Easy Cabbage Roll Soup (One-Pot, Hearty & Comforting)
This easy cabbage roll soup delivers all the classic flavors of cabbage rolls—savory ground beef, tender cabbage, and a rich tomato broth—without the rolling and baking. It’s a cozy one-pot dinner with rice cooked right in the soup for a thick, satisfying texture, finished with fresh lemon and parsley for brightness. Perfect for meal prep, freezer-friendly, and customizable for spice level and rice choice.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1.25 lb lean ground beef
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium carrots chopped or sliced
- 5 cups green cabbage coarsely chopped (about 1/2 head)
- 4.5 cups beef broth plus more as needed
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes canned
- 14 oz cherry tomatoes halved (or 1 can, drained)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 0.5 tsp ground cayenne pepper optional, adjust to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 0.5 cup long-grain white rice use this OR 1 cup brown rice (not both)
- 0.5 lemon juiced
- 0.33 cup fresh parsley chopped
Rice Options
- 1 cup brown rice alternative to white rice; increase simmer time and add broth as needed
Instructions
Build the Base
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks (about 4–5 minutes).
- Transfer beef to a bowl and set aside, leaving a little fat/oil in the pot.
- Add onion and carrots to the pot and cook for 2–3 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add cabbage and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring to lightly wilt it.
Simmer the Soup
- Return the browned beef to the pot.
- Add crushed tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne (if using), bay leaves, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well.
- Pour in beef broth and bring to a gentle boil.
- Stir in 1/2 cup long-grain white rice OR 1 cup brown rice (not both).
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender: 25–35 minutes for white rice, or 35–45 minutes for brown rice. Add extra broth if it thickens too much.
Finish and Serve
- Remove bay leaves and discard.
- Stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley.
- Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and cayenne as needed. Serve hot.
Notes
- Rice choice: Use 1/2 cup long-grain white rice for a faster cook time, or 1 cup brown rice for a heartier texture; brown rice may need extra broth and a longer simmer.
- Thickness: This soup naturally thickens as it sits because the rice absorbs liquid; add a splash of broth when reheating for a brothier consistency.
- Heat level: Cayenne is optional—start with 1/2 tsp for mild heat and increase to taste.
- Tomato option: If using canned cherry tomatoes, drain them before adding for better control of liquid.