Cabbage and Rice Soup

This cabbage and rice soup is simple to make, but it’s cozy and delicious. This is a perfect budget-friendly meal when you want something healthy and filling!

Why You’ll Love This Soup

I’ll admit that this soup is simple but I think that’s part of what makes it great! It’s a mostly hands-off recipe. Once the cabbage softens and you add the rice, the pot simmers on the stovetop while you do something else. Plus, it’s built on simple, budget-friendly ingredients you probably already have. Cooking the cabbage in butter until it picks up a little color, then finishing with lemon, Parmesan, and dill, gives this one a lot of flavor. It’s a hearty soup without being heavy.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Butter: I used butter, but olive oil works fine, too.
• Onion and garlic: The onion and garlic add a savory base to this soup.
• Red pepper flakes: Just warmth without heat. Put more on the table for anyone who wants it.
• Cabbage: You can use pre-shredded cabbage, but I liked cutting it myself so I could make the pieces a little thicker. I’ve tried it both ways, and either way works!
• Vegetable broth: I really like the Better Than Boullion vegetable base, but you can use any kind of broth you like.
• Rice: It cooks right in the soup, so there’s no separate pot. Use white rice, as brown rice takes longer to cook.
• Dried thyme: I used dried ground thyme, but dried thyme leaves or fresh thyme can be used if you prefer.
• Lemon: I used the juice of the lemon, but you can add a little zest for additional flavor, if you like.
• Parmesan: The rind adds a salty, savory depth to the broth. But if you don’t have a rind to use, you can just add Parmesan on top. Use a vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese if that matters to you. I like shaving it with a vegetable peeler for bigger pieces.
• Fresh dill: It adds a deeper, fresh flavor to the soup and complements the other flavors really well. If you can’t get your hands on fresh dill, a pinch of dried dill or fresh parsley will work.

How to Make Cabbage and Rice Soup

What to Serve with Cabbage and Rice Soup

This can be a full meal, but a loaf of crusty bread or high-protein breadsticks are a nice addition. A simple kale salad on the side rounds it out. If you want to add more protein, you could add in a can of cannellini beans (drained and rinsed) when you add the rice. This adds some simple protein and fiber!

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just so you know, the rice will keep soaking up liquid overnight, so by day two this is more of a stew than a soup. That’s not a bad thing, but if you want it soupy again, add a splash of broth or water when you reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. I’d skip freezing this one. Cooked rice can get mushy after thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use coleslaw mix instead of cabbage? Yep! I’ve made it with a bag of pre shredded coleslaw mix. The pieces tend to be thinner than what you’d slice yourself, so the cabbage may cook slightly faster.
• Can I use a different kind of rice? Long-grain white rice is the best because it cooks in the same 20 to 25 minutes as the soup. Unfortunately brown rice takes too long to cook and quick cooking rice will turn mushy.
• Why does my soup taste bland? Usually it’s one of three things: the cabbage didn’t brown, it needs more salt, or the vegetable broth you used is bland. Taste it at the end and adjust before you decide it’s a dud. A little more Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon fix most pots.
• Is this the same as cabbage roll soup? Not quite. Cabbage roll soup is usually tomato-based and made with ground beef. This version is lighter and brighter, with lemon and dill instead of tomato sauce. If you want something closer to cabbage rolls, try this cabbage soup.

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