- Rest Soup: Let the soup sit on the warm stove for 30 minutes to thicken and develop flavor. For an even better taste, allow it to sit up to 1 hour.
- Serve: Serve the soup hot with extra lemon wedges for squeezing on top and optional freshly ground black pepper or cayenne pepper for added heat.
Notes
- Meatballs can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator to save time.
- Use either vegetable, beef, or chicken stock according to your preference for different flavor profiles.
- Short-grain rice is preferred for its texture, but you may substitute with medium-grain if necessary.
- Letting the soup rest off the heat enhances the thickness and depth of flavor.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice and herbs to taste for freshness and brightness.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Eastern European
Keywords: Cabbage soup, meatball soup, tomato soup, homemade meatballs, healthy soup, easy dinner
