Cabbage Roll Soup with Rice Meatballs

🧂 Ingredients

• 600 grams ground pork

  you can substitute other ground meat like beef or chicken
• 6 tablespoons rice
• 1 egg
• 1 yellow onion

  finely diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 cups green cabbage

  very thinly sliced
• 0.25 cup oil

  for sauteing the cabbage
• 2 yellow onion

  finely diced
• 1 cup bacon

  cut into small strips
• 5 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 1.5 teaspoons salt

  or to taste
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried summer savoury

  dried thyme
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 liters water

  half a gallon (or more to cover)
• 0.5 cup crème fraiche

  or sour cream

Instructions

• 1 In a bowl combine the ingredients for the meatballs until the mixture is smooth
  and evenly mixed.
• 2 Shape into approx. 24 balls (keeping in mind they will expand in size as the
  rice cooks).
• 3 Heat oil over high heat in a large soup pot or pan.
• 4 Add the cabbage and bacon. Sauté over high heat until the bacon renders and the
  cabbage gets soft and reduced in volume significantly (10-15 minutes).
• 5 Add the tomato paste, flour and seasonings and mix to evenly coat the cabbage.
• 6 Pour in 2 liters / half a gallon of water and heat over medium-high until the
  liquid is simmering.
• 7 Gently add the meatballs into the soup making sure they are at least half
  submerged.
• 8 Add more water to cover.
• 9 Simmer about 30 minutes, rotating the meatballs halfway through.
• 10 Taste and adjust seasoning.
• 11 Garnish with crème fraiche or sour cream and serve hot.

Nutrition Info