The best one-pot cabbage roll soup with tender cabbage, a savory tomato broth, and cozy spices in every spoonful. Vegan, delicious, and made to be savored.
Looking for something warm and cozy? Try my vegan lasagna soup recipe, tomato and lentil soup, and simple chickpea soup next.
If you’re a cabbage lover, this one’s for you.
Growing up, I always looked forward to my Aunt’s Ukrainian cabbage rolls (holubtsi) on Thanksgiving. It was my favorite part of our entire meal.
Cabbage rolls are still one of my favorite meals, but I don’t always have the time to prepare them. So, as an alternative, I started making this vegan cabbage roll soup. It's a recipe I come back to again and again.
If you’re in the mood for more comfort food, don’t miss my roasted cabbage steaks, brown rice and vegetable soup, or this easy vegan chili recipe.
Why this Recipe Works
- You get all the cozy cabbage-roll flavor without rolling anything. Same comfort, way less effort.
- Starting with a good veggie sauté and giving the tomatoes a few minutes to cook on their own makes the whole pot taste deeper, not flat.
- The mix of rice + bulgur makes it hearty enough to be dinner, not just “soup on the side.”
- It’s forgiving; add the cabbage earlier or later, use sherry or balsamic, tweak the spice. It still turns out.
- And like most good soups, it’s even better the next day.
Tested Tips
- I always cut the cabbage a little bigger than I think I should — it shrinks a lot as it cooks, and this way it still feels like cabbage rolls, not mush.
- Let the onions and garlic cook until they actually smell good, not just soft. That’s when the flavor really starts.
- If you like your cabbage with a little bite, add it in the last 10 minutes. If you like it softer, toss it in earlier — both work.
- Taste before adding the sherry or balsamic. Some days it needs that little splash, some days it’s already perfect.
- This soup always thickens as it sits, totally normal. I just add a little water or broth when reheating.
- And don’t skip the cashew sour cream if you can help it. It changes the whole bowl.
When I make this soup, I like to dice the veggies ahead of time for vegan meal prep. It makes this soup come together fast. If you'd like to learn more about meal prep, check out simple meal planning or this beginner's meal prep guide.
One-Pot Cabbage Roll Soup FAQs
Absolutely. You can sauté the vegetables in water or vegetable broth instead of oil — the soup still turns out rich and flavorful thanks to the tomatoes and spices.
This cabbage roll soup is made with vegetables, whole grains, and a tomato-based broth, making it a nourishing and filling plant-based meal that works well for balanced eating.
Stored in an airtight container, cabbage roll soup will keep in the fridge for 4–5 days. It thickens as it sits, so add a little water or broth when reheating.
📖 Recipe
The Best One-Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
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Ingredients
Base
- ½ cup water, OR 2 tablespoons oil, plus more water as needed
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 small carrots, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 parsnips, peeled and shredded
Tomato & Broth
- (2) 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- (1) 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 7-9 cups water, adjust for thickness
- 3 vegan bouillon cubes, if using water instead of stock
Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Grains & Veggies
- ¾ cup bulgur
- ¾ cup uncooked white or brown rice
- 1 head of roughly chopped cabbage, about 5 cups
Finish & Toppings
- 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
- ½-1 tablespoon sherry or balsamic, optional, to taste
- dried or fresh parsley to garnish
- 1 dollop vegan sour cream substitute
Instructions
- Heat water or oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, carrots, garlic, tomato, celery, and parsnips. Sauté until softened, about 5–10 minutes. Add more water as needed so the vegetables don’t dry out.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water or stock, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, dill, cayenne, bay leaves, bouillon (if using), Worcestershire sauce, and maple syrup. Bring to a boil.
- Lower heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes.
- Add bulgur and rice. Cover partially and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cabbage. Cover partially and continue cooking until the rice is tender and the cabbage is soft, about 10 more minutes.
- Finish with sherry, starting with ½ tablespoon and adding more if desired.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve garnished with parsley and a dollop of cashew sour cream.
Notes
- I used white long-grain rice for this recipe. If you use brown rice, add about 15 extra minutes of cooking time and wait to add the cabbage until the last 10–15 minutes, depending on how tender you like it.
- Most of the prep happens while the soup cooks, so the total time is closer to 50 minutes.
- Make sure to make the vegan sour cream substitute (or store-bought); it turns an already delicious soup into something really special.
- As the soup sits, it will absorb the liquid. Add more water if you like it brothier, or enjoy it thicker like a stew the next day. You may want to adjust seasonings if you add more liquid.
- This makes a big pot, so leftovers are definitely part of the plan.
Nutrition
Julie Gaeta is a plant-based recipe creator, certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and mom of nine who's been plant-based for over 20 years. She's cooked approximately 4,382 pots of beans and can't vacation without her juicer and pasta pot. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, Yahoo, YourTango, and other major outlets. She helps others simplify wellness and feel good again through her blog, coaching, and weekly newsletter.
Julie Gaeta says
This cabbage roll soup is a comfort food favorite. The bulgur and rice make it hearty and filling, and the cabbage roll flavors are so good. It makes a huge batch, so it's perfect for meal prep.