Quick & Easy Cabbage Roll Soup

ByCaitlin Updated
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This quick and easy cabbage roll soup is the kind of hearty, no-fuss meal that fills the kitchen with cozy farmhouse smells and makes winter evenings feel a little slower.

It has all the familiar flavours of classic cabbage rolls but comes together in one pot, perfect for busy days on the farm or at home. I love serving it with a slice of warm sourdough bread or pairing it with other comforting soups like my lasagna soup and dutch oven beef barley soup for a simple, from-scratch meal that feels nourishing and grounded.

A bowl of soup filled with ground meat, rice, tomatoes, and vegetables, topped with shredded cheese, sits on a marble surface with a spoon in it. A larger serving bowl of the same soup is in the background.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • All the flavour of cabbage rolls without the work: No rolling, stuffing, or baking, just a cozy pot simmering away on the stove.
  • Hearty and filling: The mix of beef, sausage, cabbage, and rice makes this a full meal in one bowl, perfect for busy weeknights or slow weekends at home.
  • Budget-friendly ingredients: Cabbage, rice, and pantry staples like chopped onions, stretch the meat and make this a generous, affordable soup that feeds a crowd.
  • Great for meal prep: This soup reheats beautifully and thickens as it sits, making leftovers even better the next day.
  • Comfort in a bowl: Rich broth, tender cabbage, and warm tomato flavour come together in a way that feels nostalgic and homey, like something your grandmother would make on a cold day.
  • Easy to customize: Add extra veggies, adjust the broth, or swap the rice for something else, this recipe works with what you already have in your kitchen.
Top-down view of labeled ingredients on a marble surface, including cabbage, ground beef, ground sausage, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, rice, onions, garlic, olive oil, bay leaves, and salt & pepper.

Ingredients

  • Lean ground beef: Adds classic cabbage-roll flavour and hearty richness.
  • Ground sausage: Brings extra seasoning and depth to the soup.
  • Olive oil: Helps brown the meat and soften the vegetables.
  • Yellow onion: Diced, builds a sweet, savoury base for the soup.
  • Garlic: adds warmth and aroma.
  • Salt & pepper: To taste.
  • Green cabbage: Chopped, the star ingredient that gives the soup its signature “cabbage roll” feel.
  • Chicken broth: Creates a rich, cozy broth for the rice and cabbage to absorb.
  • Diced tomatoes: Adds acidity and texture.
  • Tomato sauce: Helps thicken the broth and gives that classic cabbage roll flavour.
  • White rice, rinsed: Makes the soup hearty and filling; rinsing helps prevent gumminess.
  • Bay leaves: Adds a subtle earthy note during simmering.
  • Grated Parmesan: Adds a salty, creamy finish to each bowl.

Variations & Add-Ins

  • Make it lighter: Swap the sausage for extra lean ground beef or ground turkey.
  • Use brown rice: It adds a nuttier flavour, just increase the simmering time or par-cook the rice first.
  • Try cauliflower rice: Stir in frozen cauliflower rice during the last 10 minutes for a lower-carb option.
  • Add more veggies: Carrots, celery, bell peppers, or even zucchini blend beautifully into this soup.
  • Make it smoky: Add a pinch of smoked paprika or stir in chopped cooked bacon for a deeper flavour.
  • Tomato-forward: Use crushed tomatoes instead of diced for a richer, smoother broth.
  • Spice it up: Add red pepper flakes or use hot Italian sausage for a little kick.
  • Make it creamier: Stir in a splash of heavy cream or a dollop of sour cream at the end for a silky finish.
A white bowl filled with stuffed cabbage soup containing ground meat, rice, chopped cabbage, and tomatoes, placed on a light-colored cloth on a marble surface.

Recipe Tips

Chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces: Smaller pieces cook faster and make the soup easier to eat.

Rinse the rice well: This removes extra starch so the soup doesn’t become too thick or gummy.

Use a mix of beef and sausage: The sausage brings built-in seasoning that deepens the flavour without extra work.

Add more broth as needed: The rice absorbs liquid as it cooks (and even more as it cools), so keep extra broth on hand if you prefer a thinner soup.

Let it simmer low and slow: The longer the soup cooks, the softer the cabbage becomes and the more the flavours meld together.

Taste near the end: Salt levels change as the soup simmers. Add extra salt and pepper before serving to brighten everything up.

Remove the bay leaves: They’re great for flavour but not fun to bite into.

Finish with Parmesan: It adds a salty, creamy finish that ties all the flavours together.

Four images show steps of cooking in a red pot: 1) Browning ground beef. 2) Sautéing onions and garlic. 3) Adding chopped cabbage. 4) Adding canned diced tomatoes to the mixture.

Instructions

  1. Brown the meat: Warm a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then the ground beef and sausage. Cook until browned, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Drain excess grease if needed.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: Stir in the diced onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper. Let it cook another minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the cabbage: Fold in the chopped green cabbage. Let it cook down slightly, about 5 minutes, stirring now and then.
  4. Simmer the soup: Pour in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Add the bay leaves. Bring the pot to a gentle boil.
  5. Cook the rice: Stir in the rinsed long-grain rice. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for 20–25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the cabbage is soft. Add more broth if you prefer a thinner soup.
  6. Season and serve: Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Freezing & Storage

  • Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The rice will continue to absorb the broth, so don’t be afraid to add a splash of extra chicken broth when reheating to bring it back to a soupier consistency.
  • Freezer: This soup freezes well, but keep in mind that rice softens a bit once thawed. To freeze, let the soup cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Freezing Tip: If you want the best texture, cook and freeze the soup without the rice. Add cooked rice when reheating or simmer raw rice directly in the thawed soup. This keeps the grains from becoming too soft or mushy.
  • Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat or microwave in short intervals, adding broth as needed to loosen the soup.
A bowl of hearty soup with ground meat, rice, tomatoes, and vegetables, topped with grated cheese. A spoon rests in the bowl, and a larger bowl of soup is in the background, with a green-and-white towel nearby.

FAQ

Yes. Brown rice works well but takes longer to cook. Add an extra 15–20 minutes of simmer time, or par-cook the rice before adding it to the soup.

Absolutely. The flavours deepen as it sits, making it even better the next day. You may need to add a little broth when reheating since the rice continues to absorb liquid.

Yes. Brown the meat and sauté the onion and garlic first. Add everything except the rice to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours. Stir in the rice for the last 20–30 minutes.

Just add more chicken broth until it reaches the consistency you like.

Yes, but the rice will soften more once thawed. For the best texture, freeze the soup without the rice and add it later.

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A white bowl filled with a hearty soup containing ground beef, rice, chopped tomatoes, and cabbage, placed on a white and green striped kitchen towel on a marble surface.
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Quick and Easy Cabbage Roll Soup

A cozy, one-pot cabbage roll soup with all the classic flavours of traditional cabbage rolls—made quick and easy for busy days. Hearty, comforting, and perfect for serving with warm sourdough bread.
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Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:35 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Polish
Keyword: cabbage roll soup, easy cabbage soup, quick cabbage roll soup, winter soup
Servings: 8 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 pound ground sausage
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
  • 1 head green cabbage chopped
  • 8 cups chicken broth plus more as needed
  • 15 ounces diced tomatoes with juices
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice rinsed
  • 3 bay leaves
  • grated parmesan

Instructions

  1. Brown the meat: Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and sausage, cooking until browned and crumbled. Drain excess grease if needed.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: Stir in the diced onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper, cooking for about one minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the cabbage: Fold in the chopped cabbage and let it cook down for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Simmer the soup: Pour in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bay leaves. Bring the pot to a gentle boil.
  5. Cook the rice: Add the rinsed long-grain rice and reduce the heat to low. Let the soup simmer for 20–25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the cabbage is soft. Add more broth if you prefer a thinner soup.
  6. Finish and serve: Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with grated Parmesan.

Notes

  • Add more broth when reheating, rice absorbs liquid as it sits.
  • Brown rice works but requires a longer simmer or par-cooking.
  • Freeze without the rice for the best texture (add rice when reheating).
  • Great with sourdough bread or a simple side salad.

Brand strategist and professional photographer who went back to her roots and now helps families master the skills of food preservation, gardening, homemaking, from scratch recipes and simple home decor.

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