This cabbage roll soup has all the same flavors as classic baked cabbage rolls, but with way less work! This unstuffed cabbage soup is hearty, filling and the perfect choice for an easy dinner option.
If you love cabbage rolls, but don’t love all the work involved, this quick cooking cabbage soup is for you!
Baked cabbage rolls are one of those nostalgic dishes that my grandma used to make. While I love the flavors, I don’t love all the work involved. Between boiling the cabbage, making the filling, wrapping everything up and then the bake time, it can turn into an all day affair! This cabbage roll soup has all the same flavors as the classic dish, but with a fraction of the prep time.
How to make cabbage roll soup
To make your unstuffed cabbage soup, you’ll need to start with some ground beef. I use 90% lean beef, it’s got great flavor but doesn’t make the soup overly greased. The beef is browned along with some onion before the rest of the ingredients get added to the pot.
After your beef is ready to go, everything else goes into the pot, including rice, carrots, tomato, spices and of course, cabbage. Bring the whole thing to a simmer and in about 25 minutes dinner is done!
What you end up with is a rich and hearty soup that has complex flavors. I know in many cases simmering a soup for longer helps to develop the flavors, but in this case you don’t want to over-cook the soup or else the rice will get mushy.
There is so much going on here, between the meat, veggies and rice, that it’s really a complete meal in one pot. I do often serve this cabbage roll soup with a side of crusty bread or a green salad, just to round out the meal. Even my kids love this one, they didn’t even mind the cabbage pieces which normally they might not eat.
I often make a double batch of this soup just so we have leftovers to eat for a few days, that’s how good it is! It’s absolutely perfect for a cold night, and the quick prep time makes it ideal for a busy weeknight.
More soup recipes
Cabbage Roll Soup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 4 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage
- 2 carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 3 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until beef is browned, approximately 4-5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cabbage, carrots, beef broth, tomato sauce, rice, bay leaf and brown sugar to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove bay leaf and discard.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from The Wholesome Dish.
- Not a fan of ground beef? Try ground turkey instead!
- You can substitute brown rice for white rice, but that will require about 20 more minutes of cook time.
Nicole says
Made this for dinner tonight…OMG!! I’m in absolute Heaven! The taste is amazing and it’s the perfect dish for a chilly night.
Sara says
So glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reporting back!
Aimee says
Made a double batch this weekend after coming across this recipe. WOW, did I pick the right one! Had all the flavour of cabbage rolls with less fuss to make. Only deviation was a wee bit more rice, garlic and brown sugar. I have a feeling I will use this recipe vs making traditional cabbage rolls from now on! A dab of sour cream on top of each bowl made it that more delicious. Thanks!!
Sara says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for reporting back!
Cherilyn says
This was absolutely amazing. Instead of regular long grain rice, I did a wild rice. This helped extend the cooking time as it usually takes around an hour for wild rice to cook. Also sauteed all the veggies first and deglazed with some red wine and added a little more garlic than called for…can’t wait to eat the next bowl!
Sara says
Sounds fabulous, I’m going to try it that way!
Christine says
Hello! Any tips on how to adapt this recipe to a slow cooker??? I just moved and I’m currently without a soup pot!
Thank you 🙂
Sara says
Yes, you can place everything in the slow cooker except for the rice and parsley. You may want to brown the beef first if you have a pot for that. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, then add the rice during the last hour. Sprinkle with parsley then serve.
torey says
Want to try this but since it isn’t close to thanksgiving only broth in the house is chicken broth, will it change the taste very much to use chicken broth instead of beef broth?
Katy says
Oh my gosh, I found this recipe by accident the other day. I don’t even like cabbage rolls, but this spoke to me, so I went out on a limb and made it for dinner one night for myself, my sister, and my two picky eaters (7 and 9 years old). I followed the recipe pretty closely although I chucked in some extra garlic and spices, and y’all, this was SO GOOD! So flavorful, very rich. Both of my kids begged for more and ate multiple bowls (although I pandered to them and put the soup over a little bit of pasta, lol). And as an added bonus, it made the house smell DIVINE for about two days. This is definitely going on my regular winter meals rotation!
Sara says
So happy to hear you enjoyed it and that the kids ate it too!!
Dee Lawhon says
OMGOODNESS This is the Best Soup I have ever had!! I had to double the batch the second time making it. I did omit the rice. My husband begs me to make this soup at least once every other week!! Thanks for sharing!!
Sara says
Thank you so much for the rave review, so happy to hear your husband is loving it!
Julie says
Could this be assembled as a freezer meal? If so, would you recommend leaving the rice out of the freezer bag and adding it later on?
Sara says
Yes it can, and you’ll want to leave the rice out and add it when you reheat the soup!
Peggy says
Just made this and it is del ish but the rice almost dissolved while cooking the rest until done. Next time I will wait to add the rice until the veggies are almost done. I also think the brown sugar cuts the acid of the tomato sauce.
A friend made it but used quinoa instead of rice and Italian sausage instead of beef. She loved it!
Sara says
Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for reporting back!
Robin says
It says 3 8oz tomato sauce, so that 38oz or 3 8oz cans?
Sara says
24 ounces total
Connie Gallagher says
Hello Sara, I have made your soup many times and it is so delicious! My son who does not like any soup really liked it as well as the rest of the family. This will be a go to soup this winter. I did not put the rice or the sugar in it.
Thanks
Sara says
So glad to hear your family is enjoying it!! Thank you for reporting back!
Marylee says
I love this soup recipe!
I have a couple of suggestions
1. Cut the ribs out of the cabbage.
2. Add the rice about 10 minutes after the cabbage, carrots…… The root vegetables need a little longer cooking time.
Sara says
So glad you enjoyed it, great suggestions!
rhoda miller says
the nutrition guide doesn’t say what a serving size is–how many cups is a serving
Sara says
About 1 1/2 cups!
Amanda F says
Hi, I’m wondering why the brown sugar? And can you notice it’s in there. Also would you cook the rice prior to adding it or just throw it all in and let it cook together the whole time?
Sara says
The brown sugar is there because cabbage rolls have a touch of sweetness to them. You can omit it if it bothers you, a lot of people have made it without the sugar and had great results. The rice is meant to go into the soup uncooked, but you can pre-cook it if you prefer.
Sarah says
This was absolutely delicious! I had a cabbage I picked up from the market, but didn’t feel like making cabbage rolls. My boyfriend was expecting to hate it and assumed it would be bland. He was wrong! We both loved it. I served it with crusty buttered bread on the side. Thanks for the recipe!
Sara says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Mrs Yvonne Guyan says
This was so simple and quick to make, absolutely one of my favourite soups now, fills you right up!
Sara says
Yay so happy you liked it!
Sandy says
Any idea how long it would need to cook in the crockpot?
Sara says
I’d say low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours. You’ll want to add the rice during the last hour so that it doesn’t get mushy. Hope that helps!
Wanda says
Being diabetic could I replace the rice with cauliflower rice? and use brown sugar blend that Splenda makes? I would make white rice on the side for the rest of the family.
Sara says
Yes that would work, you just might want to add the cauliflower rice towards the end of the cooking time so that it doesn’t get mushy!
Jody says
This is is yummiest soup ever. Will definitely make this again and again.
I cooked on high in my crock-pot and added the rice and cabbage 1/2 hour prior to serving. It was perfection. I can’t wait to try your other recipes!
Sara says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, I’ll have to try it in the crock pot next time!
susan hottinger says
Just made this soup. Love it. I’m wondering if I can freeze some?
Sara says
You can freeze it but the rice will be softer when you reheat it.
holly says
This is a really good soup if you like cabbage. I found it a little too sweet with the brown sugar so next time I make it I won’t put as much. Definitely hits the spot!!
Jennifer Walts says
I made this tonight…it was delicious! I threw everything but the rice in the slow cooker and set it on high for 4 hours. When I got home from work I added some orzo (my husband is allergic to rice) and 15 minutes later it was ready. Will definitely make this again! Thanks!
Joann says
Love orzo’s, have to try it.
Bev says
I was wondering about substituting Linguisa for the hamburger. I know it’s not traditional for a cabbage roll but I though it would really boost the flavor.
Sara says
That would work, or an Italian style sausage would work too!
Tania says
Hi i live in Australia and was wondering if tomato sauce is the same as passata?
We dont have tomato sauce here.
Sara says
Yes it’s the same!
michelle says
Made this tonight with leftover cabbage and carrots from Sunday’s St Patrick’s day dinner, it was delicious!
Paul Hinton says
Am I missing something? The cabbage was omitted from the ingredient list. Will be giving it a try soon!
Sara says
The ingredient list shows 4 cups of coarsely chopped cabbage, hope you enjoy!
Chef Phil says
Can this be made without the brown sugar?
Sara says
Yes, simply omit it!
glenda says
A recipe for 1 serving? Looks good, but I can’t imagine making one serving of soup!
Sara says
Hi, the recipe card says it serves 6!
Robin says
Hi there,
Have you ever tried using ground chicken or turkey in this recipe?
Thanks!
Robin
Sara says
Ground turkey would also be great in this recipe!
Maggie says
If I remove the rice would the cooking time change? My plan would be to add cauliflower rice to the soup once it’s done. Thanks for any help!
Sara says
You can cook it for the same amount of time with or without the rice!
Suzanne says
Thank you for sharing your delicious cabbage recipe, we love cabbage! I made this today using ground Venison what a great way to use Venison. I also added a can of Kidney Beans…so hearty!
Rhonda says
Such a easy and delicious recipe. Waited for a nice dreary day to make this and today was it. This is a very hearty and simple recipe. I would recommend it for a beginner cook especially if you love stuffed cabbage. Alot of times when I find a recipe on pinterest it is probably a 80/20 that it will come out like it looks and described as tastes, this one did both. Thanks for the recipe, I will definitely make it again. I added an extra carrot and sliced mine which added longer to the cooking time as well as a little water. If you dice your carrots you should be able to do exactly like recipe describes.
Leonard Eisenstein says
go++a +ell you…..+he BES+ cabbage roll soup i’ve ever seen. on a scale of 0-5….i’d give i+ a 50!
Kita Bryant says
This is a great cabbage recipe. I am putting it on the list!
My Teen Guide says
I have to try this. It would be so much easier, keep the recipe intact and enjoy the hearty goodness of cabbage rolls! What an awesome idea!
Kim Seghers says
I’m a huge fan of cabbage and your recipe looks amazing! I need to try this soup soon.
Emily says
I make a lot of soups this time of year, it always warms me up and my kids love them. I have never made a cabbage soup before, but really want to try this one!
Franc Ramon says
This is one sumptuous meal I would love to have. It also looks really delicious and rich in taste and flavor.
Jenn @ EngineerMommy says
I love cabbage rolls from my childhood. Somehow I never tried a soup like this but it sounds amazing to me!
Sarah Honey says
This Cabbage Roll Soup sounds amazing. We love stuffed cabbage. Unfortunately, it can be so time-consuming I don’t really make it often. Have to give you soup a try!
Mimi Green says
I’ve never heard of cabbage roll soup. It looks delicious and I love cabbage, I would give this one a try. I like a hearty soup.
Tomi c says
Cabbage soup sans meat is one of the foods I enjoy regularly on my nutrition plan. It’s loaded with good veggies: cabbage, tomatoes and protein from the rice. Your recipe would be great for those days I eat meat.
Carol Cassara says
I need this soup in my life! It reminds me so much of my childhood and I think it’s something that I would love to recreate! It looks SO good, I’m craving for a bowl right now!
Amber Myers says
I don’t think I’ve ever had a cabbage soup before. I need to try it out! When it’s cold outside, I tend to make a lot of soups to help warm up.
junie b says
Amber, last year my sister got me hooked on a dish with Thai noodles and cabbage. From there, I seemed to crave cabbage. I started making my regular homemade veggie soup and adding cabbage to it. Now I dont want it without the cabbage, and my adult family members love it also. You can cook the cabbage down some and add to your soup to finish cooking, or after your meat is browned and seasoned add the cabbage to that to cook down some, then add your broth / water and other items to finish. I bet you will love it too.
Alison Rost says
It’s a hearty and filling soup that’s perfect for the cold weather. I’ve always liked cabbage roll soup and I’d love to give this one a go, especially since it doesn’t take much time to prepare!
Kelly Reci says
Cabbage rolls are tasty as it is but in soup form… must be absolutely delicious! I’ll have to try making this soon.
candy says
My husband has finally come around to loving cabbage. This soup would be perfect for our cold winter days we have been having around our area.
Alli Smith says
Your Cabbage Roll Soup looks delicious and is much easier to make than cabbage rolls. I love the idea and I know my family will enjoy it too. We sure do love a hearty bowl of soup during all this cold weather.
robin rue says
That sounds like a hearty winter meal idea. I am not sure if my kids will love it, but my husband and I will so maybe I will make it for an at home date night!
Nikka shae says
My family loves cabbage, and growing up I ate cabbage like every Sunday. I like your recipe and I will try one with the meat for the kids and without for me.
Angelic Sinova says
I’m a huge fan of cabbage rolls so I can’t wait to try this cabbage roll soup! I love how this a simpler way of preparing cabbage rolls.
Kenny B. says
I love and make cabbage rolls 3 or 4 times a year. I never make stuffed cabbage without making stuffed green peppers.
I want to add green peppers to your recipe. When should I add the peppers? In the beginning with the ground beef. Or afterwards with everything else.
Thank you in advance.
Sara says
Depends on how soft you want the peppers. If you like them softer, add them with the beef. Otherwise add them with the rest of the ingredients. I do have a stuffed pepper soup recipe here too! https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/stuffed-pepper-soup/
Carla says
Hi sara,
Are u supposed to cook rice cabbage or carrots before you add to pot bc mine
came out crunchy
Sara says
Everything should cook in the pot until it’s tender!
Bobby Freeman says
I had cabbage roll soup for the first time last night for supper and I loved it can’t wait to make it