10/15/2026
Melted Cabbage Meatball Soup
For the soup
½ green cabbage, chopped
1 1/2 shallots, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 medium tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups bone broth
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Juice of ½ lemon
For the meatballs
1 lb. ground beef, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 small tomato, grated with the wide holes of a box grater
½ shallot, grated with small holes of a box grater
½ teaspoon baking soda
For the soup, add the chopped cabbage, shallots, and onion to a large bowl to have ready once the meatballs are done.
Make the meatballs. Add the beef, salt, cumin, turmeric, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, garlic, tomato, shallot, and baking soda to a bowl and mix lightly with your hands, just to get everything combined. Try not to overwork it!
Roll the mixture into ½” balls and set on a plate.
Heat 2 teaspoons of avocado oil in a large Dutch oven and add half the meatballs (so they sear and don’t steam). Cook for a minute, turning once a sear forms, and repeat until the meatballs are seared. Remove the cooked meatballs from the pot and repeat with the other half. Keep the meatballs on a plate while you start the soup.
Add the bowl of cabbage, shallot, and onion to the pot and raise the heat to medium-high.
Use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and give everything a stir. Cook for 3 minutes, then cover. Cook for a few minutes, then remove the lid and deglaze the pan with ½ cup of water to make sure you get all the flavor off the bottom of the pot.
Grate the tomatoes with the wide holes of a box grater into a small bowl. Add the grated garlic and tomato paste to the bowl.