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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.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: Europian
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

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

Method
 

Build the Base
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  2. Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks (about 4–5 minutes).
  3. Transfer beef to a bowl and set aside, leaving a little fat/oil in the pot.
  4. Add onion and carrots to the pot and cook for 2–3 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
  5. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  6. Add cabbage and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring to lightly wilt it.
Simmer the Soup
  1. Return the browned beef to the pot.
  2. Add crushed tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne (if using), bay leaves, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well.
  3. Pour in beef broth and bring to a gentle boil.
  4. Stir in 1/2 cup long-grain white rice OR 1 cup brown rice (not both).
  5. 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
  1. Remove bay leaves and discard.
  2. Stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley.
  3. 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.