Easy Cabbage Roll Soup – One-Pot Comfort Food Dinner

Introduction

Hi everyone, Emily here! If you love the cozy, nostalgic flavors of traditional stuffed cabbage rolls but don’t have the time for all that tedious rolling and tucking, this Easy Cabbage Roll Soup is your new weeknight hero. In 2026, we’re all about “deconstructed comfort”—taking those labor-intensive heritage dishes and turning them into efficient, one-pot meals that don’t sacrifice a bit of flavor. This soup is hearty, tangy, and slightly sweet, delivering all the satisfaction of a Sunday dinner in just 45 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• One-Pot Cleanup: Everything from the beef to the rice cooks in a single Dutch oven, making post-dinner cleanup a breeze.

• The “Unstuffed” Hack: You get the perfect ratio of beef, cabbage, and rice in every single spoonful without the rolling prep work.

• Balanced Flavor Profile: The combination of savory beef broth, acidic tomato sauce, and a touch of brown sugar creates that classic sweet-and-sour profile that defines a great cabbage roll.

• Budget-Friendly: Made with simple staples like cabbage, carrots, and ground beef, this is an incredibly affordable way to feed a hungry family.

Equipment

• Dutch Oven or Large Soup Pot: For even heat distribution and enough volume for all that cabbage.

• Spatula or Wooden Spoon: To break up the beef and stir the hearty ingredients.

• Chef’s Knife: For dicing the onion and quartering the carrots.

• Measuring Cups and Spoons: To get that signature sweet-and-sour balance right.

Ingredients

• • 1 lb. Lean ground beef

  • 4 cups Green cabbage (chopped)

  • 2 medium Carrots (quartered and sliced)

  • 1 medium Yellow onion (diced finely)

  • 2 cloves Garlic (minced)

  • 4 cups Low-sodium beef broth

  • 3 (8 oz.) cans Tomato sauce

  • 1/2 cup White rice (uncooked)

  • 1 Bay leaf

  • 3 tbsp. Light brown sugar

  • 2 tbsp. Fresh parsley (chopped)

  • 2 tsp. Vegetable oil

  • To taste: Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Brown the Beef: In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned and crumbled.

2. Sauté Aromatics: Add the finely diced onion and minced garlic to the beef. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the onions are tender and fragrant.

3. The Big Add: Stir in the chopped cabbage, carrots, tomato sauce, beef broth, uncooked rice, bay leaf, and brown sugar. Mix well to combine all those flavors.

4. The Simmer: Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook for about 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the cabbage has softened.

5. Final Flourish: Remove the bay leaf. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and give it one last stir.

6. Serve: Ladle into big bowls and enjoy!

You Must Know

Technique Alert: Don’t overcook the rice! Because the rice continues to absorb liquid as the soup sits, you want to turn off the heat the moment it becomes “al dente.” Pro Tip: For a deeper flavor, let the soup “sit” for 10 minutes after turning off the heat. This allows the cabbage to fully absorb the tomato-beef broth, much like it would inside a traditional roll.

Storage Tips

• Fridge: This soup is even better the next day! Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

• The Rice Factor: The rice will continue to soak up broth in the fridge. When reheating, you may need to add a splash of extra beef broth or water to loosen it back up.

Ingredient Substitutions

• The Meat: Swap ground beef for ground turkey or ground pork for a different flavor profile.

• The Grain: Use cauliflower rice for a low-carb version (add it in the last 5 minutes of cooking instead of the full 25).

• The Sugar: If you prefer a more savory soup, reduce the brown sugar to 1 tablespoon or use honey.

Serving Suggestions

• The Classic Side: Serve with a thick slice of crusty rye bread or sourdough for dipping.

• The Creamy Topper: A dollop of sour cream on top adds a beautiful richness that mimics the traditional serving style.

• Extra Tang: A tiny splash of red wine vinegar stirred into your bowl just before eating really makes the flavors pop.

Cultural and Historical Context

Cabbage rolls (Sarmale, Holubtsi, or Gołąbki) are a cornerstone of Central and Eastern European cuisine. Traditionally, they are a labor-intensive dish reserved for holidays and weddings. The 2026 “soup-ification” of this dish honors those traditional ingredients—cabbage, meat, and rice—while adapting them for the modern home cook who wants heritage flavors on a busy Tuesday night.

Seasonal Adaptations

• Winter: Add an extra cup of diced potatoes for a heartier, thicker stew-like consistency.

• Spring: Use savoy cabbage for a milder, more delicate texture and flavor.

Perfect Occasions

• Busy Weeknights: From prep to table in under 45 minutes.

• Cold & Flu Season: The warm broth and cooked cabbage are incredibly soothing and easy to digest.

• Meal Prep Sundays: This recipe scales easily; double it to have lunches ready for the whole week.

Freezer Meal Conversion

• To Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months.

• Pro Tip for Freezing: If you plan on freezing the whole batch, I recommend undercooking the rice slightly so it doesn’t turn to mush when you reheat it. Thaw in the fridge overnight before warming on the stove.

Pro Tips

• Chop Small: Make sure your cabbage and carrots are chopped into bite-sized pieces. Since this is a soup, you want to be able to get a bit of everything in a single spoonful.

• Deglaze: After browning the beef and onions, make sure to scrape up any browned bits (the “fond”) from the bottom of the pot when you add the broth. That’s where the hidden flavor lives!

FAQs About Recipes

• Can I use cooked rice? Yes! If using pre-cooked rice, add it in the last 5 minutes of simmering just to warm it through.

• Is it gluten-free? As long as your beef broth and tomato sauce are certified gluten-free, this recipe is naturally safe for GF diets!

• Why is my cabbage still crunchy? Some types of cabbage are heartier than others. If it’s still too firm, just simmer for an extra 5–10 minutes.

Easy Cabbage Roll Soup

A deconstructed version of the classic stuffed cabbage roll, simmered in a tangy tomato-beef broth with rice and tender vegetables.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 Servings

Course: Soup, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Eastern European

Calories: 213

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 4 cups chopped green cabbage
• 2 medium carrots sliced
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup white rice uncooked
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

• Dutch Oven or Large Pot
• Chef's Knife
• spatula

Method

 

1. Brown beef in oil with salt and pepper.
2. Sauté onion and garlic with the beef for 2–3 minutes.
3. Stir in cabbage, carrots, broth, tomato sauce, rice, bay leaf, and sugar.
4. Simmer for 25 minutes until rice and cabbage are tender.
5. Discard bay leaf, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Notes

1. Use low-sodium beef broth to better control the saltiness of the finished soup. 2. If you prefer a thicker soup, let it simmer uncovered for the last 10 minutes to reduce the liquid. 3. Always remove the bay leaf before serving to avoid a bitter bite.