This cabbage roll soup gives you a hearty, vegetable-packed dinner with lentils, rice, and rich tomato broth—all in one pot, without stuffing or rolling.
For more ways to turn cabbage into a satisfying dinner, try our cabbage lentil soup, Mediterranean chickpea cabbage soup, or cabbage salad with peanut dressing.
Why you’ll love this cabbage roll soup!
All the savory goodness of cabbage rolls, without stuffing a single leaf. 🥣 This cabbage roll soup turns a handful of vegetables, lentils, and rice into a hearty dinner, with one pot to wash and plenty of tomato-rich broth to spoon up.
Cabbage rolls often contain pork, but Louise and I use lentils here. They’re filling, delicious, and bring fiber and plant-based protein to the bowl. Add tender cabbage and rice, and there’s plenty to keep your spoon busy. 🌱
The flavor starts with tomato paste, garlic, and smoked paprika. Nothing fancy—just everyday ingredients doing the heavy lifting. And if you fancy adding meat, brown a couple of Italian sausages in the pot before adding the vegetables.
Everything simmers together until tender, then a splash of vinegar wakes it all up. 🍅 Give it five minutes to rest, grab your bowls, and dinner’s ready.
P.S. Keep lentils on the menu with four reader favorites: French lentil soup, turmeric lentil soup, Mediterranean lentil soup, and creamy red lentil soup.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Extra virgin olive oil: adds richness. Substitute regular olive oil or avocado oil.
- Onion: builds a savory base. Substitute leek or shallots.
- Carrots: add sweetness. Try diced parsnips or butternut squash.
- Celery: adds depth. Substitute fennel.
- Garlic: adds savory flavor. If intolerant, omit or use garlic-infused oil if tolerated.
- Tomato paste: gives unstuffed cabbage soup a concentrated tomato base. Double-concentrated paste works too.
- Smoked paprika: adds smokiness. Substitute sweet paprika for a milder flavor.
- Bay leaves: add a subtle herbal note. Substitute a little dried thyme.
- Green cabbage: softens into the broth. Savoy cabbage works well.
- Dried lentils: brown or green hold their shape in lentil cabbage soup. French green lentils may take longer.
- Crushed tomatoes: create the broth’s body. Substitute canned whole tomatoes, crushed by hand.
- Broth: vegetable or chicken broth works. Choose reduced-sodium to control seasoning.
- Soy sauce: adds optional savory depth. Substitute Worcestershire sauce or tamari.
- White rice: long-grain keeps cabbage soup with rice from becoming overly starchy. Try basmati or Jasmine.
- Salt and black pepper: season to taste. White pepper works too.
- Sugar: optional, to soften tomato acidity. A little honey also works.
- Apple cider vinegar: brightens the finish. Substitute red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
How to Make Cabbage Roll Soup
Step 1. Build the flavor base
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, bay leaves, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 more minute, stirring to coat the vegetables.
Step 2. Soften the cabbage
Add the chopped cabbage and season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage starts to soften and shrink.
This builds flavor in the cabbage and makes room for the remaining ingredients.
Step 3. Simmer the lentils
Stir in the rinsed lentils, crushed tomatoes, broth, and optional soy sauce. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and leave the lid slightly open.
Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Check the lentils before moving on—they should be almost fully cooked, with just a little firmness in the center. If still hard, simmer longer before adding the rice.
Step 4. Add the rice
Stir in rinsed uncooked rice. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until both the lentils and rice are tender. Stir occasionally to keep the rice from sticking.
The cabbage and lentil soup will thicken as the rice cooks. Add more broth as needed to keep it as thick or brothy as you like.
Step 5. Finish and serve
Remove the bay leaves and stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. If the tomatoes taste too sharp, add the optional teaspoon of sugar.
Let the soup rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Check the lentils before adding the rice. They should be nearly tender, with just a little firmness in the center. If they’re still hard after 20 minutes, keep simmering—the rice can turn mushy while you wait for undercooked lentils.
- Stick with brown or green lentils. They hold their shape and give the soup a satisfying texture. Red lentils break down much faster.
- Cut the cabbage into spoon-sized pieces. Remove the tough core and avoid long strips that are awkward to scoop and eat.
- Rinse the rice first. This removes some surface starch and helps keep the broth from becoming overly thick.
- Simmer gently and stir occasionally. Once the rice goes in, stir along the bottom of the pot to keep it from sticking.
- Keep extra broth handy. Rice continues absorbing liquid after cooking, so loosen the soup to your liking before serving and when reheating leftovers.
- Taste before adding sugar. Stir in the vinegar and adjust the seasoning first. Use the optional sugar only if the tomato flavor still tastes too sharp.
- Adding sausage? Brown it first. Remove the casings from a couple of Italian sausages, crumble the meat, and brown it before adding the vegetables. Start with less salt and adjust at the end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Drain and rinse them. Skip the 20-minute lentil simmer, add the rice once the broth starts simmering, and stir in the canned lentils during the last 5 minutes.
The flavor won’t be quite as developed, and the carrots and cabbage will have more bite. Start with about half the broth, adding more as needed while the rice cooks.
Yes, but cook it separately and stir it in at the end. Brown rice takes longer than white rice, so it isn’t a direct swap with the same timing. You may need less broth because the rice won’t absorb it as it cooks.
Absolutely. Remove the casings from a couple of Italian sausages, crumble the meat, and brown it in the pot before adding the vegetables. Ground pork, beef, or turkey also works. Keep the lentils for an extra-hearty soup.
The rice and lentils absorb broth as they cook, and the rice keeps absorbing liquid as the soup sits. Stir in extra broth until you like the consistency, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
Store leftovers into airtight containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep in the refrigerator for 3–4 days, or freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. The rice will soften after freezing.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a saucepan, stirring and adding broth as needed. Heat to 165°F / 74°C before serving.
More Hearty Bean Soups
- Greek chickpea soup
- Three bean rice soup
- Chickpea Ramen Soup
- Cajun black bean soup
- Black Bean Orzo Soup
- Lemon gnocchi soup with creamy white beans
- Lemon butter bean soup
- Mediterranean pinto bean soup
If you try this cabbage roll soup please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Cabbage Roll Soup (with Lentils and Rice)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 medium carrots thinly sliced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ medium green cabbage (about 1 pound / 450 g), chopped into bite-size pieces
- ⅔ cup dried lentils brown or green
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 ounces / 400 g can
- 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth, reduced-sodium plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce – optional
- ⅔ cup uncooked long-grain white rice like Basmati or Jasmine
- 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar plus optional teaspoon of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomato
Instructions
- Build the flavor base: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 medium onion, 2 medium carrots, and 2 ribs celery (all chopped). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.Stir in 3 cloves garlic (grated), 4 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 2 bay leaves. Cook for 1 more minute.
- Soften the cabbage: Add ½ medium green cabbage (chopped), 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage starts to soften and shrink.
- Simmer the lentils: Add ⅔ cup dried lentils (rinsed), 1 can crushed tomatoes, 6 cups vegetable broth, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce (if using). Stir, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat until gently bubbling and leave the lid slightly open.Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are almost tender. If they’re still hard, cook longer before adding the rice.
- Add the rice: Stir in ⅔ cup uncooked long-grain white rice (rinsed). Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, until both rice and lentils are tender.Stir occasionally, scraping along the bottom to prevent sticking. Add extra broth as needed if the soup gets too thick.
- Finish and serve: Remove the bay leaves and stir in 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Add the optional teaspoon of sugar if the tomatoes taste too sharp.Turn off the heat and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Extra virgin olive oil –> Regular olive oil or avocado oil.
- Onion –> Leek or shallots.
- Carrots –> Diced parsnips or butternut squash.
- Celery –> Fennel.
- Garlic –> Omit or use garlic-infused oil if tolerated.
- Tomato paste –> Double-concentrated tomato paste.
- Smoked paprika –> Sweet paprika for less smokiness.
- Bay leaves –> A little dried thyme.
- Green cabbage –> Savoy cabbage.
- Dried lentils –> Brown, green, or French green lentils; French green may take longer.
- Crushed tomatoes –> Canned whole tomatoes, crushed by hand.
- Broth –> Reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth.
- Soy sauce –> Worcestershire sauce or tamari.
- Basmati rice –> Jasmine rice or another long-grain rice.
- Black pepper –> White pepper.
- Sugar –> A little honey.
- Apple cider vinegar –> Red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
- Check lentils first: They should be nearly tender before adding rice.
- Use brown or green lentils: They hold their shape.
- Chop cabbage small: Remove the core; keep pieces spoon-sized.
- Rinse rice: This helps prevent an overly thick broth.
- Simmer gently: Stir along the bottom to prevent sticking.
- Keep broth handy: Add more as the soup thickens.
- Taste before sweetening: Add sugar only if needed after seasoning.
- Adding sausage? Remove casings and brown before adding vegetables.
- Storage: Refrigerate for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Add broth when reheating.
Nutrition
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Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We're here to share easy, healthy, and delicious recipes 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
Sounds Delicious
Thanks for sharing
It’s our pleasure, Lawanda!! 🥰
I concocted something similar for lunch today but used back eyed peas and potatoes instead of lentils and rice. Very satisfying meal. I also added some oregano and basil
That sounds delicious, Sara! Thanks for sharing your version!
Nico
This soup sounds delicious! My granddaughter can’t have tomatoes. Do you think this soup can be made without the tomatoes?
Hi Dale! Yes, I think you could make a tomato-free version! The tomatoes add quite a bit of umami to this soup, but here’s what I’d try.
Start by sautéing about 200 grams (7 oz) of finely diced mushrooms in the olive oil for 7–10 minutes, until their moisture evaporates and they start to brown. Then add the onion, carrots, and celery, and continue with the recipe.
Skip the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes, and add about 1½ cups of extra broth instead. I’d also keep the soy sauce and vinegar, as they’ll help build flavor.
I haven’t tested this version, but I think it could turn out really well! Hope you and your granddaughter enjoy it!
Nico
Love your recipes. I am a Type 2 Diabetic who has reversed his Diabetes. I am going to try this but I am going to replace the rice with califlower rice to see how it comes out. I think this looks absolutely dilicious.
Wow!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️