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Homemade cabbage roll soup simmering in a white Dutch oven with a ladle, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, served with crusty bread.

Cozy One-Pot Cabbage Roll Soup (Easy Unstuffed Recipe!)

All the hearty, savory flavors of traditional stuffed cabbage rolls but with zero rolling! Packed with ground beef, tender cabbage, rice, and a rich tomato-beef broth, this one-pot meal is perfect for cozy weeknights.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 bowls
Course: main dish, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 275
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium sweet onion minced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 medium head green cabbage cored and chopped
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 2 ½ cups tomato juice
  • 2/3 cup long grain white rice uncooked
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chiles undrained
  • 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
  • Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Method
 

  1. Add the ground beef to a large stockpot or Dutch oven and brown over medium heat, breaking the meat up into small pieces as it cooks.
  2. As the meat begins to brown, stir in the minced onion and garlic. Continue cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes, until the onion is tender and the beef is fully cooked through. Drain excess grease if desired.
  3. Add the chopped cabbage, beef broth, tomato juice, uncooked white rice, Worcestershire sauce, undrained diced tomatoes with chiles, and salt to the pot. Stir well to combine.
  4. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 25 minutes (or until the rice and cabbage are perfectly tender).
  5. Taste the broth and adjust with additional salt if needed. Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

 
  • Thicker Soup Base: For a heartier, thicker, and more stew-like consistency, you can easily substitute tomato sauce in place of the tomato juice.
 
  • Rice Tip: Be sure to use standard long-grain white rice. Minute or instant rice will absorb liquid too fast and turn mushy.
 
  • Napa Cabbage Variant: If using Napa cabbage, keep in mind it cooks faster and will yield a softer, wiltier texture than green cabbage.
 
  • Pasta Alternative: Prefer pasta? You can replace the rice with small pasta shapes like ditalini or macaroni. Just add them during the last 10–12 minutes of simmering.