Cabbage Roll Soup (with Ground Beef)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Oct 19, 2026 
This cabbage roll soup is comfort food that doesn’t weigh you down; with ground beef, cabbage, and rice in a rich tomato broth. With all the flavor of cabbage rolls, but none of the work, it’s made in one-pot in about 45-minutes!
Easy Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup
Cabbage rolls are one of those dishes I love eating, but don’t always have the energy for, if ya know what I mean.
This unstuffed cabbage soup however, gets you allllll the same flavor, but in one pot with way less effort.
I use ground beef, cabbage, carrots, and rice simmered together in a tomato broth that’s a little sweet and a little tangy, which gives it that perfect flavor, and that makes it taste like cabbage rolls instead of just beef and tomato soup.
It truly is comfort food that doesn’t weigh you down! In testing, I had to tinker with the rice ratios quite a bit, as when I went up to a full cup it soaked up too much broth, so a half cup is the perfect amount to give the soup body without turning it into a casserole.
The apple cider vinegar and brown sugar are also super important, since when I left them out the soup tasted flat and one-note.
On that note, use fire-roasted tomatoes with green chilis rather than plain diced, because I tested both and the plain version just didn’t have the same depth, plus that little kick of heat is so nice in the final soup.
And know that the rice keeps absorbing liquid in the fridge and leftovers thicken overnight, so just add a splash of broth when you reheat.
And if you like this one, my unstuffed cabbage casserole is a one-pot win, and my ground beef and cabbage skillet is a great option when you want to skip the rice.
Make This Cabbage Soup When:
- You love cabbage rolls but have no interest in blanching leaves and rolling them one by one.
- It’s freezing out and you want healthy comfort food!
- You’re cooking on a budget, because a head of cabbage and a pound of ground beef feeds six people for very little.
- You’ve got half a cabbage sitting in the crisper drawer and no idea what to do with it.
- You need an easy weeknight dinner that’s all in one pot and doesn’t dirty every pan in the kitchen.
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup!
Robyn’s Tips for Ground Beef Cabbage Soup with Rice
- I tested adding the cabbage at the end to keep it crisp and it stayed crunchy, which was not giving cabbage roll vibes, so be sure to give it enough time to fully soften.
- Taste for vinegar at the very end, as the sweet-sour balance shifts as the tomatoes cook down, then feel free to add more at the end if you like it on the tangy side.
- Use long-grain white rice rather than brown or instant. I tested brown and it needed so much extra time that the cabbage fell apart before the rice was tender.
Cabbage Roll Soup (with Ground Beef)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and small diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilis, undrained
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- ½ medium green cabbage, cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 5-6 cups)
- ½ cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Heat a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, ground beef, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until well browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add the onion and carrots to the same pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic, paprika, oregano, pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of salt, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Add the Liquids: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar, stirring to coat the meat and vegetables.
- Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and ½ teaspoon of salt, and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Simmer: Add the cabbage, rice, and bay leaf, stirring until well incorporated. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the cabbage is soft and silky.
- Remove the bay leaf. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper, or a splash more apple cider vinegar as needed.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Gluten-Free: Be sure to use gf Worcestershire sauce.
- Rice: Use any long grain white rice, but not instant, or it will turn to mush.
- Brown Sugar: You can skip it if you’re watching your sugar intake, but I really like way it balances all the flavors.
- Optional, for Serving: Fresh parsley, chopped.
