Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Soup
Let’s Talk About Cabbage Roll Soup (and Why I Even Bother)
If you ever walked into my kitchen on a random Wednesday night, there’s a decent chance you’d catch me wrangling an unruly cabbage, muttering about how I really should’ve made this soup yesterday. Honestly, slow cooker cabbage roll soup is one of those recipes I go back to whenever I want maximum comfort with minimum fiddling. My first attempt? Disaster (the rice turned to mush and the cabbage was, well, lazy), but once I figured it out, it was like a little hug in a bowl. Your kids might grumble about “soup again?”— but mine basically arm wrestle for seconds. Oh, and fair warning: it really does get better the next day. If it lasts. It usually doesn’t.
Why You’ll Actually Crave This Soup
I make this when I’m too busy (or just too tuckered out) to assemble proper cabbage rolls—which, honestly, is most of the time. My family goes crazy for this; maybe it’s all the tomato goodness or just the sneaky “veggies you can’t pick out” thing. Plus, there’s basically no chopping wars except for the cabbage—and if you’ve ever tried making actual cabbage rolls after a long day, you know what a relief that is. There was that one time I got a little, let’s say, creative with the seasonings and everyone still wound up happy. Well, except the cat. He’s not much for cabbage, though.
What You’ll Need (Substitutions Totally Allowed)
- 1 pound (about 450g) ground beef (I sometimes swap this for turkey when feeling “virtuous” — it’s fine, I promise)
- 1 medium onion, chopped — red, white, yellow… whatever’s lurking in the pantry
- 3-ish garlic cloves, minced (I use more if they’re weedy little ones)
- 1/2 head green cabbage, chopped up (about 5 cups—give or take, you know how cabbage behaves)
- 1 can (15 oz or 400g) diced tomatoes, undrained (My grandmother swore by home-canned, but store-bought works and, actually, is easier)
- 1 can (8 oz or 225g) tomato sauce
- 4 cups beef broth (or vegetable broth if you must—sometimes I use those little bouillon cubes and just ignore the sodium police)
- 2/3 cup uncooked white rice (brown takes longer, but hey, you do you)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or a sprinkle of mixed Italian herbs when I forget)
- Salt and pepper, however much you think is sensible
- Optional: 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, generous sprig of parsley, a dash of hot sauce if you’re feeling zesty
How I Throw This Together (Directions, Kinda)
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Or, if you’re feeling truly lazy, just pop it straight into the slow cooker and break it up best you can. Drain the fat (yes, even though I sometimes forget, things still turn out tasty).
- Sauté onion and garlic in the same skillet for a few minutes until they smell good; dump ’em in the slow cooker. Or just toss it all in raw if you’re in a rush—the flavor’s a little less “rounded” but hey, soup is soup.
- Add the cabbage, canned tomatoes (juice and all), tomato sauce, broth, uncooked rice, thyme, and those optional odds and ends to the slow cooker. Give it a stir. Don’t panic if it looks overcrowded; cabbage shrinks faster than my resolve at a bake sale.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours—or high for, like, 3. Give things a gentle stir halfway, if you remember. (This is the step where I usually sneak a tiny taste. Quality control, right?)
- Season more at the end if you want; some days it needs an extra salt pinch, some days not so much. If the rice’s not done, just give it 15 more minutes and try again.
- Ladle into bowls and enjoy—don’t even bother messing with fancy garnishes unless you’re expecting company.
Notes: Stuff I Learned the Hard Way
- If you add the rice too early and then ignore everything (like, say, playing Candy Crush longer than expected), sometimes it goes mushy. Actually, I find putting the rice in halfway through fixes this.
- Cabbage amounts are pretty forgiving—more or less, it’ll still taste fine. I once made it with just two straggly leaves and a bag of slaw mix. Still soup.
- I tried adding carrots once out of pure boredom; it wasn’t my thing. But maybe you’ll like it?
- This tastes even better on day two (if you manage to hide leftovers at the back of the fridge, good luck).
Ways I’ve Messed Around With This (Variations)
- Swapping ground turkey or pork instead of beef—my partner said it felt “lighter” but missed the beefy flavor. Kids didn’t notice.
- Adding some sauerkraut for a tangy zing. Bold move. Not everyone loved it but I found it weirdly addictive.
- One time, I thought quinoa would be super healthy. It turned a bit… gloopy. Wouldn’t do that again.
- For a vegetarian friend, I ditched the meat altogether and doubled the mushrooms—surprisingly good with a splash of soy sauce.
Handy Gear (and My Workarounds)
- Slow cooker, obviously. But in a pinch? Stove-top on super low works. Just stir more often and keep an eye out so it doesn’t catch.
- A big ol’ chopping board. Though I once used a dinner plate and a ton of paper towels. Not my proudest moment, still got the job done.
- Sharp knife for the cabbage. Saw one guy on YouTube use kitchen scissors. Not sure I recommend it but hey, it’s your cabbage.
Storing This Soup (If You Have Any Left)
Let it cool down, then scoop it into containers. Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, freeze for a couple months—just thaw and gently reheat. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! A quick tip: if you think you might want leftovers, try to grab some before everyone descends on the pot. (Trust me, learned this the hard way!)
How We Serve It Up Around Here
We usually dish it up with a hunk of crusty bread (those supermarket “bake at home” rolls are my not-so-secret guilty pleasure). Sometimes I sprinkle a bit of shredded cheese on top, especially if it’s cold out. Once, my sister topped hers with a dollop of sour cream and called it “cabbage roll borscht”… sure, why not? Serve it in huge mugs for TV-watching—fancy plates not required.
Lessons Learned, AKA Pro Tips
- Don’t rush the browning step on the beef. I tried skipping once and it tasted, well, gray. Not a vibe.
- If you use brown rice, it might take longer—keep tasting until it’s not crunchy. I once gave up early. Don’t.
- The soup thickens as it sits, so add extra broth if you want it more, erm, soupy the next day.
Answering the Important Questions (FAQ Style)
- “Can I make this without a slow cooker?” Totally. Just do everything the same in a big pot, simmer it gently on the stove; stir now and then so nothing sticks. (If I’m honest, I usually forget one stir but it’s still good!)
- “Does it freeze well?” Yep—but the rice can turn a little mushy. Actually, I find it works better if you leave the rice out and add it fresh when reheating, but you do you.
- “What if I hate cabbage?” Well, then this probably isn’t the soup for you, but if you use more rice and beef, it turns into an oddly comforting tomato-rice soup—true story from my cousin in Texas.
- “Is this gluten free?” As long as you don’t go wild with random seasonings or suspicious broths, yep.
- “What’s the best bread for dipping?” The one you’ve got. Though, for me, a soft white roll beats a baguette (controversial opinion, I know).
And if you made it this far, cheers to you—maybe pour yourself something cozy to go with your soup. Or, just eat straight from the pot, but I probably shouldn’t officially recommend that…
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small head green cabbage, chopped
- 1 (28 oz/796 ml) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth
- 1/2 cup (100 g) uncooked white rice
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
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1In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain excess fat if needed.
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2Add diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
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3Transfer the beef mixture to a slow cooker. Add chopped cabbage, diced tomatoes, beef broth, uncooked rice, tomato paste, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
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4Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until cabbage and rice are tender.
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5Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot with optional fresh parsley on top.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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