This Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef is the kind of cozy, nourishing meal that checks all the boxes—it’s hearty, flavorful, budget-friendly, and incredibly easy to make in one pot.
I also call this soup cabbage roll soup, it has all the delicious flavors of classic cabbage rolls in a quicker, easier soup version just like this egg roll in a bowl recipe! Loaded with tender cabbage, hearty beef, rice, and savory seasoning, these rich flavors are simmered together in a tomato-based broth for a nostalgic, Eastern European inspired meal any night of the week!
You can keep it traditional with white rice or make it low carb by swapping it for cauliflower rice. It’s a simple tweak without skimping on flavor and whether you’re feeding a busy family or stocking the freezer, you’ll love this one pot cabbage soup!
If you’re looking for more soups inspired by Eastern Europe, you should try my easy Borscht, a beet soup recipe too!
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Why I Love This Recipe
- A one pot soup recipe. Everything comes together in a single pot for simplicity and easy cleaning.
- Tastes just like cabbage rolls. All the flavors without having to roll and bake!
- Simple ingredients. We usually have most of what we need already.
- Freezer-friendly. I can double the batch and freeze half for later.
Ingredients for Easy Cabbage Soup with Beef
- Ground beef: I usually like to use lean ground beef. You can also use extra lean or medium, it’s up to you. Just remember to drain any excess grease.
- Cabbage and carrots: Wash and chop a medium head of cabbage (you should have about 6 cups total), and peel and dice the carrots.
- Uncooked white rice (Or cauliflower rice): The rice will cook in the broth, so no need to cook it separately. Rinse it well.
- Chicken broth and water: The base of the soup! You can use your favorite broth, or a delicious homemade instant pot chicken broth like I do.
- Tomato paste, and canned diced tomatoes: This is what gives the broth its tomato flavor and color.
- Medium onion, garlic cloves: Aromatics to build loads of flavor!
- Seasoning: Paprika, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Lemon juice: To brighten up the soup at the end.
- Fresh parsley: for garnish.
Love cabbage? Try some of our favorite cabbage recipes like braised cabbage piroshki and easy cabbage salad.
How to Make Cabbage Soup
Step 1: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the ground beef, diced onion and minced garlic until the beef is no longer pink. Break it apart as it cooks and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2: Sprinkle in the paprika and oregano and stir into the meat mixture for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Then, stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until the flavors bloom and deepen.
Step 3: Add the chopped cabbage, diced carrots, chicken broth, water, and diced tomatoes.
Step 4: Stir in the white rice and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice and veggies are tender. If using cauliflower rice, add it in during the last 5 minutes of cook time.
Step 5: Once your one pot cabbage soup is done, stir in the lemon juice, season to taste, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Ladle it into bowls and serve with a side of fresh sourdough bread, sourdough focaccia, or for low carb, cottage cheese flatbread. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Chop veggies evenly. Cut the cabbage and carrots into bite-size pieces so they cook and soften at the same rate.
- Don’t skip browning the beef. It adds so much extra flavor even before adding the liquid.
- A lighter version. Try it with ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
- If you prefer a softer cabbage, you can simmer the soup for a few extra minutes.
- Low carb cabbage soup. Omit the white rice and add cauliflower rice in the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
- Season to taste. Taste test along the way and add any extra salt or pepper as needed. Sometimes I like to add Montreal Steak Spice about 1 tablespoons, for extra flavor.
- No lemon juice? You can add a splash of vinegar instead.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! It tastes just as good, if not better, the next day. It allows the flavors to marry even more.
Remove the outer leaves, as they’re usually damaged or wilted. Rinse the cabbage and then use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the head of cabbage in half, then into quarters. Cut the stem out of each one, and then slice each wedge into 1-2 inch pieces.
I recommend green cabbage for the heartiest, most classic choice. It will become tender and wilt nicely, but won’t end up too soft like savoy cabbage would. Napa cabbage is a good second choice in a pinch.
Once cooled, transfer the soup to an airtight container and keep stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it on the stove over a medium-low simmer or use the microwave for a single portion.
Yes! If you plan to freeze it, I suggest doing so without the rice or cauliflower rice, the same way I would leave the pasta out of ditalini minestrone soup if freezing it.
Then, add it fresh once you reheat it. However, it can still be frozen with the rice, if need be. It’ll keep frozen for up to 2 months.
More Cozy Soup Recipes
- Easy Italian Sausage Soup
- Zuppa Toscana Soup
- Creamy Carrot Soup
- Sausage and Potato Soup
- Italian Sausage Lentil Soup in One Pot
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
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📖 Recipe
Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef (Cabbage Roll Soup)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- ½ medium cabbage chopped into bite size rectangles, about 6 cups
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 6 cups chicken broth plus 2 cups of water if desired more liquid in the soup (I like using homemade chicken broth)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- ½ cup rice uncooked basmati or jasmine rice OR 2–3 cups cauliflower rice (low-carb option)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste
- ¼ cup parsley washed and finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the beef: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, onion, and garlic. Cook, breaking up the meat, until beef is browned and onions are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add spices: Stir in paprika and oregano, cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, to deepen flavor.
- Simmer: Add cabbage, carrots, broth, water, and diced tomatoes.
- If using white rice: Stir it in now and simmer 25–30 minutes, until rice and vegetables are tender. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer on low heat. If using cauliflower rice: Simmer soup 20–25 minutes without it, until vegetables are tender. Stir cauliflower rice in during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Finish: Add lemon juice, taste, and adjust salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Make it low-carb: Use cauliflower rice instead of white rice and add it during the last 5 minutes so it doesn’t overcook.
- Flavor boost: I also like to add Montreal Steak Spice, about 1 tablespoons for extra flavor. This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- Rice tip: If using white rice, stir occasionally while simmering to prevent sticking.
- Broth swap: Beef broth can be used instead of chicken broth for a richer flavor.
- Serving idea: Delicious with crusty sourdough bread or sourdough focaccia bread a dollop of sour cream on top.
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