Here’s a cozy, hearty Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup — all the flavor of classic cabbage rolls without the rolling.
🥬 Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup
Ingredients (Serves 6)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chopped green cabbage
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- Salt & pepper to taste
🍲 Instructions
1️⃣ Brown the beef
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat.
2️⃣ Add aromatics
Stir in onion and garlic. Cook 2–3 minutes until softened.
3️⃣ Build the soup
Add cabbage, rice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, Worcestershire, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper.
4️⃣ Simmer
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until rice is tender and cabbage is soft.
5️⃣ Taste & adjust
Add more salt, pepper, or a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes taste too acidic.
💡 Tips & Variations
- Low-carb version: Skip rice or replace with cauliflower rice (add near the end).
- Make it richer: Add a splash of cream or a dollop of sour cream when serving.
- Slow cooker option: Brown beef first, then cook on Low 6–7 hours (add rice during last 1–1.5 hours).
- Freezer-friendly: Cools and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
This is one of those soups that tastes even better the next day.
If you’d like, I can also give you a Polish-style sweeter tomato version or a spicy twist with red pepper flakes.
