About this recipe
We've all been there—craving the cozy, nostalgic comfort of classic stuffed cabbage rolls, but completely lacking the energy to actually boil leaves and roll them up. It's just a lot of work for a Tuesday night. That's exactly where this soup comes in. You get all those rich, tomatoey, savory beef flavors in a single pot without the fuss. The magic happens when the ground beef and tender cabbage simmer away in the seasoned broth. The rice releases its starches to thicken the soup just enough, soaking up all that incredible savory goodness as it cooks. Plus, it makes phenomenal leftovers. The flavors deepen overnight in the fridge, meaning tomorrow's lunch is going to be incredibly good. Ready in about 50 minutes.
Ingredients
Soup base
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 large carrot (diced)
- 1 small green cabbage (about 6 cups chopped)
Tomatoes, rice, and broth
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz can)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz can, with juices)
- 5 cups beef broth (low sodium if possible)
- 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Seasoning and finish
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped, optional)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional, to brighten)
Equipment
Large pot or Dutch oven
Cutting board
Wooden spoon
Instructions
Brown the beef
Heat your olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Drop in the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as you go. You want it nicely browned with some crispy edges. That caramelization is where your soup's base flavor starts.
Add the aromatics
Toss in the diced onion, minced garlic, and carrots. Cook this mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often. Keep an eye on the garlic so it doesn't burn. You just want the onions to soften up and start turning translucent.
Stir in the cabbage
Dump in the chopped cabbage and give everything a good stir. Let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes. It will look like way too much cabbage at first, but don't panic. It quickly cooks down and softens right into the mix.
Simmer the soup
Pour in your crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, uncooked rice, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and all your spices—plus that bay leaf. Bring the whole pot to a steady simmer. Turn the heat down slightly and let it cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir it occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom, checking until the grains are perfectly tender.
Finish and serve
Fish out that bay leaf and throw it away. Stir in the fresh parsley and a splash of lemon juice if you're using it—the acid really brightens up the heavy, savory broth. Give it a taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper if it needs it. Ladle it hot into big bowls.
Tips
- Do not overcook the rice. Check the soup near the end of cooking so the grains stay perfectly tender instead of turning into mush.
- Add more broth if needed. The rice acts like a sponge as it sits, so pour in a little extra broth when reheating leftovers.
- Chop your cabbage evenly. Smaller pieces cook faster and make the soup way easier to eat off a spoon.
Substitutions
- Swap the ground beef. Ground turkey, ground chicken, or your favorite plant-based crumbles work perfectly here.
- Cut the carbs with cauliflower rice. Just skip the regular rice and stir in the cauliflower version during the final 5 minutes of cooking.
- Make it extra hearty. Toss in a can of white beans or diced potatoes if you want a thicker, more filling stew.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer
It keeps in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just remember that rice gets incredibly soft once thawed, so you might want to freeze the soup base and stir in fresh cooked rice later.
Reheating
When you're ready to eat, reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Splash in a little extra beef broth if the rice absorbed all the liquid.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 bowl
- Calories
- 325
- Protein
- 24g
- Carbohydrates
- 31g
- Fat
- 12g
- Fiber
- 6g
- Sugar
- 11g
- Sodium
- 760mg
FAQ
Can I make stuffed cabbage roll soup ahead of time?
You sure can! It tastes even better the next day. Just keep in mind the rice drinks up the broth as it sits in the fridge, so you might need to add a splash of water or extra broth when you reheat it.
Can I use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice?
Absolutely. If you go this route, hold off on adding the cauliflower rice until the last 5 minutes of simmering. Otherwise, it turns to total mush.
Can I freeze stuffed cabbage roll soup?
Yes, but with a catch. Freezing changes the texture of cooked rice, making it super soft once thawed. If you know you're making this just for the freezer, hold off on adding the rice and just cook up a fresh batch to stir in when you reheat the soup.
Recipe Card
Stuffed Cabbage Roll Soup
A cozy one-pot soup with ground beef, cabbage, tomatoes, rice, garlic, and herbs inspired by classic stuffed cabbage rolls.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Category
- Soup Recipes
- Cuisine
- American
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Budget-friendly
Ingredients
Soup base
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 large carrot (diced)
- 1 small green cabbage (about 6 cups chopped)
Tomatoes, rice, and broth
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz can)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz can, with juices)
- 5 cups beef broth (low sodium if possible)
- 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Seasoning and finish
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped, optional)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional, to brighten)
Instructions
- Brown the beef: Heat your olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Drop in the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as you go. You want it nicely browned with some crispy edges. That caramelization is where your soup's base flavor starts.
- Add the aromatics: Toss in the diced onion, minced garlic, and carrots. Cook this mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often. Keep an eye on the garlic so it doesn't burn. You just want the onions to soften up and start turning translucent.
- Stir in the cabbage: Dump in the chopped cabbage and give everything a good stir. Let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes. It will look like way too much cabbage at first, but don't panic. It quickly cooks down and softens right into the mix.
- Simmer the soup: Pour in your crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, uncooked rice, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and all your spices—plus that bay leaf. Bring the whole pot to a steady simmer. Turn the heat down slightly and let it cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir it occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom, checking until the grains are perfectly tender.
- Finish and serve: Fish out that bay leaf and throw it away. Stir in the fresh parsley and a splash of lemon juice if you're using it—the acid really brightens up the heavy, savory broth. Give it a taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper if it needs it. Ladle it hot into big bowls.
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