Cabbage roll soup

Galumpkis (cabbage rolls) are a favorite meal of ours; however, they can be time consuming to make on a weeknight. 

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I saw this sauerkraut cabbage roll soup and was inspired to create a soup version of our classic family dish. As you've already seen, I've been canning and preserving a lot this year. This has provided me with an abundance of diced tomatoes - so I already had those on hand. I've made a couple small batches of sauerkraut, had some cabbage in the fridge, and ground beef in the freezer (from our 1/4 grass-fed organic cow we ordered this year). 

I've been making broths as well. I'm really trying my hardest to cut our food costs while ensuring that we are still eating well as much as possible. Since we are in the harvest season, this is the easiest time of year to do that and that's why I'm canning, freezing, etc. more than before.  

This soup is a great example of a relatively easy and inexpensive dinner that utilized ingredients that were already in my home. This recipe will make about four to five main dish servings of soup. 

  
Cabbage roll soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons paprika (I used Hungarian which is medium in heat, feel free to use sweet or hot)
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups beef broth
1 16 oz. jar (or can) of diced tomatoes
1 packed cup shredded green cabbage
1 packed cup sauerkraut, undrained
1/2 cup white rice (I used medium grain)

In a soup/stock pot, heat the olive oil and then add the ground beef. Cook, breaking up with a wodden spoon until it is browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat, if needed. Add the onion, garlic, paprika, caraway, pepper, and salt. Stir and cook until the onion is soft and translucent. 

Add the beef broth and stir well to deglaze the pot. Add the tomatoes. Bring the soup up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the cabbage and sauerkraut and bring back to a simmer. Stir well and cook until the cabbage is soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the rice and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is just cooked through, about 8-10 minutes (depending on your rice). Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.