Cabbage Roll Soup

“Same fab flavor, way less fuss!” is a gets-me-every-time mealtime tagline, and a driving force behind the recipes I share with you here. Cabbage Roll Soup is precisely that! This easy, healthy soup has all the rich, comforting flavor and classic ingredients in traditional cabbage rolls, and exactly none of the hassle of making them.

Lean ground beef, fresh veggies, and brown rice cooked together in a thick, deeply savory tomato broth, this cozy cabbage roll soup is a protein, whole grain, and nutrient-packed all-in-one dinner.

The ingredients and flavor profile are inspired by cabbage rolls, which are a common dish throughout most of Europe and much of Western Asia, Northern China, as well as parts of North Africa. Hungarian cabbage rolls are quite popular, and you’ll find versions in Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and more.

Though the ingredients can vary depending on the specific location, a cabbage roll is traditionally a meat (usually beef, pork, or lamb) and rice filling wrapped inside cooked cabbage leaves. Most of the time, a variation of tomato sauce is added on top.

Cabbage rolls are delicious. They’re also a legendary pain. The cabbage and filling are cooked separately, you need to set up a rolling station, and the sauce is cooked separately.

I can see myself enjoying this sort of effort and process on a special weekend, but on a weeknight it’s 6 o’clock and I’m starving! situation, this unstuffed cabbage roll soup is the move.

As the temperature cools, my appetite also gravitates toward hearty, healthy, simple ground beef recipes. I find myself relying on my trusted Crock Pot Hamburger Soup and Taco Skillet dishes time and time again.

(For recipes with beef stew meat or sirloin, check out my Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup, Crockpot Beef Stew, and Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff.)

This cabbage roll soup also wins my heart for its earnestness. The ingredients are humble, but the flavors are robust.

This recipe will stretch your dollar during a busy holiday season, when I often find myself spending extra everywhere else.

Plus, it can feed a crowd and tastes equally fantastic leftover!

How to Make This Recipe

An easy, hearty meal simply made in one pot, cabbage roll soup is a faster option that will undoubtedly fill you up.

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The Ingredients

• Ground Beef. I love using lean ground beef here for both its health benefits (hello, protein and iron) and the deep flavor it adds to the soup.

• Carrots + Parsnips. Two delicious root vegetables that help build flavor and add nutritional value to the soup.
• Green Cabbage. While cabbage tends to be a humble ingredient, it has a chance to shine here. It becomes delightfully tender and flavorful in the broth.
• Beef Broth + Tomato Sauce. The two main liquids for our soup. Both help build the soup’s rich flavor.
• Brown Rice. Following the classic stuffed cabbage roll recipes, I added brown rice to this soup. It helps make it more hearty and filling. See the Recipe Notes for tips on how to use white rice instead.
• Herbs. Bay leaves, thyme, and oregano bring scrumptious flavor to the soup as it simmers.
• Maple Syrup. A touch of sweetness to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
• Worcestershire Sauce. Hello, deeply-flavored umami goodness!
• Sherry Vinegar. For a touch of brightness and acidity. It rounds the soup and makes it taste complete.

The Directions

1. Cook the beef, salt, and pepper, breaking apart the meat as it browns.

2. Add the carrots, parsnips, and onions. Stir in the garlic.

3. Add the broth, tomato sauce, rice, herbs, maple syrup, Worcestershire, and red pepper flakes.

4. Let the mixture boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the cabbage.

5. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally.
6. Remove the soup from the heat, and stir in the vinegar. Let the soup rest a few minutes. DIG IN!

Storage Tips

• To Store. Refrigerate soup in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. 
• To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat. 
• To Freeze. You can freeze stuffed cabbage soup. Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. 

What to Serve with Cabbage Roll Soup

While this soup can stand on its own as an all-in-one meal, here are a few ideas of what you could serve with it:

Salads

Arugula Salad

10 mins

Baking

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

3 hrs

Side Dishes

Roasted Broccoli

40 mins

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

• Dutch Oven. A kitchen tool that will last you a lifetime.
• Extra Large Cutting Board. You’ll love having the extra space when chopping all the ingredients for this soup.
• Ladle. The ultimate soup serving tool.

More Tasty Cabbage Recipes

Stir Fries

Beef Lo Mein

30 mins

Slow Cooker

Jerk Chicken Tacos

5 hrs 20 mins

Seafood

Salmon Tacos

30 mins