Cabbage Roll Soup

The one drawback to a comforting meal of cabbage rolls—cabbage leaves stuffed with beef and rice and braised in tomato—is the work it takes to roll each leaf with filling so it doesn’t fall apart. This slow-cooker cabbage roll soup reinvents all the flavors of the original into a hearty soup. We use the slow cooker’s even heat to make it, which cooks the cabbage down into ribbon-like softness while also making the recipe almost entirely hands-off. The most involved step is browning beef and sausage in a skillet before adding them to the cabbage, to ensure they contribute rich flavor to the finished dish.

This is a great recipe to have in your back pocket for using up a large head of cabbage. It makes a warming meal, especially if you need something hearty to serve after family and friends have spent a day working or playing in rain or snow.

Ingredients for Cabbage Roll Soup

• Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce: Two kinds of canned tomatoes add tangy flavor to cabbage roll slow-cooker soup. Tomato sauce adds body, while the diced tomatoes hold their shape so you can spoon them up in bites of the finished soup.
• Beef broth: A can of beef broth is the main liquid in this soup. While beef broth echoes the flavor of the beef in the soup itself, you can easily substitute chicken broth, or water with a bouillon cube. Feel free to add a second can if you want soup with a thinner, more brothy texture.
• Cider vinegar: A splash of apple cider vinegar boosts the tanginess of the broth. You can use red or white wine vinegar too.
• Worcestershire sauce: The complex spiced flavor of Worcestershire sauce adds depth and complexity to the broth.
• Garlic powder: A little garlic powder adds a toasty, savory note to the broth to complement the sweet and pungent flavor of the sauteed garlic cooked in with the meat.
• Cajun seasoning: The Cajun seasoning adds subtle flavor, but there’s not enough to make this a real Cajun dish. Think of it here as an all-purpose seasoning blend, which you can also use in its place.
• Cabbage: Chopped green cabbage leaves soften into silky ribbons in the broth of this soup. This recipe is a great way to use up a good volume of cabbage, requiring about a medium head’s worth, or half a large head.
• Ground beef and bulk Italian sausage: Two meats, browned in a skillet ahead of time, add lots of flavor and richness to the soup.
• Onion and garlic: Browning aromatic garlic and onion along with the beef and sausage before adding them to the slow cooker helps to develop their flavor.
• Cooked rice and chopped fresh parsley (optional): Though you won’t add rice or parsley to the slow cooker directly, they feel like fitting additions for serving with the finished soup. The rice in particular rounds out the flavor and texture profile to make the soup more substantial and echo the ingredients of a classic cabbage roll recipe. The parsley adds some fresh flavor and looks nice sprinkled on top.

Directions 

Step 1: Combine the liquids and seasonings

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Mix the diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato sauce, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper, then set the bowl aside.

Step 2: Add the cabbage to the slow cooker

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Place the cabbage in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker.

Step 3: Brown the meat

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In a large skillet, cook the beef and sausage with the onion and garlic over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink, seven to nine minutes. Crumble the meat, then drain it.

Editor’s Tip: Using a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage gives this recipe a flavor boost. It’s a great way to perk up most ground beef meals.

Step 4: Combine the ingredients and slow-cook

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Kristina Vänni for Taste Recipes

Cabbage Roll Soup Variations

• Make meatballs: Instead of serving this cabbage roll soup over cooked rice, use the beef, sausage and rice to make porcupine meatballs, then add the cooked meatballs to the finished soup.
• Try a vegetarian version: Replace the beef and sausage with either a plant-based ground meat or a combination of cooked bulgar wheat, the inspiration behind our vegetarian cabbage rolls, and sauteed mushrooms.
• Add some heat: Add a little cayenne pepper, hot paprika or bottled hot sauce to the slow cooker to amp up the homey flavor of this recipe with a little spice.

How to Store Cabbage Roll Soup

Once cool, store leftover cabbage roll soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Can you freeze Crock Pot cabbage rolls soup?

Freeze the fully cooled soup in freezer containers. To use it again, partially thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then heat it through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally.

Cabbage Roll Soup Tips

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Can you make cabbage roll soup in an Instant Pot?

Yes, you can use an Instant Pot to make this cabbage roll soup recipe. Make it as directed, using the slow-cook function. Alternatively, brown the beef and sausage in the pot first using the saute function, drain them, then add the cabbage and remaining ingredients on top and switch it to the slow-cooker function.

What kind of cabbage should you use?

How do you prevent cabbage from getting mushy?