Gołąbki Soup With Cabbage, Beef and Rice
Gołąbki soup brings the comfort of Polish cabbage rolls to one pot: tender cabbage, beef, rice, tomato broth, fresh dill and sour cream.
Samla2 min read
All the good parts of a cabbage roll
Gołąbki are wonderful and decidedly not a Tuesday-night project. This soup takes the same comforting combination of cabbage, beef, rice and tomato and puts it in one pot. The small meatballs keep their shape, while the rice thickens the broth just enough.
Interest in gołąbki soup is part of the wider cabbage revival highlighted by Pinterest for 2026.
Ingredients
- minced beef
- egg
- uncooked long-grain rice
- dried marjoram
- rapeseed oil
- onion, diced
- garlic cloves, chopped
- green cabbage, sliced
- tomato paste
- chopped tomatoes
- litres beef stock
- bay leaves
- fresh dill, chopped
- sour cream
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
- Mix the beef, egg, rice, marjoram, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper. Roll into small meatballs.
- Heat the oil in a large pot. Brown the meatballs in two batches, then move them to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cabbage and tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes more.
- Add the tomatoes, stock and bay leaves. Return the meatballs, bring to a simmer and cook partly covered for 25 minutes, until the rice is tender.
- Stir in most of the dill. Serve with sour cream, the remaining dill and black pepper.
Even better tomorrow
Cool the soup promptly and refrigerate for up to three days. The rice keeps absorbing broth, so add a little water when reheating. Freeze portions without the sour cream for up to two months.
If you need to swap something
Use turkey mince for a lighter broth or brown lentils for a meat-free version. If your cabbage is especially firm, slice it thinly and give it five extra minutes before adding the liquid.
