Paula Deen Un-Stuffed Cabbage Soup With Meatballs

Paula Deen Un-Stuffed Cabbage Soup With Meatballs turns ground meat, rice and tender cabbage into a hearty sweet-and-sour tomato soup in 1 hour 30 minutes. This easy one-pot Southern comfort food soup for a crowd fits Sunday dinner, church suppers and cold weeknight dinners.

Blend the tomato base smooth before the cabbage goes in, because that is what gives you a silky sweet-and-sour broth instead of a chunky tomato stew. Skip it and the soup tastes like plain cabbage in watery sauce.

Paula rolls uncooked rice right into the meatballs, so they swell in the broth and stay tender without any separate stuffing step. She also stirs the lemon juice and golden raisins in only for the last 10 minutes, so their bright, sweet flavor stays fresh.

Paula Deen Un-Stuffed Cabbage Soup With Meatballs

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: SoupCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

430

kcal

Rice-filled meatballs simmer in a smooth, tangy tomato broth with ribbons of soft cabbage. A little brown sugar, lemon and golden raisins give it that classic sweet-and-sour finish.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground meat (your favorite blend of veal, pork and beef)
  

• 1 cup rice, uncooked
  

• 1 tablespoon salt, plus more for seasoning
  

• 1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper , plus more for seasoning
  

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  

• 2 tablespoons (about 3 cloves) garlic, minced
  

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
  

• 1 cup coarsely minced onion, plus 1/2 onion, minced, for meatballs
  

• 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
  

• 1 cup tomato paste
  

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  

• 1/2 cup ketchup
  

• 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
  

• 1 medium cabbage
  

• 1 bay leaf
  

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  

• 1/2 cup golden raisins
  

Directions

• Mix the meatballs: Combine 2 pounds ground meat, 1 cup uncooked rice, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 minced onion in a large bowl. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls and set them aside while you make the soup.
• Sweat the aromatics: Cook 2 tablespoons minced garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 6-quart pot until it turns white. Then add 1 cup minced onion and sweat it until translucent.
• Build the tomato base: Add 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup sliced carrots, 1 cup tomato paste, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup ketchup and the 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juice. Season with salt and pepper, then simmer at a lively bubble for 10 minutes.
• Simmer the carrots: Crush the whole tomatoes with a potato masher or fork. Keep simmering for about 10 more minutes, until the carrots are tender.
• Blend the soup: Transfer the soup to a blender in batches and blend until smooth but not pureed. Then return it to the pot.
• Add the cabbage: Remove the ribs from the cabbage and cut the leaves crosswise into 1/4-inch ribbons. Stir them into the soup with the bay leaf and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the cabbage shrinks.
• Cook the meatballs: Add water to thin the soup to the consistency you like, then drop in the meatballs. Simmer for 25 minutes so the rice cooks through inside them.
• Finish and serve: Stir in 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup golden raisins 10 minutes before serving. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with sour cream and dill.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Vitamix E310 blender, OXO Good Grips nylon potato masher, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Do I have to cook the rice before adding it to the meatballs?

No, the rice goes into the meatballs uncooked. It cooks in the broth during the 25-minute simmer and swells up, which keeps the meatballs soft.

Can I use only ground beef instead of the veal, pork and beef blend?

Yes, all ground beef works fine. The blend adds a little richness and tenderness, so if you use lean beef, keep the meatballs from simmering longer than the 25 minutes.

How do I store and reheat leftover cabbage soup?

Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The rice keeps absorbing broth, so add a splash of water when you reheat it on the stove.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, the flavors settle in nicely overnight. Make the whole pot a day ahead, then warm it gently and stir in a little extra lemon juice just before serving.

What if the soup tastes too sweet or too sour?

The balance comes from the brown sugar and lemon juice, so adjust those near the end. Add a squeeze more lemon if it is too sweet, or a spoonful of brown sugar if it is too sharp.