If you love the comforting flavours of traditional cabbage rolls but don’t have the time to stuff and roll individual cabbage leaves, this Cabbage Roll Soup is a much easier way to enjoy them. Made with ground beef, tender cabbage, carrots, tomatoes and rice simmered in a rich beef broth, this soup brings all those familiar flavours together in one pot.

Overhead view of cabbage roll soup with ground beef, tender cabbage, rice, carrots, and tomatoes in a white bowl, garnished with fresh parsley.

What Makes This Cabbage Roll Soup Special?

All the flavor with less work: You get the familiar flavors of cabbage rolls without having to blanch, fill and roll individual cabbage leaves.
A complete meal: Ground beef, cabbage, vegetables and rice make this a filling one-pot dinner.
Simple ingredients: Most of the ingredients are everyday pantry and refrigerator staples.
Easy to customise: You can adjust the seasonings, change the type of rice or add extra vegetables to suit your preferences.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American-inspired
Cooking Method: Stovetop

See the list of ingredients needed below or jump to recipe

Ingredients

Avocado oil
Ground beef
Onion
Carrots
Green cabbage
Garlic
Diced tomatoes
Tomato sauce
Beef broth
Long-grain white rice
Dried oregano
Better Than Bouillon roasted beef base
Salt
Black pepper
Fresh parsley

How to Make Cabbage Roll Soup

Step 1: Brown the ground beef

Heat the avocado oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon.
Cook for about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and no longer pink. If there is a lot of excess grease in the pot, carefully drain some of it before continuing.
Season the beef with a little salt and black pepper.

Step 2: Add the onions and carrots

Add the diced onion and carrots to the pot with the browned beef.
Stir everything together and cook for about 3–4 minutes, until the onion begins to soften. The carrots will continue cooking as the soup simmers, so they don’t need to be completely tender at this stage.

Step 3: Add the cabbage and garlic

Add the chopped cabbage to the pot. Stir it into the beef and vegetable mixture and let it cook for about 2 minutes.
The cabbage will start to soften and release some moisture.
Add the minced garlic and stir for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Avoid cooking the garlic for too long, as it can burn and develop a bitter taste.

Step 4: Add the tomatoes and beef broth

Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and beef broth.
Add the dried oregano and Better Than Bouillon roasted beef base. Stir everything together until the tomato sauce and seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the broth.
Taste a little of the broth and adjust the salt and black pepper if needed. Remember that the beef base may already contain salt.

Step 5: Add the rice

Rinse the uncooked rice under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well.
Add the rice directly to the soup and stir to distribute it evenly.
Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover partially with a lid and let it simmer for approximately 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The rice should become tender, and the cabbage should soften without completely losing its texture.

Step 6: Finish and serve

Once the rice and cabbage are tender, taste the soup and adjust the seasonings as needed.
If the soup has become thicker than you’d like, add a little extra beef broth or water until you reach your preferred consistency.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in some freshly chopped parsley.
Ladle the cabbage roll soup into bowls and garnish with additional parsley before serving.

Overhead view of cabbage roll soup with ground beef, tender cabbage, rice, carrots, and tomatoes in a white pot

Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid when making this cabbage roll soup

Don’t add too much rice: Half a cup of uncooked rice is a good starting point for this recipe. Rice expands as it cooks and absorbs some of the broth.
Taste before adding more salt: Beef broth and Better Than Bouillon can both be salty. Taste the soup before adding additional seasoning.
Here is how you can avoid burning your garlic: Garlic cooks much faster than onions and carrots. Add it towards the end of sautéing the vegetables and stir for only about 30 seconds before adding the liquids.
The soup will become thicker as it sits, particularly after refrigeration. Don’t worry if it looks slightly thinner while cooking. You can always adjust the consistency with extra broth when reheating.

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Storage Tips

Allow the leftover soup to cool slightly before transferring it to airtight containers.

Refrigerator: Store the soup in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
Freezer: You can freeze the soup for up to 2–3 months. Keep in mind that the rice may become softer after thawing and reheating.

If you’re planning to freeze a batch, I recommend preparing the soup without the rice and cooking fresh rice when you’re ready to serve it. This helps maintain a better texture.

Reheating Tips

On the stovetop: Transfer the leftover soup to a saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of beef broth or water to loosen the soup if the rice has absorbed too much liquid. Heat until steaming hot throughout.

In the microwave: Place a serving in a microwave-safe bowl and cover loosely. Heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each interval, until heated through.

If the soup has thickened considerably overnight, don’t be afraid to add extra broth. This is completely normal when storing soups containing rice.