Ingredients
For the soup, you will need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium head green cabbage, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, 14.5 ounces each
- 1 can tomato sauce, 15 ounces
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt, or according to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, optional
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Sour cream, for serving, optional
How to Make Cabbage Roll Soup
Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables
Begin by washing and preparing all of your vegetables. Finely chop the onion, peel and dice the carrots, mince the garlic, and cut the cabbage into small, bite-sized pieces.
Try not to cut the cabbage pieces too large because smaller pieces are easier to eat and cook more evenly. Set all the prepared vegetables aside while you begin cooking the beef.
Step 2: Brown the Ground Beef
Place a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is warm, add the ground beef.
Cook the beef for approximately 5–7 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks. Continue until the beef is completely browned and no longer pink.
If there is a large amount of grease in the pot, carefully drain some of it. Leaving a small amount behind is perfectly fine because it adds flavor to the soup.
Step 3: Sauté the Onion, Carrots, and Garlic
Add the chopped onion and diced carrots to the browned beef. Stir everything together and cook for approximately 4–5 minutes.
The onion should become soft and slightly translucent, while the carrots should begin to soften.
Next, add the minced garlic. Cook for about 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly. Garlic cooks quickly, so avoid allowing it to become dark brown or burnt.
Step 4: Build the Tomato Base
Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir it into the beef and vegetables. Cook the tomato paste for about one minute.
This small step is important because cooking tomato paste briefly helps develop a deeper, richer tomato flavor.
Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir thoroughly so the ingredients are evenly combined.
If you enjoy a slightly sweet flavor similar to traditional cabbage rolls, add one tablespoon of brown sugar. The sugar is completely optional and can be omitted if you prefer a more savory soup.
Step 5: Add the Cabbage and Broth
Add the chopped cabbage to the pot. At this stage, the cabbage may seem like a very large amount, but don’t worry. It will shrink substantially as it cooks.
Pour in the beef broth and stir everything together.
Add the paprika, oregano, thyme, basil, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Finally, add the bay leaf.
Bring the soup to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
Step 6: Add the Rice
Once the soup reaches a gentle boil, stir in the uncooked rice.
Reduce the heat to low or medium-low. Cover the pot partially with a lid and allow the soup to simmer for approximately 25–30 minutes.
Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
The soup is ready when the rice is tender, the cabbage is soft, and the carrots can easily be pierced with a fork.
Because rice absorbs liquid as it cooks, you may find that the soup becomes thicker than expected. If you prefer a thinner, brothier soup, simply add another 1/2 to 1 cup of beef broth or water.
Step 7: Taste and Adjust the Seasoning
Once the vegetables and rice are fully cooked, remove the bay leaf.
Taste the soup carefully and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add additional salt and black pepper if necessary.
For a stronger tomato flavor, you can add a little more tomato paste. If you prefer more sweetness, add a small amount of brown sugar.
Allow the soup to simmer for another 2–3 minutes after adjusting the seasonings. This gives the flavors time to blend together.
Step 8: Garnish and Serve
Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped fresh parsley.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve immediately. A spoonful of sour cream on top is an excellent finishing touch. The creamy sour cream balances the rich tomato broth and savory beef.
For an even more complete meal, serve the soup with crusty bread, garlic bread, dinner rolls, or a fresh green salad.
Helpful Tips
For the best flavor, use ground beef that contains a moderate amount of fat. Very lean beef can be used, but slightly higher-fat beef tends to produce a richer soup.
Do not worry if the cabbage looks excessive when you first add it. Fresh cabbage contains plenty of water and shrinks significantly during cooking.
If you already have cooked rice, you can use it instead of uncooked rice. Add approximately 1½ cups of cooked rice during the final 5–10 minutes of cooking. This prevents the rice from becoming overly soft.
You can also prepare the soup without rice if you want a lower-carbohydrate meal. Simply increase the amount of cabbage or add another vegetable such as cauliflower.
Recipe Variations
There are many ways to customize Cabbage Roll Soup.
For a lighter version, substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the beef. Ground pork can also be used, or you can combine beef and pork for a richer flavor.
For a spicy version, add a pinch of red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or your favorite hot sauce.
You can add extra vegetables such as celery, bell peppers, zucchini, or potatoes. Just remember that additional vegetables may require slightly more broth.
Brown rice can replace white rice, although it generally takes longer to cook. You can also use basmati or jasmine rice for a slightly different texture and aroma.
Storage and Reheating
Cabbage Roll Soup is excellent for meal preparation because the flavors become even better after resting.
Allow leftovers to cool before placing them in airtight containers. Store the soup in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
When reheating, place the soup in a saucepan over medium heat and warm until thoroughly heated. Since the rice continues absorbing broth while the soup sits, add a little extra beef broth or water if the soup has become too thick.
The soup can also be frozen. For the best texture, you may want to freeze the soup without the rice and add freshly cooked rice when reheating. However, the complete soup can still be frozen if convenience is more important than texture.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Cabbage Roll Soup hot with a dollop of sour cream and freshly chopped parsley. Crusty bread is perfect for dipping into the tomato-rich broth.
You can also serve it alongside a simple cucumber salad, roasted vegetables, or a green salad for a balanced meal.
Conclusion
Cabbage Roll Soup is one of those recipes that proves comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated. It combines ground beef, tender cabbage, rice, carrots, tomatoes, herbs, and flavorful broth in a single pot, creating a hearty meal with very little effort.
The soup is especially convenient when you’re craving traditional cabbage rolls but don’t have the time to prepare and roll individual cabbage leaves. Everything cooks together, allowing the flavors to blend beautifully.
Whether you make it for a weeknight family dinner, prepare a large batch for meal prep, or serve it on a cold winter evening, this Cabbage Roll Soup is warm, filling, flavorful, and wonderfully satisfying.
