This one pot Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup recipe is hearty, filling and made in just one pot, for easy clean up. Our easy Cabbage soup is loaded with cabbage, ground beef, rice, tomatoes and spices for a comforting dinner.
This traditional Hungarian Cabbage Roll Soup is highly adaptable to suite many different dietary restrictions and preferences.
Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients required to make unstuffed cabbage soup. See the recipe card below to see the full list of ingredients.
- Ground Beef – I recommend 85% lean or higher
- Vegetables – onion, garlic, green cabbage, carrots
- Rice – long grain rice works best
- Tomato Sauce – I recommend using a “no salt” version to control sodium
- Beef Broth – make sure to use low sodium broth
How To Make Unstuffed Cabbage Soup
Here’s a quick overview to making unstuffed cabbage roll soup:
Brown the Meat – brown the ground beef.
Cook the Vegetables – cook the onions, and garlic.
Make the Soup – add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Serve – remove the bay leaf and enjoy.
Recipe Variations
Low Carb Cabbage Soup
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To make this low carb, replace the rice with cauliflower rice (or omit all together) and omit the sugar. Tomatoes are high in carbs, so I’d cut back to one can of tomato sauce and add one can of tomato paste. Add extra beef broth to get the consistency you prefer.
Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sausage
Just substitute sausage for the ground beef. No other edits are needed. Another great cabbage and sausage recipe is this Sautéed Cabbage and Sausage Skillet.
Soup with Sauerkraut
Replace equal parts of cabbage with sauerkraut. No other edits are needed.
Recipe Tips
- How to Freeze Unstuffed Cabbage Soup- the soup will expand when freezing, so leave space in your container or Ziploc for it to expand.
- How to Re-heat Unstuffed Cabbage Soup- Unthaw overnight in the refrigerator or dump it directly into a large soup pan over low.
More Soup Recipes
Here are a few more popular soup recipes:
Jambalaya Soup
Irish Potato Soup
Olive Garden Soup – Loaded Zuppa Toscana
Asparagus Soup
Easy 10 Minute Egg Drop Soup
Carrot Ginger Soup
One Pot UnStuffed Cabbage Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 lb. Ground Beef, I Prefer 85% Lean or Higher (*Note 1)
- 1 Small Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 4 Cups Chopped Green Cabbage
- 2 Carrots, Peeled, Quartered, Sliced
- 4 Cups Low Sodium Beef Broth
- 3 8 oz Cans Tomato Sauce
- ½ Cup Uncooked Long Grain Rice
- 1 Whole Bay Leaf
- 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar (*Note 2)
- ½ tsp Oregano Leaves
- Sea Salt, To Taste
- Black Pepper, To Taste
OPTIONAL
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Parsley
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large dutch oven and heat over medium high. Once the oil is hot, add the ground beef and break up with a wooden spoon as it browns. Cook approx. 5-6 minutes (Note 1).
- Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Push the meat mix to the side of the pan and add the garlic directly to the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the cabbage, carrots, beef broth, tomato sauce, rice, bay leaf, brown sugar and oregano to the pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil before reducing heat to medium low to keep it at a steady simmer. Let simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve immediately. Sprinkle with parsley before serving if desired.