17 oz / 500 grams / about 5 heaping cupschopped green cabbage (white cabbage in the UK), (about ½ a medium-sized cabbage)
4clovesgarlicminced
2 cups / 12 oz / 340grams vegan ground round (vegan mince "beef"), or cooked green or brown lentils (not red)
⅔ cup / 170 grams / 1 x 156ml cantomato paste, (tomato puree in the UK)
1200 mls / 5cupsvegetable stock, plus more to thin as needed
1 large 796 ml / 28 ozcandiced tomatoes, (2 x 400 gram cans in the UK)
1tablespoonsugar, (white or cane)
2tablespoonssoy sauce, or gluten-free Tamari
2teaspoonsground paprika or smoked paprika, ( I like smoked paprika best)
1teaspoondried oregano, see notes for alternatives
1teaspoondried thyme, see notes for alternatives
2bay leaves
2teaspoonssalt , plus more to taste
¾teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
¾ cup / 150gramsdry long-grain white rice, (don't cook it first, it goes in raw)
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions are just starting to colour. Use a bit of water instead of the oil to keep the recipe oil-free.
Add the cabbage, garlic and ground round. Continue sauteing for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the tomato paste, stock, diced tomatoes, sugar, soy sauce, paprika, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper, then stir well and bring to a boil.
Once boiling add the rice, stir really well, then cover with a lid, reduce the heat and let it gently simmer until the rice is cooked. Lift the lid and stir occasionally, but cover it again as soon as you have finished. The rice will take between 20 and 25 minutes to become tender.
Add more stock or a bit of water to thin if required, although the soup is best when nice and thick like stew. Check the seasoning adding more as necessary, then serve.
Video
Notes
Success Tips
Make sure the soup is actively boiling before you add the rice.
The rice will take around 20 to 25 minutes to cook after you add it to the soup. Just keep lifting the lid and stirring occasionally to avoid any sticking, making sure to cover it back up tightly each time.
Use your biggest soup pot or dutch oven for this recipe. The one I used was 6 quarts.
Speed up the process by using frozen or pre-cut cabbage and vegetables.
Gluten-free? - Either use gluten-free vegan ground round/mince or cooked green or brown lentils and swap the soy sauce for gluten-free soy sauce/tamari or coconut aminos. Storage and reheatingQuickly cool the soup to room temperature before storing it away. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.Reheat the leftovers in a pot on the stove or for a few minutes in the microwave. Ensure it is piping hot before serving. To make in a slow cookerIf you have time I recommend sauteing the ingredients as per the recipe for maximum flavour then adding them along with everything else to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the rice is tender. All slow cookers tend to cook a bit differently so try to make it when you'll be around the first time, so you can keep an eye on it towards the end.To make in an Instant PotIf you have time I recommend sauteing the ingredients in the Instant Pot as per the written recipe above for maximum flavour, then add the stock and really scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any burnt-on residue. Then add everything else, put the lid on, seal the vent and cook on manual (the pressure cook button on newer models), on high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then relieve the remaining pressure by turning the vent. I like to cover it with a cloth in case of any spluttering. Stir and serve.Variations
If you don't have individual oregano and thyme, use 2 teaspoons of dried mixed herbs, Italian mixed herbs, or herbes de Provence instead.
Brown rice can be used instead of white but it will take a little longer to become tender.
If you don’t have vegan ground round/mince, you can use cooked green or brown lentils instead. Don’t use red lentils as they won’t hold their texture and will just dissolve.
Use gluten-free tamari to replace the soy sauce. We need that meaty flavour, so don’t skip it.
Add any extra veggies that need using up. Just about anything will work.