Use lean ground beef or drain excess fat if using regular ground beef to avoid a greasy broth., Brown meat well and sauté onions and garlic first to build great flavor., Choose low-sodium beef broth to control saltiness and adjust seasoning before serving., Chop cabbage and carrots into similar sizes to ensure even cooking., To avoid mushy rice in leftovers, cook rice separately and add when serving or freeze soup without rice and add fresh rice on reheating., For thicker soup, simmer longer uncovered or mash some cooked veggies into the soup., Cool soup completely before freezing in individual portions on a tray, then stack once frozen for easy reheating., Ground beef can be substituted with ground turkey, pork, or a mix. For a meatless version, use cooked lentils or canned beans and vegetable broth., Try diced or crushed tomatoes instead of tomato sauce for chunkier texture, or add tomato paste for deeper tomato flavor., Swap white rice for quinoa or barley for variety and nutrition., Add Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, or sauerkraut at serving for tangier traditional flavors.