Easy Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe

Today I’m bringing you a truly luscious soup that captures all the warm, savory flavor of classic cabbage rolls without any of the fussy rolling! This Easy Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe is the ultimate comfort food, packing hearty ground meat, tender cabbage, carrots, and rice into a rich tomato broth that tastes like pure soul-warming goodness. It’s an easy, one-pot dinner that is absolutely perfect for those nights when you crave something deeply satisfying and nostalgic. Trust me, you are going to love how quickly this game-changer comes together—it’s a hug in a bowl!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• All the Flavor, Zero Fuss: This soup delivers the deep, sweet-and-savory taste of traditional cabbage rolls without spending time blanching leaves or carefully wrapping them. It’s a total shortcut win!
• One-Pot Wonder: Everything cooks right in one large pot, making cleanup a breeze. Less dishes equals more time enjoying your dinner, and that’s a beautiful thing.
• Seriously Hearty and Wholesome: It’s packed with lean protein, tons of vegetables (hello, cabbage!), and rice, making it a complete, nourishing, and budget-friendly meal.
• The Ultimate Comfort Food: Soup season might just be my favorite season, and this recipe is proof. The rich tomato-broth base and tender ingredients are simply unreal.

Ingredients

All you need for this cozy Cabbage Roll Soup are a few simple pantry staples and about 45 minutes! Yes, it’s that easy. But first, gather up these foundational ingredients:

• Olive Oil: The starting point! This is what we use to sauté our aromatics and build the first layer of flavor.
• Onion: Adds a crucial savory and aromatic base as it cooks down.
• Garlic: Because every good comfort dish needs plenty of minced garlic for that irresistible fragrant depth.
• Lean Ground Beef or Ground Turkey: The protein base! Use beef for a traditional, rich flavor, or turkey for a lighter, leaner option—either way, it’s satisfying.
• Medium Green Cabbage: The star of the show! It breaks down into wonderfully tender, sweet ribbons in the broth.
• Carrots: Adds a subtle sweetness and a beautiful pop of color to the soup.
• Uncooked Rice: This is the binder! It swells as it cooks in the broth, giving the soup body and making it extra hearty, just like the filling in a true cabbage roll.
• Crushed Tomatoes: Provides the sweet, tangy, and rich base for the broth—it’s essential for that classic tomato flavor.
• Beef or Vegetable Broth: The liquid gold that brings everything together! Use beef broth for maximum savory depth or vegetable broth if you prefer a lighter profile.
• Tomato Paste: This tiny ingredient is a flavor concentrator! Just a tablespoon adds incredible depth and richness to the tomato base.
• Paprika and Dried Oregano: Our key seasonings! They add warmth and herbaceousness, rounding out the savory flavors beautifully.
• Bay Leaf: A little secret weapon! It infuses the broth with a subtle, complex savory note as the soup simmers. Remember to fish it out before serving!
• Salt and Pepper: Necessary for seasoning and making sure all those beautiful flavors truly pop.

Note: The exact measurements for these ingredients, along with the precise prep and cooking times, will be located right underneath this article in the complete Recipe Card!

How to Make the Easy Cabbage Roll Soup

Making this soup is seriously as simple as throwing a few things into a pot and letting it bubble away. It’s an encouraging, light process that guarantees amazing results!

Step 1: Start with the Aromatics

Heat the olive oil in your favorite large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss in the chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes until they smell deliciously fragrant. This is where the magic begins!

Step 2: Brown the Meat

Add your chosen ground beef or turkey to the pot. Cook until it’s fully browned, making sure to break it up into nice, small crumbles with your spoon. Drain off any excess grease, if necessary, though lean meat usually doesn’t require it.

Step 3: Sauté the Veggies

Stir in the chopped cabbage and sliced carrots. Let them cook for about 5 minutes. They will soften up slightly and get coated in all the amazing meat and onion flavor.

Step 4: Add the Liquids and Seasonings

Now for the main event! Pour in the uncooked rice, the whole can of crushed tomatoes, the beef or vegetable broth, the tomato paste, paprika, oregano, and drop in that bay leaf. Give everything a good, loving stir to mix it all together.

Step 5: Simmer to Perfection

Bring the soup up to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes. You’re waiting for two things here: the rice should be tender, and the cabbage should be fully, wonderfully cooked and soft.

Step 6: Season and Serve

Remove the bay leaf (we’re just here for the flavor, not the chewing!). Taste the soup and season generously with salt and pepper until the flavor profile is just right for you. Ladle it into big, cozy bowls and prepare to savor the warm, hearty deliciousness!

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

• Don’t Overcook the Rice: Keep a close eye on the rice during the simmer time. Once it’s tender, the soup is done! If you cook it too long, it will become mushy and absorb all the liquid.
• Shred Your Cabbage Thinly: Chopping the cabbage into smaller, thinner pieces (like ribbons) ensures it cooks quickly and evenly, giving you that lovely tender texture you want in every spoonful.
• Adjust the Broth: If your soup thickens more than you’d like as the rice absorbs the liquid, simply stir in a splash more broth (about $1/2$ cup at a time) until it reaches your desired consistency.
• The Bay Leaf Rule: Always remember to remove the bay leaf before serving! It’s purely for aroma and flavor infusion while simmering.

How to Serve

This Cabbage Roll Soup is a complete meal all on its own, but here are a few fun ways to serve it up and make it extra special:

• Topping Time: A dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream adds a wonderful, creamy tang that cuts through the richness of the tomato broth. A sprinkle of fresh parsley or dill is also beautiful!
• Bread Pairings: You absolutely need a good piece of crusty bread or some soft dinner rolls to dunk into that amazing broth.
• The Side Salad: Pair it with a simple, refreshing side salad dressed with a light vinaigrette to balance out the hearty richness of the soup.

Make Ahead and Storage

This soup is one of those magical dishes that often tastes even better the next day!

Storing Leftovers

Place completely cooled leftovers in an airtight container. It will keep wonderfully in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that the rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, making it even thicker!

Freezing

This soup freezes like a dream! Cool it completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container, leaving about an inch of headspace at the top (liquids expand when frozen). Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating

Reheat individual portions in the microwave. For a large batch, warm it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. You may need to add a splash of extra broth or water to thin it back out, especially if you stored it with the rice already mixed in.

FAQs

1. Can I make this soup vegetarian?

Absolutely! To make a delicious vegetarian version, simply omit the ground meat and use vegetable broth instead of beef broth. You can substitute the meat with one can of drained lentils or two cans of drained kidney beans for extra protein and heartiness.

2. What kind of rice is best for this recipe?

I recommend using plain uncooked white rice, such as long-grain or Basmati. Avoid instant rice, which will get too soft and mushy, and note that brown rice takes much longer to cook (you’d need to pre-cook it first or extend the simmer time significantly).

3. The soup is too thick after resting. How do I fix it?

That’s a common occurrence because the rice continues to absorb the liquid! Don’t worry, it’s an easy fix. When you go to reheat the soup, just stir in an additional $1/2$ to 1 cup of beef or vegetable broth (or water) until it reaches your desired, spoonable consistency.

4. Can I prepare this soup ahead of time?

Yes, this soup is a fantastic make-ahead option! You can prepare the entire recipe and store it in the fridge. Alternatively, you can sauté the meat and aromatics and chop all the vegetables, keeping them separate in containers until you are ready to combine and simmer the full soup later that day.