Cabbage Roll Soup transforms the flavors of this classic dish into soup form! This easy recipes comes together when beef, cabbage, and rice are simmered in a seasoned tomato sauce base. Whether you love stuffed or unstuffed rolls, try this deconstructed recipe for a real treat that’s ready in half the time.
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I made these Stuffed Cabbage Rolls one St. Patrick’s Day and fell in love with the rich tomato flavors, hearty beef, and tender cabbage. But man, was it a lot of work!
Last year, I simplified the recipe by creating this Unstuffed Cabbage Roll recipe. Plop everything in one skillet – yup, no tedious rolling of the meat filling into delicate leaves!
But, this year I wanted something even cozier… so let me introduce you to the BEST Cabbage Roll Soup recipe! (If you’re not a big meat eater, you’ll want to check out this Cabbage and Vegetable Soup instead—it’s vegan and vegetarian!)
Ingredients
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.
- Beef. Avoid a fatty blend. Look for lean ground beef, 85/15 or 90/10 is best. For a change, you can use ground pork, as well.
- Cabbage. The main ingredient! Fresh cabbage is key. Go for green; purple will turn your soup a dark maroon color. You only need a small head or half of a medium-large sized head of cabbage. If you do get a bigger one than you need, use up the rest with this Sautéed Cabbage or this Egg Roll in a Bowl.
- Rice. Make sure the rice is UNCOOKED. Yup! It all cooks up in the pot together. You can also sub in cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- Onion. You need a finely diced onion, preferably a small, sweet one. White or yellow will work, but avoid a red onion.
- Garlic. 3 cloves of minced garlic create a rich, depth of flavor in the sauce. Avoid garlic powder if you can.
- Broth. Beef broth will add the most to the soup, but you can use a vegetable or chicken broth if needed.
- Canned tomatoes. BOTH crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce are needed. Look for a brand without added sodium. Tomato paste won’t work here.
How to Make Cabbage Roll Soup
Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
- Prep the veggies. Be sure to dice the onion into very small pieces. Simply slice the carrots into thin rounds. The cabbage needs to be cut into 1-inch pieces. Here is a guide on how to shred cabbage.
- Sauté the base. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Toss the onions in and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. When the onions are translucent, add in the garlic and continue sautéing for another 30 seconds.
- Add the meat. Push the onions and garlic to the side of the pot. Pour in another tablespoon of oil. Add the ground meat and cook for about 7 to 8 minutes. Be sure to crumble the meat with a potato masher. Smaller pieces will disperse through the soup best.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients. Once the meat is cooked, add the cabbage, carrots, broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, rice, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, and paprika into the pot.
- Cook the soup. Give everything a good stir and bring it to a boil. When you can’t stir down the bubbles, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and let it cook for about 20 to 25 minutes. The cooking time will vary based on the size of the pot and the ingredients used. Mix in the fresh parsley just before serving.
Meal Prep and Storage
- Prep-Ahead: The cabbage, carrots, and onions can be cut 1-2 days before you cook the dish.
- Storage: Place the leftover soup in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze leftover soup in an airtight container or in individual portions in freezer bags for up to 3 months
- Reheating: Allow the cabbage soup to thaw in the fridge. For best results, reheat in a saucepan over medium heat.
FAQs
You will find two to three types of cabbage at most grocery stores. Green cabbage is similar to iceberg lettuce and is peppery when raw. However, it becomes sweeter after cooking. Red or purple cabbage is common, but it will bleed color into the rest of your dish and it has a stronger flavor. Less common types are Savoy cabbage, which has crinkly leaves and is generally the sweetest, along with Napa cabbage, which is the most tender and is generally sweet, too.
Unfortunately, you can definitely overcook the cabbage in your soup. If you do, it will become limp and smell strongly. While you can still eat it, the soup will not taste as good. Don’t let the soup simmer for too long before enjoying.
More Irish Recipes
You can’t go wrong with ANY of these Irish favorites. Put these recipes on your menu soon.
Start your day with Corned Beef Hash and Eggs.
And if you really love corned beef, try this Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage.
Irish Beef Stew is a hearty and flavorful dish. Fried Cabbage with Bacon is an easy recipe everyone will love.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
Soup is the ultimate comfort food on a cold day. If you’re craving another hearty recipe, go for one of these next.
Stuffed Pepper Soup and Italian Wedding Soup are the perfect combinations of meat and veggies.
If you like recreating restaurant favorites at home, try this Olive Garden Minestrone Soup, Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup, or Olive Garden Zupa Toscana Soup.
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Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons oil avocado or olive, divided
- 1 small sweet onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 pound ground beef venison or turkey, 90/10 or 93/7
- 4-5 cups cabbage cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 4 cups beef broth regular sodium
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes canned
- 8 ounces tomato sauce canned
- ½ cup rice uncooked, white or brown*
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar white or coconut sugar
- 1 ¾ teaspoon salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil and onion to a large Dutch oven over medium heat and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic and continue sauteing for an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant.1 small sweet onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Push the onions to the side and add another tablespoon of oil along with the ground meat. Cook for 7-8 minutes, or until cooked through. Crumble the meat with a potato masher.1 pound ground beef
- Add the cabbage, carrots, broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, rice, Worcestershire, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, and paprika. Bring it all to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and let cook for 20-25 minutes, or until rice is tender.4-5 cups cabbage, 2 large carrots, 4 cups beef broth, 15 ounces crushed tomatoes, 8 ounces tomato sauce, ½ cup rice, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon paprika
- Mix in the fresh parsley just before serving. Enjoy!2 tablespoons fresh parsley
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Notes
- Rice: Sub in cauliflower rice if necessary.
- Sugar: Use honey if needed, but don’t skip a sweetener to balance the acid.
- Prep-Ahead: The cabbage and onions can be cut 1-2 days before you cook the dish.
- Storage: Place the leftover soup in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze leftovers in an airtight container or in individual portions in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Allow the cabbage soup to thaw in the fridge. For best results, reheat in a saucepan over medium heat.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
