Add about 1 to 2 Tablespoons of cooking oil to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Saute the chopped onion for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the minced garlic and continue cooking for about 1 minute.
Add the ground beef to the pot and cook until brown, stirring frequently and breaking up any large chunks.
Once the beef has browned, add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cabbage, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, cover and bring to a boil. (If you're using brown rice instead of white rice, add it now).
Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the white rice, stir and continue simmering for another 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat, and let the soup sit uncovered for about 5 to 10 minutes. (It will thicken up slightly if you used white rice).
Remove the bay leaves and serve!
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Notes
See our tips within this post for how to make cabbage roll soup in the crockpot.