Mediterranean🥣 Soups & stews

Greek Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup

Name: Greek Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 lb Ground beef; 2–3 tbsp Olive oil; ½ Onion; 1/3 cups Arborio rice; ¼ cups Fresh parsley; ½ tsp Dried dill; ¾ tsp Salt; Freshly cracked black pepper; ½ tsp Dried mint; ¼ cups Olive oil; 2–3 Garlic cloves; 4 quarts Chicken stock; 1 Cabbage; ¼ cups Orzo pasta or rice; 4 Egg yolks; 1/4–1/2 cups Lemon juice; 1–2 tbsp Corn starch; ¼ tsp Dried dill; Fresh parsley

⏱ 70 min

A simplified soup version of the classic Greek stuffed cabbage rolls (lahanodolmades). Contains tender meatballs, shredded cabbage, orzo pasta, and a traditional lemony egg sauce (avgolemono) with all the authentic flavors minus the labor-intensive rolling process.

Adapted from a video by Dimitra's Dishes

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

Ground beef1 lb
Olive oilfor meatballs2–3 tbsp
Onionfinely chopped, split for meatballs and soup½
Arborio riceuncooked1/3 cups
Fresh parsleyfinely chopped¼ cups
Dried dill½ tsp
Saltor to taste¾ tsp

Steps

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1
Finely chop the onion and divide in half. Add the soup portion to a large pot with olive oil and cook over low heat for 7–8 minutes until soft and lightly golden. If it browns too quickly, turn off the heat until the meatballs are ready.
2
In a large bowl, combine ground beef with the remaining onion half, finely chopped fresh parsley (stems removed), olive oil, dried dill, salt, black pepper, and dried mint. Add uncooked Arborio rice and mix until fully combined.
3
Take walnut-sized portions of the mixture and squeeze them in your hand until they hold together, then roll into small meatballs. Adjust size to your preference.
4
Confirm the onion in the pot is soft and golden, then add grated garlic and warm through until fragrant. Pour in about 4 quarts of chicken stock.
5
Bring the stock to a boil, then carefully drop the meatballs one by one into the pot. Cover and reduce heat to medium, cooking for about 20 minutes.
6
After 20 minutes, add the shredded cabbage and orzo pasta (or rice). Season with salt and pepper. Let the cabbage wilt slowly without stirring too much to avoid breaking up the meatballs.
7
Continue cooking for about 20 minutes until the cabbage is fully cooked and tender.
8
In a pitcher, whisk together 4 egg yolks, lemon juice (starting with 1/4 cup, then add more to taste), cornstarch, and dried dill until smooth.
9
Temper the egg mixture by slowly adding hot broth from the soup while whisking constantly. Carefully pour the sauce into the pot and gently shake rather than stir vigorously to keep the meatballs intact. Warm through on low heat for about 5 minutes until thickened. Add more chicken stock if needed for desired consistency.
10
Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with lemon wedges and toasted bread.

Greek Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup

Ingredients

Steps

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