Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup
All the cozy, classic flavors of cabbage rolls—without all the rolling! This Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup is hearty, comforting, and incredibly easy to make. Ground beef, tender cabbage, carrots, onions, rice, and tomatoes simmer together in a rich, savory broth for a dinner that tastes like it took all day to make.
And thanks to the slow cooker, it practically does.
If you love traditional cabbage rolls but don’t love the time and effort that goes into assembling them, this soup is the answer. It’s a simple, one-pot meal that’s perfect for chilly nights, busy weeknights, and feeding a hungry family.
Why You’ll Love This Cabbage Roll Soup
- All the flavor, none of the fuss. Traditional cabbage rolls can take a little work, but this soup gives you all those familiar flavors without stuffing and rolling a single cabbage leaf.
- Slow cooker friendly. Brown the beef, add everything to the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.
- Hearty and filling. Ground beef and rice make this a satisfying meal, while cabbage and carrots add plenty of vegetables.
- Great for leftovers. Like many soups, the flavors get even better after a night in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
- 1 red onion, diced
- ½ medium green cabbage, chopped
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cans tomato sauce
- 1 can stewed tomatoes
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
How to Make Cabbage Roll Soup in the Slow Cooker
1. Brown the ground beef
Start by browning the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Break it apart as it cooks, then drain any excess grease.
You can technically add raw ground beef directly to the slow cooker, but browning it first gives the soup better flavor and texture.
2. Add everything to the slow cooker
Add the browned ground beef, diced red onion, chopped cabbage, shredded carrots, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, rice, bay leaves, and brown sugar to the slow cooker.
Give everything a good stir to combine.
3. Let the slow cooker do the work
Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours, or until the cabbage and rice are tender.
Remove the bay leaves before serving.
4. Serve
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with crusty bread for dipping. It’s hearty enough to be a complete meal all on its own!
Tips for the Best Cabbage Roll Soup
Don’t skip browning the beef. It adds an extra layer of savory flavor and keeps excess grease out of your soup.
Chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. The cabbage will shrink as it cooks, so don’t worry if it looks like a lot when you first add it.
Watch the rice. Rice continues to absorb liquid as it cooks and as the soup sits. If the soup becomes thicker than you’d like, simply stir in a little additional beef broth before serving.
Taste before serving. Depending on the brands of broth and tomato products you use, you may want to adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper.
What to Serve with Cabbage Roll Soup
This soup is hearty enough to serve on its own, but a few simple sides make it even better:
- Crusty French bread
- Garlic bread
- Dinner rolls
- A simple green salad
- Roasted vegetables
Can I Make Cabbage Roll Soup Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! This is a great make-ahead meal. Prepare the soup, allow it to cool, and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Keep in mind that the rice will continue absorbing liquid as the soup sits, so you may need to add a little beef broth when reheating.
Can I Freeze Cabbage Roll Soup?
Yes, but the texture of the rice may change slightly after freezing and thawing. For the best texture, you can also make the soup without the rice and cook fresh rice separately when you’re ready to serve it.
If freezing the finished soup, let it cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Leave a little room at the top for expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef? Yes! Ground turkey works well if you’d prefer a lighter version. You can also use ground pork or a combination of ground beef and pork.
Can I use brown rice? You can, but brown rice generally requires a longer cooking time and more liquid. For this recipe, long-grain white rice is the easiest option.
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned? You can, although canned tomatoes provide the concentrated tomato flavor and convenient liquid that make this soup so easy. If substituting fresh tomatoes, you may need to adjust the liquid and seasoning.
How do I thicken cabbage roll soup? The rice naturally thickens the soup as it cooks. If you’d like it thicker, simply let it sit for a few minutes before serving. If it becomes too thick, add additional beef broth.
How long does cabbage roll soup last in the refrigerator? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of beef broth if needed.
If cabbage rolls are one of those recipes you love but rarely make because they’re just too much work, Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup is the shortcut you need.
You get the tender cabbage, savory beef, tomato-rich broth, rice, carrots, and that classic cabbage-roll flavor—all in one cozy bowl and with a fraction of the effort.
It’s the kind of dinner that makes you feel like you really have it together, even when the slow cooker did most of the work. And honestly? That’s exactly the kind of dinner we need more of.
Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef browned and drained
- 1 red onion diced
- ½ medium green cabbage chopped
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cans tomato sauce
- 1 can stewed tomatoes
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease.
- Add the beef, onion, cabbage, carrots, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, rice, bay leaves, and brown sugar to a slow cooker.
- Stir well to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours, or until the cabbage and rice are tender.
- Remove the bay leaves, stir, and serve hot.
- Add additional beef broth if the soup is thicker than desired.
Notes
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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