• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Dinner at the Zoo

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food

Home » Soup » Cabbage Roll Soup

Published: January 30, 2018 Last Modified: March 24, 2019 By Sara 473 Comments

Cabbage Roll Soup

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe | Unstuffed Cabbage Soup | Cabbage Soup Recipe | Beef and Cabbage Soup

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!

Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe | Unstuffed Cabbage Soup | Cabbage Soup Recipe | Beef and Cabbage Soup #cabbage #soup #cabbagesoup #beef #dinneratthezoo

A pot full of cabbage roll soup garnished with parsley.

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.

Ground beef is the basis for cabbage roll soup.

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!

Ingredients for cabbage roll soup including beef, cabbage, vegetables and spices, all in a soup pot.

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.

A bowl of unstuffed cabbage soup with bread and parsley.

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

  • Chicken Taco Soup
  • Hamburger Soup
  • Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
  • Ham Bone Soup
  • Tortellini Soup with Sausage

Cabbage Roll Soup Video


A pot full of cabbage roll soup garnished with parsley.
Print Pin
4.99 from 187 votes

Cabbage Roll Soup

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.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 263kcal
Author Sara Welch

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

  1. Recipe adapted from The Wholesome Dish.
  2. Not a fan of ground beef? Try ground turkey instead!
  3. You can substitute brown rice for white rice, but that will require about 20 more minutes of cook time.

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 574mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3555IU | Vitamin C: 21.5mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2.5mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Dinner, Featured Recipes, Soup

FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

    ​
    ​

    Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

    « Baked Lemon Chicken
    Honey Garlic Pork Chops (Slow Cooker) »

    Comments

    1. Pinky says

      June 14, 2022 at 6:51 pm

      5 stars
      Can you say yummy well I just did lol so good I will make this again …

      Reply
    2. Rose says

      June 14, 2022 at 3:44 pm

      5 stars
      Love the simplicity of this recipe! I made this for dinner tonight. Already had a whole head of cabbage chopped, so I just doubled the broth and hit it with double the seasonings and added some crushed red pepper flakes for some heat. Tasted delicious. I served it with Jiffy mix cornbread on the side. My family loved it. Thank you!

      Reply
    3. Elizabeth says

      June 9, 2022 at 6:44 pm

      Does it freeze well?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        June 10, 2022 at 1:10 pm

        Freezing it should be fine, the rice will just get softer.

        Reply
    4. Connie N. says

      May 22, 2022 at 3:56 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent! I added 1 can of totes, and 4 beef bullion cubes, because I only had one can of beef broth. Also didn’t have any dry rice, so I microwaved 1 bag of Uncle Bens long grain brown rice, and added it in the last 19 min of cooking! Delicious! I’ll definitely make again.

      Reply
    5. Linda B. says

      May 15, 2022 at 2:19 pm

      5 stars
      This was wonderful! My husband loves it, and so do I. Because we like our food spicy, I added 2 cans of tomato sauce and 1 can of Habanero Rotel. I will definitely make again!! So good. Thank you!

      Reply
    6. Olivia says

      April 10, 2022 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      Super easy and very tasty!

      Reply
    7. Betty says

      April 8, 2022 at 10:59 am

      5 stars
      Approximately what would the serving size be, thanks.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        April 11, 2022 at 11:55 am

        1 1/2 cups!

        Reply
    8. Susan W says

      April 7, 2022 at 3:47 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve been making this recipe for a couple of years now. One of my favs. I don’t change much. I prefer to use ground turkey. I do add a beef boullion cube or two for more intense beef flavor instead of adding salt. I add a little extra carrot and cabbage. Small tweaks. This is indeed a real winner!

      Reply
    9. Kim Moose says

      April 4, 2022 at 1:10 pm

      It smells so good! I am using quinoa instead of rice. Cant wait to try it.

      Reply
      • Kim says

        April 17, 2022 at 7:30 pm

        How did it end up tasting when you used quinoa? I am thinking of using it instead of rice.

        Reply
    10. Karen says

      March 30, 2022 at 2:09 pm

      Just made it. I love it!

      Reply
    11. Jaz says

      March 30, 2022 at 1:18 pm

      I’m out of rice, so I’m subbing egg noodles, we will see how it goes. My house smells delicious already so I’m sure it will be fine 😋

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More

    Grilling Recipes

    Grilled pork chops coated in marinade then cooked and garnished with parsley.

    Grilled Pork Chops

    Grilled lamb chops on a plate garnished with parsley and lemon.

    Grilled Lamb Chops

    Grilled peaches garnished with raspberries and fresh mint.

    Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon

    Skewers of jerk shrimp and pineapple, topped with parsley.

    Jerk Shrimp Kabobs

    Sliced grilled chicken breast garnished with herbs and lemon.

    Grilled Chicken Breast

    This zucchini fettuccine alfredo features a healthier remake of the classic sauce (no cream!) with the addition of grilled zucchini, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts.

    Zucchini Fettuccine Alfredo

    More Posts from this Category

    Featured Recipes

    A skillet of artichoke dip with a hand reaching to take a serving.

    Artichoke Dip Recipe

    Bites of sirloin steak in a garlic sauce.

    Steak Bites with Garlic Butter

    This recipe for Cajun jambalaya pasta is full of andouille sausage, shrimp, Cajun spiced chicken and vegetables, all served over creamy pasta. A hearty meal that's perfect for an everyday dinner or for entertaining! #savoryoursummerrecipes #ad

    Cajun Jambalaya Pasta

    General Tso's chicken coated in a sweet and spicy sauce, then topped with sesame seeds.

    General Tso’s Chicken

    FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

    Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

      ​
      ​

      Categories

      Sites I am featured In
      PRIVACY POLICY ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT © Sara Welch and Dinner at the Zoo® LLC, 2015-2022.
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • RSS
      • Twitter
      • About Me
      • Contact Me
      • All Recipes
      • Dinner
      • Appetizers
      • Dessert
      • One Pot Meals
      • Slow Cooker
      • Asian Food