Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe (Crockpot or Stove Top)

Lean ground beef, rice, cabbage, and tomatoes are simmered together to make this simple, yet hearty Cabbage Roll Soup. All of the delicious flavors of stuffed cabbage rolls in a bowl for a meal the whole family will love. 

We love cabbage rolls.  They are an easy dinner that is good and good for you!  We actually had them a few weeks ago, and they were so yummy, that I bought more cabbage and made this cabbage roll soup! It has all of the same components of cabbage rolls, but all chopped and cooked in a tomato-flavored broth. 

Soup season is here and folks, I am here for it! Aside from purchasing a head of cabbage, most of the ingredients are very basic staples I have in my pantry all of the time.  Do you keep a well-stocked pantry?  Making simple meals, like this one, is a snap when you do. I wrote a whole blog post on stocking your pantry. Give it a look!

Cabbage Roll Soup

This super easy Cabbage Roll Soup is the combination of two of my favorite dishes made into one amazing meal.  It doesn’t get much better or tastier than this. You can prepare this cabbage soup on your stove top in about 45 minutes, slow cook it in your crock pot all day, or whip it up in just a few minutes in your instant pot for an easy dinner. The choice is yours. 

Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe

Perfect for a busy weeknight when you need to get a nourishing and hearty meal on the table, other than some fresh cabbage leaves and ground beef, this soup uses mostly pantry staple ingredients you are likely to already have on hand. 

If you love healthy cabbage roll soup, you are sure to love these too: Creamy Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup, Cream of Reuben Soup, and this Stuffed Pepper Soup.  

Cabbage Roll Soup

If you love the flavors of cabbage rolls then this easy soup recipe will not disappoint. Freshly ground beef, cabbage leaves, and all your favorite cabbage roll ingredients blend together quickly and easily. Typically made with ground beef, feel free to use another ground meat if that’s all you’ve got on hand. 

Ingredients for Cabbage Roll Soup

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe. 

• Ground beef – I like to use lean ground beef in this easy cabbage roll soup recipe.
• Green cabbage – Green cabbage is really the hero in this recipe. 
• Onion – I like to use a white onion but any kind of onion will work. 
• Salt and Pepper – Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic adds loads of flavor.
• Diced tomatoes – Diced canned tomatoes are the best option for this soup.
• Tomato paste – Tomato paste helps thicken up the soup.
• Tomato juice – Tomato juice adds more tomato flavor. 
• Rice – I used instant brown rice. Uncooked rice is cooked right in the soup!
• Beef bouillon – I used beef bouillon cubes to add more flavor to the soup.
• Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire adds a deep savory flavor.
• Water

How to make the best cabbage roll soup

It couldn’t be more straightforward to prepare this easy cabbage roll soup recipe. 

Step 1: In a large pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop, brown ground beef with onion and garlic in a touch of olive oil. Drain any excess fat.

Step 2: Add cabbage and combine to wilt for about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add the remainder of the ingredients into the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Step 4: Serve hot.

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. In the freezer, the cabbage soup will keep for up to 3 months. 

How To Make Cabbage Roll Soup In The Crock Pot

To prepare cabbage roll soup in the crock pot, add browned ground beef and remaining ingredients to your slow cooker, and cook on low for about 5 hours.

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this cabbage roll soup make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

FAQs about unstuffed cabbage roll soup

• Is Cabbage Roll Soup Keto? This cabbage roll soup is not considered keto-friendly as it contains rice. White and brown rice are not suitable for keto diets. Use cauliflower rice for a low-carb, keto-friendly meal. 
• How do you make cabbage roll soup from scratch? If you are looking for a cabbage roll soup to make from scratch at home, you’ve come to the right place! Just follow this recipe to make this hearty soup. 
• What kind of meat is used in cabbage roll soup? Typically ground beef is used to make cabbage roll soup. 
• Can I make cabbage roll soup vegetarian or vegan? To make a vegetarian or vegan cabbage roll soup you can use a vegetarian ground beef or use canned beans. Substitute the beef bouillon for vegetable bouillon or vegetable broth and you’ll be all set. 
• How do I store leftover cabbage roll soup? Cabbage roll soup can be stored in an airtight container or freezer bag in the fridge or freezer. If you use freezer bags allow some space for the soup to expand when it’s frozen.
• Can cabbage roll soup be frozen? Yes, this delicious cabbage roll soup can be frozen.  I often make a double batch and freeze half. 

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

• Instead of tomato paste and tomato juice, use tomato sauce. 

• For a deeper flavor instead of the cans of water use beef broth or chicken broth.

• Try white rice or cauliflower rice instead of brown rice.

• Substitute ground turkey or ground pork for the ground beef. Really any ground meat will work. 

• Add in some Italian Seasoning for a more Italian flair.

• Add in some chili powder to spice things up a bit. 

• Top with some shredded parmesan cheese when serving. 

Tips & Tricks

• Garnish the soup with fresh parsley for a pop of green. 

• Throw in some bay leaves for another layer of flavor in the easy unstuffed cabbage soup.

• Store soup in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

   

  

  Face it.  Cabbage rolls, no matter how delicious they are, are kind of a pain to make.  I mean, I still make them, but I typically reserve them for a Sunday meal when I have more time to mess with them.

  

  I am all about making recipes easier. So, not only have I made Stuffed Cabbage Rolls into a soup — I made them into a super easy skillet meal.  Same concept.  In one pan, the ingredients of cabbage rolls are chopped and prepared quickly. This Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Skillet meal is on the table in minutes instead of hours.  

More Recipes to Love

• Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

• Stuffed Cabbage Rolls – a low-carb meal – dare I say the best cabbage rolls?

• Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Skillet – these deconstructed cabbage rolls are hard to resist!

• Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner In The Crockpot 

• Creamy Cabbage and Bleu Cheese Soup (pictured above)

• Brenda Gantt’s Cabbage Casserole

Perfect for those cold winter nights but great any time of year, this is the best cabbage roll soup recipe for an easy weeknight meal. If you are looking for a hearty meal with bold flavors, this soup is a definite must. 

 

I have an amazing Collection of the Best Soups Ever! 

Or take a minute and browse the soup category on my blog, we love soup, so there are MANY to chose from!

Let’s make some Cabbage Roll Soup! 

This recipe was originally posted on October 31, 2018. It has been updated to improve user experience and re-shared on September 22, 2023.