Cabbage Roll Soup

Cabbage Roll Soup is a thick and hearty dish inspired by the flavors of stuffed cabbage rolls! Full of ground beef, rice, tomatoes, seasoning, and of course, cabbage!

A FILLING SOUP IN UNDER AN HOUR

Cabbage Roll Soup is a comforting soup recipe that you’ll love if you enjoy a good, classic cabbage roll. It’s sort of all the flavors and fun of cabbage rolls without all the fuss! I love that it’s cooked in a rich tomato beef-based broth so the cabbage can soften and absorb the flavors of the meat and spices. It’s perfect for those chilly fall evenings or when you just want a nice cozy bowl of soup to heat you up from the inside out!

A ladle scooping some Cabbage Roll Soup.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: 

Can I make a vegetarian cabbage soup?

You can make a vegetarian version of this soup so easily. Simply use either a meat substitute of choice (like impossible meat) instead of the ground beef. Or you can just leave the meat out altogether. For the stock, you can use a vegetable broth instead of a beef broth.

This turned out thick for me, how can I thin out my soup?

This is a thick and hearty soup for sure. If you’d like it more “soupy”, just add a bit of water or more beef broth until it reaches your desired consistency.

What to serve with Cabbage Roll Soup?

This cabbage and meat soup is very filling, but it can pair nicely with a green salad and your favorite Garlic Bread, Breadsticks, or dinner rolls.

Can I make this in a crock pot?

Yes you could. I would probably follow my recipe from Crock Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls but add about 2-3 cups of low sodium or unsalted beef broth to that recipe to make it more like a soup.

How should I store leftover Cabbage Soup?

Once your soup cools down to room temperature you can transfer it to an airtight container. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in a pot on the stove or in a bowl in the microwave.

Can I freeze leftover soup, and if so, what’s the best way?

Any leftover soup can be frozen. Make sure the soup has cooled off before transferring to an airtight container, make sure to leave about ¾” at the top. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.

A pot of Cabbage Roll Soup with a ladle scooping some out.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

  • yellow onion
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • lean ground beef– lean ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork could also be used in place of the beef.
  • garlic cloves – I use freshly mined garlic here but you can use the jarred stuff to save time.
  • long grain rice – you could make this with minute rice but you may want to adjust the liquid a bit (unless you want this more soupy) since minute rice doesn’t need as much liquid to cook.
  • cabbage – make sure to remove the core before chopping it all up
  • diced tomatoes with juices
  • tomato paste – if you find the tomatoes make this a bit too acidic for your tastes, try adding a Tablespoon of sugar to your soup. This usually balances out any strong acidic flavors without making it taste sweet.
  • low sodium beef broth– If you’re sensitive to sodium, I definitely recommend sticking to a low sodium beef broth if you can. If not, you could use regular beef broth, just be careful because you don’t want it to become too salty.
  • paprika
  • dried thyme
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • bay leaves – if for some reason you forgot to pick up bay leaves, don’t let this stop you from making it. Just leave them out. I promise they do add a wonderful depth of flavor though.
  • salt and pepper
Diced tomatoes, onion, ground beef, bay leaves, tomato paste, olive oil, thyme, long grain rice, cabbage, extra virgin olive oil, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, salt, and pepper.

HOW TO MAKE CABBAGE ROLL SOUP:

In a large pot or Dutch oven heat olive oil, then ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium high heat. Brown and crumble the ground beef until fully cooked and onions are softened. Drain any excess grease. 

Ground beef, onions and garlic in a pot, and cooked beef in a pot.

Stir in the chopped cabbage and let cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

Chopped cabbage in a pot and a pot with cabbage and beef.

Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, uncooked rice, paprika, dried thyme, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, salt and ground pepper. Stir well to combine.

A pot with diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, uncooked rice, paprika, dried thyme, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, salt and ground pepper on top of the base of the soup and a pot of Cabbage Roll Soup simmering.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pot and let simmer until the rice is fully cooked, approximately 30-35 minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving.

A big bowl of Cabbage Roll Soup.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES? 

Up close looking at a pot of Cabbage Roll Soup with a ladle removing some.

Cabbage Roll Soup

A hearty soup featuring shredded cabbage, rice, seasoning, and ground beef in a tomato and beef broth.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¾ cup uncooked long grain rice
  • 1 cabbage, chopped and core removed (about 8 cups)
  • 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 6 cups low sodium beef broth (more if you like it to be a bit 'soupier')
  • ½ Tablespoon paprika
  • ½ Tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ Tablespoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven heat olive oil, then ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium high heat. Brown and crumble the ground beef until fully cooked and onions are softened. Drain any excess grease.
    A pot with ground beef, onion, and garlic.
  • Stir in the chopped cabbage and let cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
  • Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, uncooked rice, paprika, dried thyme, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, salt and ground pepper. Stir well to combine.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pot and let simmer until the rice is fully cooked, approximately 30-35 minutes.
    A pot with simmering Cabbage Roll Soup.
  • Remove bay leaves before serving.
    A big bowl of Cabbage Roll Soup.

Notes

  • Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 1080mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Recipe Rating




7 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My mom made this soup all the time, I always loved it and potato soup still make them and chicken dumplings when me are my family is getting sick as a comfort food.

  2. 5 stars
    Absolutely my favorite cabbage roll soup! I do add some shredded carrots into the mix for more color and a bit of crunch.