Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

Enjoy the beloved taste of a classic dish without so much work, with this Cabbage Roll Soup recipe. No rolling, no stuffing, just pure comfort food that comes together in one pot. And check out the controversial ingredient!

This Stuffed Cabbage Soup Recipe Has All Of The Flavor, None Of The Hassle

My husband grew up eating stuffed cabbage rolls, thanks to his Polish ancestry. I’ve made that dish a few times over the years. I’ve loved the flavors, but haven’t loved the time-consuming process of assembling the rolls.

Between making the filling, boiling the cabbage leaves, then wrapping, THEN baking . . . it’s a lot. In the end, each time, I felt that the effort put into the process simply wasn’t quite worth it.

So my solution has been this Cabbage Roll Soup recipe. It has those same rich, comforting flavors of traditional cabbage rolls, but it’s all made on your stovetop, in easy-to-make soup form, in under an hour.

And full disclosure: it has been a labor of pure LOVE developing this soup. I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve made it in the past few months, but I’m finally satisfied with the balance of flavors and textures, and the consistency. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe Ingredients

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.

• ground beef – the hearty, savory protein.
• cabbage – the star ingredient, bringing texture, fiber and that classic cabbage roll flavor.
• long grain rice – thickens the soup.
• carrot, onion, garlic – the aromatic vegetables that infuse the broth with lots of depth of flavor.
• chicken broth – yes, chicken stock and not beef broth. This article and many like it do a good job of explaining why I am moving away from store-bought beef stock and beef broth in my cooking.
• tomato paste – adds concentrated tomato flavor to enhance the broth.
• tomato sauce – enhances the tomato-forward flavor of this stuffed cabbage soup recipe.
• salt, pepper, dried thyme, paprika, bay leaf – the herbs and spices that season and flavor the soup.
• Worcestershire sauce – contributes umami to this golumpki soup.
• brown sugar – to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
• lemon juice – brightens the flavors of all of the rest of the ingredients. Apple cider vinegar also works in a pinch.
• raisins – totally optional, but read below before you decide!
• fresh parsley – an optional garnish.

Wait A Minute – Raisins? Are You Serious?

I’m totally serious, and hear me out! Traditional stuffed cabbage rolls often contain a hint of sweetness, sometimes from sugar or even honey. Or, get this: raisins!

While my husband’s Polish family’s recipe for golumpki certainly would never include raisins, I’ve also tried and loved Ina Garten’s stuffed cabbage recipe. Hers (I believe) takes cues from Jewish versions of the dish, which often include raisins.

In this soup version, the raisins plump in the broth and add a sweetness that complements the acidity of the tomatoes and meatiness of the beef. Everything comes together in a perfect bite that balances all of the flavors.

If you have a Polish grandmother who would roll over in her grave if she knew you were adding raisins to this stuffed cabbage roll soup, feel free to skip them. I’ve tested this recipe multiple times both ways, and it’s delicious with raisins or without.

But otherwise, give raisins a chance – I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

How To Make Golumpki Soup

1. BROWN. Cook the ground beef, carrot and onion in a large pot until the meat is cooked through.

2. SPICES. Reduce the heat, then add the garlic, tomato paste, salt, pepper, thyme and paprika and cook briefly.

3. ADD. Stir in 3 cups of the broth, along with the tomato sauce, cabbage, raisins, rice, bay leaf, Worcestershire and brown sugar.

4. COOK. Heat to simmering, then cover and cook on low 25 minutes or until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.

5. FINISH. Remove and discard the bay leaf, and stir in the lemon juice. Adjust the texture of the soup with the remaining broth, if desired, and serve the soup garnished with the parsley, if you’re using it.

Stuffed Cabbage Roll Soup Variations

• SPICY – Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce.
• DIFFERENT GRAINS – White rice is the classic choice here, but you can also experiment with grains like barley, quinoa or farro. If using a different grain, it’s best to stir in the separately-cooked grain at the end, rather than try to cook it in this soup like the rice (other grains may take way too long to cook in the soup).
• EXTRA VEGGIES – Feel free to add more vegetables, like bell peppers, cauliflower or mushrooms for more nutrition.

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup Storage

If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days. 

Reheat golumpki soup on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding broth or water to thin the soup out if necessary.

You can also freeze this unstuffed cabbage soup. Transfer soup to a freezer-safe container and place it in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until it is fully chilled, then cover it with the lid, transfer it to the freezer and keep in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.