If you LOVE stuffed cabbage leaves like I love stuffed cabbage leaves, but don't have a gazillion years to devote to the process, then this One Pot Stuffed Cabbage Soup is for you. It's a thick and homely cabbage and beef concoction that gives you all the flavor of the traditional version, in a fraction of the time. Plus it's easier for little hands to manage. WIN. Oh and it freezes well too which is always a bonus.
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust and use myself.
Jump to:
Hearty One-Pot Stuffed Cabbage Soup
You may not know this, but my hubby is of Lebanese descent (a VERY Aussie Lebanese man mind you).
We just LOVE stuffed cabbage leaves, but usually resort to buying the canned versions these days because it's just soooo time consuming to make the real things.
Pre-kids I was all over that, and we would spend weekends making huge batches of homemade cabbage rolls and stuffed vine leaves ALL the time.
No more my loves, unless it's a super special occasion (like hubby's birthday...otherwise it's just not gunna happen...)
Stuffed Cabbage Without All The Work: Stuffed Cabbage Soup
I still get real hankerings for that flavor though, which is where this little gem of a comfort soup (more like a stew?) comes in.
Everything goes in one pot and bubbles away together for a while, resulting in the most homely dish with a minimum of babysitting required.
I top mine with a big dollop of labneh (thick strained yogurt found in the refrigerated section) and some fresh bread, and it is SO satisfying.
What Ingredients Are Needed?
Don't worry, you aren't going to have to go out and buy anything fancy. We even use fresh cabbage, so you don't have to hunt down a jar of the pre-brined stuff.
Although the ingredient list is a wee bit long, don't let that put you off, everything is literally thrown together in one pot, so once you have gathered all the ingredients together, there isn't much effort required at all.
Promise
So go on ahead and grab together the following:
- onion
- ground beef
- smoked paprika
- ground cumin
- garlic
- tomato sauce
- tomatoes
- pure maple syrup
- chicken stock
- cabbage
- uncooked brown rice
- fresh lemon juice
- talian parsley
- labne or thick Greek yogurt to serve (optional)
Throw it all together and you have a wonderful pot of the most comforting stuffed cabbage soup to get you through those colder months.
Can I Make This In The Instant Pot?
You sure can.
Follow the instructions and use the sauté function for the onions and the beef mince.
Once the mince has been browned, add the other ingredients, give it all a good stir, pop on the lid, seal and cook under pressure for 21 minutes.
If you decide to use white rice instead then reduce the cooking time in the instant pot to 15 mins.
Need More Middle Eastern Inspired Recipes?
Looking for more Middle Eastern Inspired dishes to add to your weekly meal plan? Check these out:
Chicken Shawarma Salad with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- Goulash Soup from Healthy Delicious
- Oven Roasted Middle Eastern Chicken Breasts
- Moroccan Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
- Moroccan Cauliflower and Pumpkin Couscous Salad
- Zesty Raw Moroccan Carrot Salad
Happy Eating
xx
Recipe
One Pot Stuffed Cabbage Soup: Stove top and instant pot instructions
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups water
- 6 cups cabbage, sliced thinly
- ½ cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
- labne or thick Greek yogurt to serve (optional)
Instructions
Stove Top Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and cook until translucent.
- Stir in the beef, cumin, and paprika. Cook, using a whisk to mash the large pieces of meat, for 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for about one minute.
- Add in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and maple syrup and give it a good stir.
- Pour in the stock and water, cabbage and rice and give everything a good stir again.
- Pop the lid on and bring it to a boil. Keeping the lid ajar, turn down the heat to medium low, and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes or until rice is fully cooked. Stir a few times during the cooking process.
- Right before serving, add in the fresh lemon juice and parsley.
- Serve immediately with some fresh bread and a dollop of labne or thick Greek yogurt (optional). To freeze, pop in a glass jar with a lid once cooled and pop in the freezer for a month or two.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Follow the instructions above, but use the sauté function in the instant pot for the onions and beef, cumin, paprika and garlic.
- Add all of the other ingredients, seal the lid and cook at pressure for 21 minutes.
- Quick pressure release when done.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Don’t forget to follow Whole Food Bellies on Pinterest for more recipe inspiration! Or if Pinterest isn’t your style, bookmark this post! Let’s keep the conversation going- join my Facebook group!
margaret says
my family loves cabbage rolls and I don't mind making them at all. But this recipe is a game changer. Total winner. I added mushrooms and a little extra salt, but otherwise stuck to the recipe. LOVE IT. Oh and I also used ground lamb instead of beef because I didn't have ground beef.
Donna says
Glad you loved it!! I love the idea of adding some mushrooms, they would add such a great flavor!
Amy Nash says
I definitely do love stuffed cabbage leaves and I make soup at least once or twice a week during these colder months so this is right up my alley! It sounds wonderful! Can't wait to try!
Jane @ LittleSugarSnaps says
Soup is a great way to sneak a little cabbage into kids' diets too. Anything goes in soup. This looks hearty and comforting.