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Easy One Pot Cabbage Roll Soup (Lazy Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls)

Easy one pot cabbage roll soup delivers classic stuffed cabbage roll flavors without rolling—ground beef, tender cabbage, and long-grain rice simmer in a sweet-tangy tomato broth. This lazy unstuffed cabbage rolls soup is cooked on the stovetop in one Dutch oven for an easy weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the soup
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small head green cabbage cored and chopped (about 8 cups)
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes 1 (28 oz) can
  • 15 oz tomato sauce 1 (15 oz) can
  • 5 cup low-sodium beef broth 5 cups
  • 0.75 cup uncooked long-grain white rice ¾ cup
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1.5 tsp salt 1½ tsp
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper ½ tsp
For the finish
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 sour cream for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef base
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef for 6–7 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains, then drain any excess fat.
Cook the vegetables
  1. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes, until softened, then stir in the garlic for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Wilt the cabbage
  1. Add the cabbage to the pot and stir for 3–4 minutes. Cook until it just starts to wilt, keeping the cabbage tender but not fully collapsed.
Simmer the soup
  1. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, rice, Worcestershire sauce, sweet paprika, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Cook until tender
  1. Lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The rice and cabbage should be tender when you skim a spoonful and taste.
Balance and finish
  1. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the brown sugar and apple cider vinegar to balance the sweet-tangy flavor. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a splash of broth if the soup is too thick.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with sour cream and chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot so the flavors taste fully combined.

Notes

Pro tip: if your soup thickens too much while simmering, loosen it with a splash of broth—rice keeps absorbing liquid. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop. Freeze up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. For a lighter option, swap lean ground beef for 93% lean or use ground turkey.