Best One-Pot Cabbage Roll Soup (Rich & Hearty)

I love cabbage rolls. I do not always love standing at the counter rolling cabbage leaves one by one like I’ve accidentally volunteered for a very specific craft project. That’s where this Cabbage Roll Soup comes in.

Just like my Instant Pot Lazy Cabbage Rolls, this soup has all the good bits: tender cabbage, savoury ground beef, soft rice, carrots and a rich tomato broth, but not all the work to get those flavors.

Everything cooks together in one pot, nobody has to wrestle a cabbage leaf, and dinner is ready with relative ease. This is a thick, hearty soup rather than a thin, dainty broth and it lands somewhere between a cozy soup and a wonderfully sloppy bowl of unstuffed cabbage rolls, which is exactly where I want it!

🌟 Ingredient Notes

✅ Ground Beef – Lean ground beef (80–90%) gives you that rich, Ukrainian-style comfort food vibe without floating a grease slick on top of your pot.
✅ Green Cabbage – Chop fresh, firm green cabbage into bite-sized pieces so it cooks down silky soft. Do you like sour cabbage rolls instead? Swap in chopped sour cabbage leaves or drained sauerkraut!
✅ Tomato Sauce & Broth – Beef broth mixed with canned tomato sauce gives you the perfect balance of savory depth and bright acidity. I like to use homemade beef broth, but chicken broth is totally fine to use if that’s what you have on hand.
✅ Uncooked White Rice – Classic long-grain white rice cooks right in the pot, soaking up all that tomato-beef liquid.
✅ Onion & Carrot – Finely diced to build a sweet, aromatic base before everything else goes into the pot.
✅ Warm Spices – Paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, and salt.

How to Make Cabbage Roll Soup

1. Brown the ground beef and finely chopped onion together in a large soup pot over medium heat, breaking up the beef into small crumbles as it cooks.
2. Stir in salt, paprika, ground cumin, and garlic powder, then dump in diced cabbage, uncooked white rice, and diced carrots.
3. Pour in tomato sauce and beef broth. Bring everything to a rolling boil, turn down the heat, cover, and simmer low for 25–30 minutes until the rice and cabbage are tender.
4. Stir in a fresh squeeze of lemon juice to pop the flavors, ladle into big bowls, top with sour cream and fresh dill or parsley, and dive in!

🌾 Rice Swaps, Protein Flips & Ukrainian Feast Pairing

• Classic long-grain white rice is effortless, but brown rice works great too (just simmer a bit longer and add extra broth!). If you are keeping things low-carb, swap the rice for riced cauliflower during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
• Ground beef is classic, but ground pork, turkey, chicken, or even a 50/50 beef and pork blend bring fantastic flavor.
• Turn this soup into a legendary comfort food dinner by serving big steaming bowls alongside my creamy, cheesy crockpot pierogies. That pair is pure magic!

❓ Troubleshooting

Chill & Freeze Storage Notes

• In the Fridge: Keep leftover cabbage roll soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Like a lot of things, sometimes sitting overnight helps the flavors mingle together and get even more flavorful. If at anytime, the texture gets slimy or it’s funky smelling before the 4 days, pitch it.
• Can I Freeze It? Absolutely! Freeze the cooked soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. I LOVE using my soupercubes. They freeze nicely and then because they are silicone, they’re a breeze to pop out of the forms and then I’ll put the blocks of soup in a freezer safe bag.
• Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if the rice soaked up liquid.

No boiling whole cabbage heads, no sticky fingers and just pure, hearty Ukrainian comfort in a bowl! Give this one-pot version a try tonight and drop a comment below letting me know if you topped yours with sour cream or extra dill!

~Joanne

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