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Cabbage Roll Soup turns classic cabbage rolls into a hearty, healthy soup that the whole family will love. This soup is packed with flavorful veggies and comforting broth. It’s a perfect weeknight dinner that also happens to be gluten and dairy-free.
If you need an easy and delicious weeknight dinner for the next chilly night, try this amazing Cabbage Roll Soup! This cabbage soup is warm, comforting, and very filling. Plus it’s a much faster and easier way to enjoy the classic flavors of cabbage rolls. Loaded with cabbage, beef, and veggies, it makes for a perfect addition to your dinner table.
Looking for more soup recipes? Try this Easy Meatball Soup or our Homemade Tomato Rice Soup.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Flavorful and delicious! With colorful veggies, fresh herbs, and a hint of honey, this soup is loaded with tasty flavors. It’s so good!
- Easy to make: Just cook the meat and veggies, then let everything simmer to develop the flavor. It’s mostly hands-free, which is perfect for busy nights.
- Healthy: This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free, plus it’s full of protein, veggies, and fiber.
Ingredients you’ll need
This is just a list of ingredients you will need to make this unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup. Full measurements are listed further below.
- Olive oil: or another of your choice like avocado oil
- Lean ground beef: as lean as you can find. You may also swap this with ground chicken or ground turkey
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
- Yellow onion or white sweet onion
- Garlic cloves: use fresh garlic and not garlic powder
- Carrots: fresh carrots and not canned
- Red bell pepper: we prefer red, but you may use yellow or green
- Fresh thyme: you can swap this if you can’t find any with dried thyme
- Green cabbage: the base of the recipe and a must add ingredient
- Low-sodium beef broth: you may use chicken or vegetable broth
- Canned crushed tomatoes: if you do not want to use canned tomatoes, you can use some chopped fresh tomatoes.
- Brown rice: or rice of your choice. Jasmine rice will work great
- Bay leaf
- Honey: balances the flavor but it could be optional
How to Make Cabbage Roll Soup from scratch
- Cook meat: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven pot over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, mincing the meat with a wooden spatula as it browns. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add veggies: Stir in the chopped onion, garlic,chopped carrots, pepper, and thyme, and cook for a few more minutes, until veggies start to soften.
- Deglaze the pot: Add 1/2 cup of broth to deglaze the pot, stirring all the way through the bottom. Then add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.
- Simmer: Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the rice is done and the cabbage is tender.
- Serve: Remove and discard the bay leaf and serve soup hot!
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- Ground beef: We prefer to use lean ground beef to keep this soup low in fat. You may use ground turkey if you prefer. For a vegetarian option, skip the meat and add more veggies.
- Bell pepper: This unrolled cabbage soup recipe calls for red bell pepper, but you can also use orange or yellow. The flavor may be slightly different but will still taste delicious.
- Thyme: If you don’t have fresh thyme you can substitute with dried.
- Cabbage: Read this post to learn How to Cut Cabbage.
- Beef broth: You can also substitute with beef bouillon and hot water. If using tukey in place of beef, use chicken or turkey broth. Vegetable broth will work just as well.
- Chop the veggies into equal-size pieces so that they cook evenly.
frequently asked questions
You can store leftovers in the fridge for 2-4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave when ready to eat.
Yes, you can freeze leftovers in a sealed container for up to three months. Make sure to cool completely before freezing. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature or on low-power in the microwave, then reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Yes! Brown the meat as directed, then add the veggies and deglaze the pot as per the instructions. Pour the meat mixture into a slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or until the rice is tender.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup
- Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Vegan Lentil Soup
- Chicken Cabbage Soup
- Beef Stroganoff Soup
- One-Pot Lasagna Soup
- Easy Meatball Soup
- Mexican Chicken Soup
- Creamy potato Soup With Shrimp
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Easy Cabbage Roll Soup
Equipment
- cutting board
- knife
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced finely
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 medium carrots, quartered and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- A few spears of fresh thyme, leaves picked
- 1 small green cabbage, chopped (about 6-7 cups)
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 x 8 oz cans crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked, or quinoa
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large dutch oven pot over medium heat.
- Add ground beef and cook, mincing the meat with a wooden spatula as it browns. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the onion, garlic, carrots, pepper and thyme, and cook for a few more minutes, until veggies start to soften.
- Add 1/2 cup of broth to deglaze the pot, stirring all the way through the bottom.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the rice is done and the cabbage is tender.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf and serve soup hot!
Notes
- Ground beef: We prefer to use lean ground beef to keep this soup low in fat.
- Bell pepper: This recipe calls for red bell pepper, but you can also use orange or yellow. The flavor may be slightly different but will still taste delicious.
- Thyme: If you don’t have fresh thyme you can substitute it with dried.
- Brown rice: Sub this with any rice or even quinoa
- Cabbage: Read this post to learn How to Cut Cabbage.
- Beef broth: You can also substitute it with beef bouillon and hot water.
- Chop the veggies into equal-size pieces so that they cook evenly.
- Storage: Store in the fridge for 2-4 days.
- Freezing: Cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the microwave, then reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this last night, and we loved it! Thank you for sharing.
This is an excellent soup. The only change I made was to add 4 Italian Sausges (skin removed). It gave a kick and really improved the taste.
donna
Amazing. Thanks Donna
My family love this soup my daughter who does not like hamburger went back twice for seconds very good hardy meal.
So glad she loved it.
Could this be made in the Instant Pot?
Thanks
Yes, you sure can
“Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner” this recipe is a “home run” plus. This meal was made 100% by the instructions provided and it was a true meal. Bottom line, I love it! Thank you.
Thanks for the feedback, Tim. So glad you loved it.
I wonder what this would be like if I substituded the ground beef with chopped chickepeas….that would make it super healthy….think I will try that…great recipe – thanks for it
Yes! why not
Fantastic!
I’ve made this yummy soup turned out really good,I cut the recipe in half as I’m single, I added extra vegetables that i like but man talk about a great soup to make anytime,
Easy recipe to follow make it you wont regret it.
Cheers
Glad you loved it
This one of my favorites. The whole family said this needs to be a new staple. I’ve made it a few times already.
So glad yay!
Can I also use lentils as a substitute for brown rice?
Yes. That should be fine