Stuffed Cabbage Soup (stove or pressure cooker)

This stuffed cabbage soup is made from all the ingredients that you would use to make cabbage rolls. It’s super easy, feeds a crowd, and freezes well. If you’re craving cabbage rolls, this is the quickest way to taste all these flavors without all the fuss! This is simple and hearty comfort food.

The recipe includes instructions for the stovetop and pressure cooker.

What are cabbage rolls?

Stuffed cabbage rolls are a popular Polish dish (called gołąbki) consisting of cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around ground meat and rice filling. It’s also popular in Russia, Ukraine, German-speaking countries, Scandinavia, and Balkan countries. Cabbage roll soup is a spin on this dish, transforming the rolls into a soup. This soup is not a traditional Polish soup, but it gained popularity in recent years. It’s called in Poland “zupa gołąbkowa”. By the way, did you know that gołąbki means little pigeons in Polish? (yes, like the birds!).

Ingredients

Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!

Here´s what you need to make this easy recipe:

• Meat: I used ground pork and beef mix and this is what I highly recommend. You can also use just beef, but in my opinion, a mix of pork and beef tastes much better. You can also use ground turkey for a lighter soup.
• Rice: Use plain long-grain rice. You can cook the soup with the rice, instead of cooking the rice separately. I would do this only if I was planning preparing the soup for a large amount of people and I knew we will eat it all. If you’re cooking the soup just for a small family and plan to eat it the next day or freeze it, you should cook the rice separately. Rice will soak up the liquid from the soup pretty fast and will become too mushy. This results in a very thick soup and I personally much prefer a soup consistency. The soup with rice cooked separately (it’s added to the soup just before serving), taste so much better. If you’re cooking the soup in the pressure cooker you need to cook the rice separately, otherwise, you would need to stop the pressure cooker (make the QR), then add the rice and let it come to the pressure again, and cook the rice for 4 minutes. It would just take too much time. You would also need a bigger pressure cooker than 6qt/6l.
• Tomato passata: Tomato passata is pureed strained and uncooked tomatoes that are sold in a jar. It tastes great, it’s already thick and smooth (doesn’t need to be cooked down like crushed tomatoes). This is what I prefer to use. If you can’t find, you can use canned crushed tomatoes. Don’t substitute for tomato paste or tomato sauce. This article explains very well the differences between these ingredients.
• Spices: I used paprika powder, oregano, thyme, and cayenne pepper for a very small touch of heat. Besides these, marjoram and lovage would also work.
• To improve the taste: I added Worcestershire sauce (adds a wonderful umami punch/extra flavor to the soup but can be omitted) and just a tablespoon of sugar to balance the sourness of tomatoes.
• What you could also add: This would be a different soup, but you could add potatoes instead of rice (add them 15 before the end of the cooking time and cook them with the soup), chopped bell pepper, and celery stalks (add them along with the onion and carrots).

How to make stuffed cabbage soup on the stove – step by step

STEP 1: Prepare all the vegetables: Dice 2 medium onions and 1 large carrot, finely chop 5 cloves garlic (they should not be pressed, its taste would be too harsh), chop 1 1/2 pounds white cabbage (700g, this is about 7.5 cups chopped cabbage, lightly packed). If you have young cabbage, chop it into large 1-inch (2-3cm) pieces. If you have winter cabbage, that has thicker leaves, chop it into smaller pieces, about 1/2-inch (1-2 cm), and tougher thicker parts around the core even smaller.

STEP 2: Cook the meat: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat in a big pot, add 1.5 lbs (650g) mix of ground pork and beef in an even layer. Don’t stir for the first 1-2 minutes (to let it brown), then cook, stirring, until the meat is cooked through. Transfer the meat to a plate.

STEP 3: Cook the aromatics and spices: Add another tablespoon of oil to the pot, then add the chopped onions and carrots. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft. Add the spices (1.5 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of thyme, and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano), and chopped garlic, cook for 1 minute.

STEP 4: Add all the ingredients: Add the meat back to the pot. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 jar tomato passata (24 fl oz / 680ml) or 2 (14 oz/400ml) cans crushed tomatoes, chopped cabbage, and 7 cups of water to the pot.

STEP 5: Cook the soup: Season very lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 50 minutes or until the cabbage is soft.

STEP 6: Season: Take the pot off the heat. Season the soup with salt, pepper, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls, add rice (cooked separately – 1 cup rice in 2 cups water) and stir in chopped parsley.

Enjoy!

How to make stuffed cabbage soup in a pressure cooker

Stove vs Pressure cooker: Cooking time is the same whether you’ll cook the soup on the stove or in the pressure cooker (it needs 25 minutes to come to the pressure + 15 mins cooking time). So, choose the method that you personally prefer. I tested this recipe with Instant Pot Duo 6qt/6l.

1. Cook the meat, transfer on a plate.
2. Cook the onion, carrots, garlic and spices.
3. Add all the other ingredients, including meat (but not the rice) to the pot.
4. Cook over high pressure for 15 minutes.
5. Make a quick release.
6. Season and serve with separately cooked rice and chopped parsley.

Storing and freezing

This soup is amazing for storing and freezing. It tastes the same or even best the next day and can be easily frozen. It’s best to store and freeze it without the rice, because as mentioned above, it will soak up the liquid and the soup will be extremely thick and the rice mushy. You could always add more water/broth to dilute it and warm it up like that, but it´s really better with separately cooked rice.

Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!

Stuffed Cabbage Soup (stove or pressure cooker)

This stuffed cabbage soup is made from all the ingredients that you would use to make cabbage rolls. It’s super easy, feeds a crowd, and freezes well.

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4.86 from 7 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 448kcal

Author Aleksandra

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 medium onions
• ▢ 1 large carrot
• ▢ 3 tablespoons frying oil
• ▢ 1 ½ lbs ground meat (650g) I used a mix of beef and pork
• ▢ 5 cloves garlic
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon thyme
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1 jar tomato passata 24 fl oz / 680ml, OR 2 (14 oz/400ml) cans crushed tomatoes
• ▢ 7 cups water or vegetable/chicken broth
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 ½ lbs white cabbage (700g) 7 ½ cups chopped cabbage
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped dill or chopped parsley
• ▢ 1 cup rice 7oz/200g, + 2 cups water

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Instructions

On the stove:

• Prepare all the vegetables: Dice the onion and the carrot, finely chop the garlic (should not be pressed), chop the cabbage. If you have young cabbage, chop it into large 1-inch (2-3cm) pieces. If you have winter cabbage, that has thicker leaves, chop it into smaller pieces, about 1/2-inch (1-2 cm), and tougher thicker parts around the core even smaller.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat in a big pot, add the meat in an even layer. Don't stir for the first 1-2 minutes (letting it brown), then cook, stirring, until the meat is cooked through. Transfer the meat to a plate.
• Add another tablespoon of oil to the pot, then add the chopped onions and carrots. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft. Add the spices (paprika, thyme, and oregano), and garlic, cook for 1 minute.
• Add the meat back to the pot. Add the tomato paste, tomato passata, cabbage, and water to the pot. Season very lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 50 minutes, until the cabbage is soft. Take the pot off the heat.
• Season the soup with salt, pepper, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls, add rice, and stir in chopped dill (or parsley).
• Cook the rice separately (add to a medium pot with 2 cups of water, season with salt, cover, bring to a boil, then cook over very low heat for 15 minutes).
• If you would like to cook the soup with rice (read more in the notes): simmer the soup for 30 minutes, then add the rice and 2 cups of water into the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes more. Season as described above.
• Enjoy!

In a pressure cooker:

• Prepare all the vegetables: Dice the onion and carrot, finely chop the garlic (should not be pressed), chop the cabbage into big. If you have young cabbage, chop it into large 1-inch (2-3cm) pieces. If you have winter cabbage, that has thicker leaves, chop it into smaller pieces, about 1/2-inch (1-2 cm), and tougher thicker parts around the core even smaller.
• Press the saute setting on your pressure cooker and heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the pressure cooker pot. Add the meat in an even layer. Don't stir for the first 1-2 minutes, then cook, stirring, until the meat is cooked through. Transfer the meat to a plate.
• Add another tablespoon of oil to the pot, then add the chopped onions and carrots. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft. Add the spices and garlic, cook for 1 minute.
• Add the meat back to the pot. Add the tomato paste, tomato passata, cabbage and water to the pot. Season very lightly with salt and pepper.
• Cover the pot with the lid, lock it into its position. Make sure the steam release valve is in the ‘sealing’ position. Press cancel then choose the Pressure Cook setting. Set manually to pressure cook for 15 minutes.
• Cook the rice separately (add to a medium pot with 2 cups of water, season with salt, cover, bring to a boil, then cook over very low heat for 15 minutes).
• When the soup is ready, do the quick release on the pressure cooker. Using a wooden spoon, push the valve to the venting position. Wait until the pin drops (pressure and steam are released). Open the pressure cooker.
• Season the soup with salt, pepper, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls, add the rice, and stir in chopped dill (or parsley).
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Stove vs Pressure cooker: Cooking time is the same whether you’ll cook the soup on the stove or in the pressure cooker (it needs 25 minutes to come to the pressure + 15 mins cooking time). So, choose the method that you personally prefer. I tested this recipe with Instant Pot Duo 6qt/6l.
• Rice: You can cook the soup with the rice, instead of cooking the rice separately. I would do that if I was preparing the soup for a large number of people. If you’re cooking the soup just for a small family and plan to eat it the next day or freeze it, it would cook the rice separately. Rice will soak up the liquid from the soup pretty fast and will become mushy. The soup with separately cooked rice (it’s added to the soup just before serving), taste so much better. If you’re cooking the soup in the pressure cooker you need to cook the rice separately, otherwise, you would need to stop the pressure cooker (make the QR), then add the rice and let it come to the pressure again and cook the rice for 4 minutes. It would just take too much time. You would also need a bigger pressure cooker than 6qt/6l.
• Meat: I used ground pork and beef mix and this is what I highly recommend. You can also use just beef, but in my opinion, a mix of pork and beef tastes much better. You can also use ground turkey for a lighter soup.
• Tomato passata: you can also use canned crushed tomatoes. Don’t substitute for tomato paste or tomato sauce.
• Calories = 1 serving. This is only an estimate!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, polish

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