So Here’s Why I Even Started Making This

You know how some recipes sneak up and become, like, lowkey family traditions without trying? That’s what happened with this Crockpot Cabbage Roll Soup for me. First time I bungled through it, I had a cold (of course) and was basically craving something my grandma used to make, all bundled up and simmering away. But rolling every single cabbage leaf? Nope. Hard pass—didn’t have the patience that day. Out came my trusty slow cooker and, if I’m honest, I just sort of mashed everything together. Turns out, not a bad call. My brother called it "that lazy cabbage stuff," so I guess the name stuck. And honestly, the leftovers taste even better...maybe that's just wishful thinking, but I’m sticking with it.

Why You’ll Want This in Your Back Pocket

I pull this recipe out on those days where I want to look like I put way more effort in than I actually did. My family gobbles it up; my cousins ask for it when they visit (even though mom jokes that it's just Soup—she’s not wrong). I especially love making it on Sunday afternoons when I’m too busy doing laundry or, sometimes, just don’t feel like dealing with fiddly recipes. Occasionally, I've forgotten an ingredient (once it was rice—don’t recommend skipping that), but it still turns out okay. This soup is forgiving, which is, let's be real, how all good weeknight recipes should be.

Stuff You’ll Need (and What You Can Swap Out)

1lb (450g-ish) ground beef (but turkey totally works if you want it lighter—or if that’s all you have in the freezer)
Half a pretty big head of green cabbage, chopped up (sometimes, I just grab a bag of slaw mix—don’t tell grandma)
1 big onion, diced (red or white, use what you’ve got—I’m not fussy)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced (if you’re lazy like me occasionally, a small spoonful of jarred minced garlic does the job)
1 can (about 14oz/400g) diced tomatoes (crushed tomatoes taste a little richer but both work)
1 can tomato sauce—roughly the same size as above (honestly store brand is fine)
About 4 cups beef broth (chicken broth is also fine. I once used water and a fancy bouillon cube—didn’t notice much diff)
½ cup uncooked white rice (sometimes I toss in leftover cooked rice at the end—just don’t let it go mushy)
1-2 carrots, chopped (optional! I usually add them if they’re in the fridge, but skip if not)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (if you hate it, skip! but it does something nice for the flavor)
Salt and pepper, to taste (and sometimes a cheeky sprinkle of smoked paprika or red pepper flakes if I’m feeling spicy)

Let’s Get Cooking… Here’s How I Do It

First, brown your ground beef (or turkey) in a big skillet. Pour off the extra grease. Nobody wants that swimming in their soup. If you’re in a major rush (or forgot to defrost the meat like me, more than once), you can chunk up raw beef straight into the crockpot. But I think it tastes better browned.
Dump (I mean, carefully place) the chopped cabbage, onion, garlic, carrots, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, rice, Worcestershire, and your browned meat into the slow cooker. Shake in some salt and pepper.
Give it all a hefty stir. Now’s when it sort of looks, well, questionable. Don’t worry, it always comes together. Pop on the lid.
Let it do its thing on low for about 6-7 hours (or high for 3-4 if you didn’t plan ahead). I usually sneak a taste at the 5-hour mark, just to make sure the rice isn’t still doing its “al-dente” thing, and don’t fret if the veggies look too soft—they’re supposed to.
Once the rice is tender and the cabbage has mostly faded into the broth, taste and add more salt or pepper if you fancy. Sometimes I throw in some parsley or a squeeze of lemon if it needs waking up (that's a mood thing, really).
Turn off the slow cooker and let it sit for 10ish minutes. That’s just enough time to butter some bread—priorities.

Some Notes—Take These or Leave ‘Em

If you like your soup chunkier, add more cabbage. If you want it brothy, sneak in an extra cup of stock. Easy.
I dropped a bay leaf in once thinking I was clever. Honestly? Didn’t notice the difference. But you might.
If you go with precooked rice, only throw it in during the last half hour or so, otherwise it turns to sad glue. I learned that the hard way.
Speaking of glue—this soup does thicken after sitting. Just stir in a splash of water when you heat up leftovers.

Here’s How I’ve Mixed Things Up—With Varying Results

I swapped in quinoa for rice one time when I was out. Not bad but the texture was just, well, odd. Maybe skip that unless you’re a quinoa superfan.
My cousin adds hot sauce before serving. I tried it; once. Jury’s still out but if you like heat, do it.
I made it vegetarian with chopped lentils and veggie broth—it was pretty tasty, but the kids side-eyed it. Worth a shot if you’re into that sort of thing. Oh, Cookie + Kate has a good base veg cabbage soup too.

Do You Need Fancy Gear? (Spoiler: Not Really)

All you really need is a slow cooker (mine’s the plug-in type but my friend swears by her Instant Pot on slow cook mode). If you don’t have one, you can totally use a big Dutch oven on the stove—just keep it at a simmer and stir every now and then. Not rocket science.

Storing It… If You’re Lucky Enough to Have Leftovers

This keeps for about 3 days in the fridge, but honestly, in my house it never gets that far; it’s usually gone by the next day. It also freezes well—but mark the container, trust me. I once mistook it for chili and was very confused come lunchtime. Oh, Simply Recipes has a smart guide on storing any kind of soup if you like pro tips.

How I Like to Serve This (But You Do You)

For me, it’s all about dunking a fat piece of buttered sourdough. Sometimes, I sprinkle a bit of tangy feta on top; other nights, just a handful of fresh herbs or a scoop of sour cream. When my brother’s around, he dumps shredded cheddar in (I don’t get it, but he swears by it). And one time, my niece wanted goldfish crackers on top—kids are wild.

Oh, Before I Forget: Pro Tips I Learned the Hard Way

I once tried rushing the rice and cranked up the heat. Soup tasted fine, but half the rice glued itself to the bottom; lesson learned, just let it do its own thing.
If you add too much cabbage, don’t panic—just add broth until it looks right. The slow cooker isn’t fussy. Actually, sometimes more cabbage is better.
Don’t skip browning the beef if you can help it; the flavor is worth the ten minutes.

Questions People (Actually) Ask Me

Do I really have to brown the meat first?
I mean, you don’t HAVE to—it’ll cook through just fine if you’re lazy or in a rush—but it just tastes more…well, meaty. Plus less fat swims around. I vote yes.
Can it be made vegetarian?
Totally. Swap in a couple cans of lentils for the beef and veggie broth for beef stock. The flavor’s a bit different, but honestly, you won’t mind if you spice it right.
Is this even soup, or is it stew?
Great question, and one my aunt and I argue about every single holiday. I say soup, she says stew—honestly, it’s chunky, so maybe it’s both?
Can I add potatoes?
Yes! In fact, I do that sometimes if I have some sprouting in the basket. Just chop 'em small so they cook through. (Confession: once I used purple potatoes—looked weird, tasted fine.)
What about freezing?
Yep, it freezes great. But if you plan ahead, leave the rice out—add freshly cooked rice when reheating, or else it might lose its backbone, if you know what I mean.

And there you have it. A warm bowl of Crockpot Cabbage Roll Soup—the family favorite that's honestly even better the second day… if it lasts that long. If you have questions or, honestly, just want to swap cabbage tales, drop a comment or check out the slowcooking subreddit—I learned half my hacks from folks there.

Crockpot Cabbage Roll Soup That’s Comfy and Easy

So Here’s Why I Even Started Making This

Why You’ll Want This in Your Back Pocket

Stuff You’ll Need (and What You Can Swap Out)

Let’s Get Cooking… Here’s How I Do It

Some Notes—Take These or Leave ‘Em

Here’s How I’ve Mixed Things Up—With Varying Results

Do You Need Fancy Gear? (Spoiler: Not Really)

Storing It… If You’re Lucky Enough to Have Leftovers

How I Like to Serve This (But You Do You)

Oh, Before I Forget: Pro Tips I Learned the Hard Way

Questions People (Actually) Ask Me

Crockpot Cabbage Roll Soup

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