This 5-ingredient slow cooker cabbage roll soup is my kind of weeknight cooking: honest, hearty, and comforting, with hardly any fuss. It tastes like the stuffed cabbage rolls my mother used to make on the farm, but without the fussy rolling and baking. You simply brown your ground beef, then tuck it into the slow cooker with four more pantry-friendly ingredients and let time do the rest. By supper, the whole house smells like Sunday dinner at Grandma’s, and you’ve got a bowlful of old-fashioned Midwestern comfort that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.
Ladle this cabbage roll soup into sturdy bowls and serve it with buttered crusty bread, cornbread, or a pan of warm dinner rolls to soak up the rich tomato broth. A simple side salad with a tangy dressing or a dish of cottage cheese fits the old Midwestern table nicely. If you like, set out a little sour cream and shredded cheese so folks can top their own bowls. A jar of dill pickles or pickled beets on the side adds a bright, briny bite that balances the cozy, beefy richness of the soup.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll SoupServings: 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
1 small head green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cored and chopped
1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked and rinsed
2 (24-ounce) jars chunky tomato pasta sauce
3 cups beef broth (or enough to just cover the ingredients)
Directions
Brown the ground beef: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is well browned and no pink remains. Drain off any excess fat. (If your slow cooker has a sauté setting, you can brown it right in the crock.)
Layer the beef and cabbage in the slow cooker: Place the browned, drained ground beef in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Scatter the chopped cabbage evenly over the beef. At this point, the bottom of your slow cooker should look like a cozy nest of browned beef with cabbage piled on top.
Add the rice: Sprinkle the rinsed uncooked rice evenly over the cabbage and beef. Try to spread it out so the grains are in a fairly even layer; this helps them cook through without clumping.
Pour in the tomato sauce and broth: Pour the jars of chunky tomato pasta sauce over everything in the slow cooker. Add the beef broth, pouring it around so it seeps down into the cabbage and rice. Gently press down with the back of a spoon to make sure the ingredients are mostly submerged; add a little extra broth or water if needed just to cover.
Slow cook until tender: Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the cabbage is very tender and the rice is cooked through. Avoid lifting the lid too often so the rice cooks evenly and the soup stays hot.
Stir and adjust thickness: When the cooking time is up, give the soup a good stir from the bottom so the browned ground beef, cabbage, and rice are well mixed into the tomato broth. If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a bit more hot broth or water until it reaches your preferred consistency. Taste and, if desired, add a pinch of salt or pepper at the table.
Serve: Ladle the hot cabbage roll soup into bowls and serve right away. It will thicken as it stands, and even more as it cools, so you can thin leftovers with a splash of broth or water when reheating.
Variations & Tips
You can nudge this simple soup in several directions while still keeping the spirit of a 5-ingredient, slow cooker cabbage roll supper. For a milder flavor, use a mix of ground beef and ground pork. If you like a bit of heat, choose a spicy tomato pasta sauce or stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes at the table. To make it slightly lighter, use lean ground beef and low-sodium beef broth; just be sure not to skip the browning step, because that’s where a lot of the deep, savory flavor develops. If you prefer a thicker, almost stew-like texture, cut the beef broth back to about 2 cups; for a more brothy soup, add up to 4 cups total and adjust at the end. Brown rice can be used in place of white, but it will take longer to soften; plan on the full 7 hours on LOW and be sure the grains are tender before serving. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and freeze nicely, though the rice will soften more after thawing; add a splash of broth when reheating to loosen it up. For food safety, always brown the ground beef until there is no pink remaining and any juices run clear, and drain off excess grease so the soup doesn’t become oily. Make sure the soup reaches a safe internal temperature (at least 165°F/74°C) before serving, refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, and reheat only what you plan to eat to at least 165°F again.
