This hearty Cabbage Soup recipe is perfect for chilly nights when you want something comforting to warm you up. It’s so easy to make and a favorite for the whole family, since it’s loaded with ground beef, veggies, and cabbage in a yummy tomato broth.

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Helpful Reader Review
“We love this soup! It’s pure comfort food but it just happens to be healthy.. so many veggies in there.. filling and delish! Gotta give it a try!” – Cindy ★★★★★
Easy Cabbage Soup
Inspired by my favorite Cabbage Rolls, or Lazy Cabbage Rolls, this soup recipe features all the same savory ingredients with much less hassle — just throw everything into the pot.
This cabbage soup recipe makes dinner so easy! It takes just one pot on the stovetop and pantry staples. I love doubling the recipe to freeze some for later — two meals in one! Don’t let the word “cabbage” in the name scare you–this is a savory, beefy soup with great depth of flavor.
I love serving satisfying soups, like this Cabbage Soup, Loaded Potato Soup, or Zuppa Toscana, as temperatures start to fall in Idaho, because they are easy, warming, and filling. Doesn’t everyone just seem hungrier in the winter?

Cabbage Roll Soup Ingredients
This recipe calls for basic ingredients you may already have on hand, and it comes together quickly.
- Cabbage -Use green cabbage. We like to cube the cabbage, but you can shred the cabbage.
- Broth – we used beef broth; you can substitute with vegetable (vegetarian) or chicken broth.
- Tomatoes – canned diced tomatoes and tomato sauce produce a richly flavored base.
- Ground beef – We prefer lean 80/20 ground beef for flavor. Feel free to swap with ground turkey, ground pork, Italian sausage, or a combination of ground meat. You can use tofu crumbles or omit meat for a vegetarian option.
- Veggies/Aromatics – Celery, onion, carrot, and minced garlic.
- Herbs – Bay leaf, parsley, cilantro, dill, or a combination
- Brown sugar – balances out the acidity of tomatoes

Pro Tip:
If you prefer a spicy soup, add jalapeno or red pepper flakes to the soup with the veggies in step 3.
How to Make Cabbage Soup
It’s so easy to make this cabbage soup recipe, making it perfect for a weeknight meal or easy family dinner with minimal dishes.
- Sauté 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 for 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. For extra veggies, try adding green beans to the soup. Bring to a boil, and 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:
Add rice – for a more filling soup, you can add rice, barley, or quinoa when adding the vegetables. Be sure not to simmer the soup for too long, since the rice can turn mushy.
Can I Make Cabbage Soup in the Slow Cooker?
This recipe is easy to transition to the slow cooker. 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.
Serve Cabbage Soup With
Serve Cabbage Soup warm, topped with sour cream, fresh herbs, or Jalapeno slices. We love the hearty soup on its own, or with crusty bread and fresh salad to complement, so try some of these recipes:
- Dutch Oven Bread
- Sourdough Bread
- Soft Dinner Rolls
- Focaccia Bread
- Garlic Bread
- Caesar Salad
- Classic Wedge Salad

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. Add this to your menu for a quick and filling one-pot meal in minutes!
Cabbage Soup

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
- Sauté – In a Dutch oven, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium/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.
- Add onion and garlic – 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 veggies and simmer – 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 the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
- Add herbs – Remove the bay leaves and add in the fresh herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Notes
- Refrigerate – Once the soup has cooled to room temperature (no more than 2 hours), cover the leftover soup and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezing – Add the cooled soup to an airtight container with enough room for expansion, and freeze for about 2-3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- To Reheat – add the desired portion to a saucepan over medium heat until 165°F, or microwave portions in a microwave-safe container.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Cabbage Recipes
Cabbage is one of those staple fall and winter vegetables that is inexpensive and so versatile. We use it in this cabbage soup recipe as well as these other family favorites:
- Cabbage Casserole
- Coleslaw
- Shrimp Tacos
- Cabbage Fried Rice
- Red Cabbage and Avocado Salad
- Green Goddess Salad
- Lazy Cabbage Rolls



Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home.
I have purple cabbage in the freezer. Can I use that for this recipe?
Hi Gillian, I recommend using green cabbage. I haven’t tried using purple yet so I’m not sure how it would turn out.
Quick question….do you drain the fat from the ground beef before going to Step 2?
Thank you
If it has too much fat, yes you can drain it before step 2.
I have always added rice to my meat mixture when I make cabbage rolls. What kind of rice would you recommend if wanted to add it to this recipe? I love soups and can’t wait to try this. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hello Terri, it depends on your preference. I think you can use any long-grain rice or jasmine rice.
I would like to can this soup. I am thinking that if I can everything but the cabbage, it should work. I can add the cabbage when I am ready to eat it. What do you think?
This is my new favorite food. I know nothing about cooking cabbage but wanted to use some up we had for tacos. This looked easy enough and it was. I added red pepper flakes and it is delicious. Thank you.
That’s so great! I’m so glad you found a new favorite on my blog!
I am making it right now and it is easy and looks delicious… can’t wait to try it. Thanks for the recipe
I hope you love it, Carol!
Thank you for posting this cabbage soup recipe, I’ve just made it and it turned out delicious, and I am not an experienced cook!
Very well balanced and hearty. I’ve substituted ground meat for turkey, and it tasted great.
I’m so glad you loved it, Matia! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Made this soup and it is delish, finished my first bowl and heading for seconds. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful recipes.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Andrea!
I made this soup today it’s not done yet so I don’t know what it’s going to turn out like yet but I was wondering if I can you add Barley to this soup?
Hi Terry, I haven’t tried that to advise, but I imagine that may work here! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I’ve made this soup twice and I love it! And my husband loves it! And our cat Crazy loves it…he gets to lick the bowl when we’re done.
Aww, that is so sweet! I love that everyone gets a bite! Thank you for your great review!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Kim. Great to hear that the recipe was a huge hit!
Hi, if making in the slow cooker, when would you suggest adding uncooked rice?
Hi Rhonda, I honestly haven’t tested that yet to advise of the timing.
This soup is amazing! The best soup I ever had! My husband loved it too and it’s so easy to prepare
What a great review! Thanks, Natalia.
Made soup today for dinner. Smells great and tastes even better….thanks Natasha for all your great recipes….
You’re most welcome, Sandee. I hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes that you will try.
Very delicious soup recipe! my family enjoyed it when I prepared once during weekends, thanks
Thanks for sharing, Dante. Great to hear that your family enjoyed this recipe!
My mother used to make a sweet & sour version of this soup. I assume red wine vinegar is involved for the sour component. Would you know how much red wine vinegar to add to the recipe?
Hi Suzanne, I’m not so sure as I haven’t tried that version yet. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Definitely going to make this. If you wanted to add rice,how much would you suggest?
Sounds good, Crissy. it depends on your preference but I would probably just add a little.
Made the soup last night & it has become my new all-time favorite. Once you have the prep of the ingredients done the soup comes together quickly.
I did not have any beef broth so I substituted with chicken broth & added a tablespoon of Worcestershire & it was wonderful. Also added the green beans you had in the notes. Going to make some rice to pour the little bit of leftovers to stretch it.
Sounds perfect! I’m glad you enjoyed this soup, Debi. Thank you also for sharing your experience making this recipe.
Dear Natasha, do you by any chance make keshki or kanish? If so would love to see your recipe. Also it’s so nice what you are doing for the public with your blogs and videos. Thanks for laughter and your up personality. During this difficult time it’s greatly appreciated. Bless you and happy cooking .Marci
Hi Marci, we don’t have anything like that but it looks interesting and if we come up with something great, I’ll be sure to share it. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. It really means so much to me!
I would never make this because of the salt content; it’s high. But I can do workarounds to bring it down to a medically safe level
Hi Peter you can definitely adjust the salt by reducing the added salt and using low sodium broth.
I love cabbage rolls but they are a bit fiddly to make, so I tried this soup version and now I am hooked! Delicious and so simple to make!
I’m so happy to hear that you loved it!
Just made this for lunch and it’s AMAZING! I can’t wait for my leftovers tomorrow!
When you are excited about leftovers that’s a good sign of a GREAT recipe!
This recipe is so good and I love how easy and cost effective this is! Super nice and tasty as well!
I totally agree, so glad you enjoyed it!