I love this time of year. Families are bundling up and heading to the pumpkin patch, jumping in piles of fallen leaves, taking wagon rides in adorable costumes…it’s fall! I don’t know about where you are, but here it seems that our hot and humid weather has turned cold and wet overnight. Don’t get me wrong, I love the changing seasons and all that comes with it, but it sure is nice to get home, change into pajamas, and warm up. Some prefer a fire, or a blanket, or a cup of hot chocolate, but since all I do is think about food, I prefer a nice hot bowl of soup.
Cabbage rolls are the epitome of comfort food, but sometimes I am just too darn lazy to do all that work. Enter cabbage soup. Same great flavors, simply deconstructed and much easier. Pretty much you just throw everything into the pot till it’s done.
You can enjoy the soup in its pure veggie form or add the optional sausage for a more traditional cabbage roll flavor. For me, it depends on my mood. I used the Lightlife Veggie Sausage which comes in a 14 ounce tube. When browning, you need to break it up into small pieces with your spatula which does require a bit of work, but worth it in my opinion. I have tried many vegan sausages, but I really like this one a lot. First, the flavor is very good. It also browns well and has a good texture. Most importantly, it maintains moisture when it cooks, unlike many other brands that can become dry and harden. You can certainly substitute your favorite brand, some already come in crumbles to save you some work.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 head green cabbage, chopped into 1 – 2 inch cubes
- 2 cups tomato sauce, canned
- 2 cups crushed tomato, canned
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cups water
- 3 cubes not-beef bouillon (I use Edward & Sons brand)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup brown rice, dry
Optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 14 ounces vegan sausage, approximately 2 cups crumbled
Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat olive oil to medium high and add the onion. Sauté until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for a few more minutes. To the pot, add the cabbage, tomato sauce, crushed tomato, tomato paste, water, bullion cubes, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring well. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rice, stir, and re-cover allowing the soup to simmer for another 30-40 minutes or until the rice is cooked and cabbage is soft.
2. Optional: Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat in a medium frying pan. Add garlic and sauté until soft. Add vegan sausage and sauté until golden brown. Set aside.
3. When the rice is cooked and cabbage is done, remove from heat and remove the bay leaves. If you prepared the sausage, add to the soup and gently stir. Serve hot.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture using #gingerveganista on Instagram and tag @TheGingerVeganista or Twitter and tag @GingerVeganista or Facebook and tag The Ginger Veganista. Can’t wait to hear from you!
The Ginger Veganista 