This hearty Cabbage Soup tastes like Cabbage Rolls but it’s easier and so comforting. It’s loaded with ground beef, veggies, and cabbage in a hearty tomato broth.
Cabbage is one of those staple fall and winter vegetables that are inexpensive and so versatile. We use it in some of our favorite recipes like Cabbage Casserole, or Coleslaw, and of course this Cabbage Soup.

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Cabbage Roll Soup Ingredients
This recipe calls for basic ingredients you may already have on hand and it comes together quickly. It’s an easy, one-pot, stovetop cabbage soup recipe.
- Cabbage -use green cabbage. We like to cube the cabbage but you can shred the cabbage.
- Broth – Though we used beef broth, you can substitute for vegetable or chicken broth.
- Tomatoes – canned diced tomatoes and tomato sauce produce a richly flavored base.
- Ground beef – We prefer lean 80/20 ground beef.
- Celery, onion, and carrot – aromatics that add amazing flavor.
- Garlic – for the best taste, use freshly minched garlic
- Seasoning – We use salt and pepper but you can change it up and use your favorite seasonings.
- Bay leaves – Whole bay leaves add another layer of flavor
- Brown sugar – balances out the acidity of tomatoes
- Herbs – You can use fresh parsley, cilantro, dill, or combine all 3.

How to Make Cabbage Soup
- Saute beef – In a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, saute the ground beef, breaking it up as it browns.
- Add onion and garlic – Add the chopped onion to the ground beef and saute until tender then add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add veggies and simmer – Add the carrots, celery, cabbage, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, salt, pepper, brown sugar, and broth, and stir. Tip: for extra veggies, try adding green beans to the soup. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add herbs – Remove the bay leaves, add in the fresh herbs, and season to taste.
Pro Tip: If you prefer a spicy soup, add jalapeno or red pepper flakes to the soup. You can also add it with the sour cream when serving.

Common Questions
Yes, brown the ground beef and onions and then add all the ingredients to the soup into the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours and or high for 4-5 hours. Add herbs and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
You can substitute ground beef for ground turkey, ground pork, or Italian sausage.
Add rice when adding the veggies and cook for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
This cabbage soup can easily be made vegetarian, just omit the ground beef, use vegetable broth and adjust seasoning to taste.

Make-Ahead
- Refrigerating – Once the soup has cooled to room temperature, cover leftover soup and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezing – Add the cooled soup to an airtight container and freeze for about 2-3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat the next day.
- To Reheat – add the desired portion to a saucepan over medium heat until warm or microwave portions in a microwave safe container, heating to your desired temperature.
Serve with

Cabbage Soup is a warming and soothing soup that is hearty and so satisfying. This recipe also reheats well so you’ll love having leftovers.
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Easy Cabbage Soup Recipe

Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, 80% or 85%
- 2 Tbsp oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups green cabbage, chopped, from ½ large head
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes, with their juice
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- ½ tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as dill, parsley, or cilantro
Instructions
- In a dutch oven, heat 1 Tbsp oil over med/high heat. Once hot, saute the ground beef for about 4-5 minutes or until cooked through, breaking it apart with a spatula as it's cooked. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste.
- Once the meat is browned, add 1 Tbsp oil and chopped onion, and saute for about 2-3 minutes or until onions are tender. Add in the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add in the chopped cabbage, carrot, celery, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves and add in the fresh herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.
OMG Natasha! This soup is next level. So delicious and probably the best soup we’ve ever tasted.
I used 90/10 ground beef and 21 salute seasoning from Trader Joe’s since I didn’t have any Dash.
The perfect meal on a crazy cold night here in N Idaho.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Loved it! I doubled the amount of cabbage and skipped the celery, yet it turned out better than I imagined! <3
I absolutely loved it! I doubled the amount of cabbage and skipped the celery, and it turned out even better than I had imagined! <3
That’s great to hear, Bahar! Thank you for the feedback.
Hi there! Merry Christmas! Happy advent! I just made this soup this afternoon, and I believe this may be my second review on it- but it’s so worth to post another. This recipe is absolutely delicious. It is 9 degrees here in Michigan and this absolutely hits all the right spots. Don’t hesitate to make it! Sending love and blessings to you and your family
Hi Renee! I’m so glad to hear that you are loving this recipe. Thank you so much for the feedback. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Stay warm this holiday season!
Thank you Natasha. You come to my rescue every time I have an abundance of veggies from our CSA weekly box. Tonight it was carrots, cabbage, celery, garlic and onions. I always keep ground beef and canned tomato products on hand. This went together very quickly and was delicious. The best part is the leftovers are in the freezer for more delicious meals to come.
You’re welcome, Kathleen! This is the perfect recipe to use up all those veggies!
Don’t you drain the meat after browning?
You can drain the meat if there’s a lot of fat in it.
I made this tonight for my elderly parents, to share as a day-early birthday dinner for me, and we all LOVED it!!! Is super good, and easy, as the recipe promises. All the ingredients and quantities are spot-on (though I probably used a little more carrot, celery and cabbage due to my personal preference). I added a half-teaspoon less salt than called for (due to my dad’s need to restrict salt intake) which was not noticed, and altogether the soup was fantastic and so satisfying. Rather speedy to make. The sour cream and fresh herb (I used dill) to finish are really excellent and take this outstanding soup an even higher level. Soup was served with a toasted baguette with butter, a fresh salad, olives, and beer. I’m thrilled and very thankful for the recipe, Natasha and Valentina! My 86 year old mom and 91 year old dad thank you as well! 💖💖
Thank you so much for the review! I have a smile on my face reading this. It makes me
very happy to know that the recipe was a hit!
My fave soup. I double the recipe and freeze it in individual servings so I can take it to work 🙂
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, April!
I am a Ukrainian girl and made this soup now that fall is here. My husband is not a fan of cabbage “anything” except for cabbage rolls. But after his first bowl, he asked when I will be making this again. So satisfyingly delights. Thank you
That’s great, Bonnie. Thanks for sharing.
I LOVE Cabbage Soup! I switch out some of the beef broth and tomato sauce with V8 juice for a bit of spice. While the cabbage is cooking in some beef broth and V8, I cut the celery a bit bigger and roast whole tomatoes, carrots and the celery in the oven with dill and cilantro till they are nice and soft and roasted. Because the veggies are already cooked, the amount of time to simmer is shortened and we can get that soup in our tummies sooner! Served with garlic bread and it’s heaven on earth 🙂
at what stage did you add the broth? its not in the directions
Hi there! It’s in step 3- Add veggies and simmer.
We absolutely Love this easy & delicious soup, and it’s on repeat at my house, I have substitued with ground pork or hot sausages as well, yum!
I LOVVVVEEEE this soup! I love it so much I actually can it!
I may have already left a review for this recipe but I just keep coming back to it. It’s one of my most favorite recipes ever. So delicious and healthy
Our family is freezing here in Cupertino, CA (45 degrees and windy) It’s April…so, I found this recipe and I’m going to make it this afternoon (I have all the ingrediants) so we can cozy up and watch the Warriors basketball game. Thank you!!
This is perfect for a cozy afternoon at home. I hope you love it.
I make this soup at least once a month, delish!
I substitte the ground beef for hot italian sausage meat and garnish with sour cream, it’s a big hit at my house!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Christine!