Turn cabbage rolls inside out with this easy cabbage roll soup recipe! Made in one pot and ready in under an hour, this healthy unstuffed cabbage soup is high in protein, rich in fiber, and full of flavor.

Two bowls of cabbage roll soup with sour cream and fresh dill on top on a wood platter with a gold spoon and a striped tea towel.

Cabbage rolls are a staple of Eastern and Northern European cooking. Known as holubtsi in Ukrainian, golubtsi in Russian, and gołąbki in Polish, cabbage rolls are a dish of soft cabbage leaves wrapped around ground meat, vegetables, rice, herbs, and/or spices. While the traditional recipe will vary from one region to the next, and one family to the next, stuffed cabbage rolls are generally eaten warm with a sauce.

This cabbage roll soup is a deconstructed version of stuffed cabbage rolls; you get all of the flavor with half of the effort. So, whether you want a heart-warming weekend lunch, a quick and easy weeknight meal, or a hearty soup for weekday lunches, this recipe is for you.

Large white pot with cabbage roll soup with a wood serving spoon and chopped dill on top.

Why You’ll Love It

Made in One Pot – This soup is made in a single pot to minimize cooking time and clean up.
High in Protein – With almost 30 grams of serving per bowl, this cabbage roll soup is protein-packed.
Keeps Well – Not only does it keep well in the fridge, but you can freeze cabbage roll soup for up to 3 months making it a great meal prep idea.

Ingredients for cabbage roll soup: ground beef, ground pork, onion, garlic, carrots, cabbage, white rice, beef broth, tomatoes, paprika, dill, salt, and pepper.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Ground Meat – To add some protein and fat. The recipe calls for a combination of ground beef and ground pork, but you could use one or the other if preferred. You can also use ground turkey if you’d like to make the soup lower in fat.
Cabbage – To ensure it’s cabbage soup and add some fiber. The recipe calls for green cabbage, but napa cabbage and savoy cabbage will also work.
Onion + Garlic – To add flavor and fragrance. The recipe calls for whole onion and garlic cloves, however, you can use onion powder and garlic powder if needed, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Carrots – To add some more veggies and micronutrients.
Rice – To add some complex carbohydrates. The recipe calls for short-grain rice, but any white rice will work.
Beef Broth – The recipe calls for beef broth, as it adds a depth of flavor, but vegetable broth or water will also work.
Tomatoes – To add some more veggies. The recipe calls for diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes, as they add texture, but you can use tomato sauce if preferred.
Herbs + Spices – A combination of smoked paprika and dill to flavor the soup.
Olive Oil – To brown the meat and add some healthy fats.
Salt and Pepper – To season.

Large pot with cooked ground beef and ground pork.

Large pot with cooked ground meat, sautéed onion, carrots, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Dietary Adaptions

To Make it Gluten-Free: Use certified gluten-free beef broth or water.

To Make it Dairy-Free: No adaptations are needed, this recipe is dairy-free.

Large pot with cooked ground meat, sautéed vegetables, spices, tomatoes, and beef broth.

Large pot with ground meat, vegetables, spices, tomatoes, beef broth, uncooked rice, and chopped cabbage.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

In my opinion, cabbage is a highly underrated vegetable. Not only is it inexpensive, but it’s an incredibly filling food, a great source of fiber, and a natural prebiotic; a form of food for the good bacteria in the gut microbiome.

Serving Suggestions

This cabbage roll soup recipe is a great source of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. It can be consumed as a balanced meal on its own, or paired with a source of complex carbohydrates to make it extra filling. It can also be adapted to suit your personal calorie and macro counting needs, for example:

To make it lower in carbohydrates, swap the white rice for cauliflower rice.
To make it lower in fat, use extra-lean ground beef and swap the ground pork extra ground beef.
To make it higher in fiber, serve it with a side of green salad.

Large pot with unstuffed cabbage roll soup with a serving spoon with fresh dill and sour cream on the side.

Storage + Reheating

To Refrigerate: Allow the soup to cool completely, transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the refrigerator for 4 days.

To Freeze: Once cooled, leftover cabbage roll soup can be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Reheat the soup in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat for 5 minutes or until warm, or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. If using frozen leftovers, allow the soup to thaw completely before reheating.

Close up of cabbage soup recipe with sour cream and dill on a wood serving platter.

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