Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup Instant Pot is a deconstructed take on classic cabbage rolls served as a comforting tomato-based soup. Ready in under 30 minutes in the Instant Pot, this recipe is hearty, economical, and full of robust flavors. Tips and a recipe video are included below.
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Note: This post has been updated with an ingredients photo, reheating directions, serving ideas, leftover storage tips, and frequently asked questions.
Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
This Instant Pot version captures the familiar flavors of stuffed cabbage rolls—savory meat, rice, cabbage, and a bright tomato base—without the work of rolling individual rolls. The base uses hot Italian sausage (you can substitute ground beef, or a 50/50 mix of pork and beef), long-grain white rice, fresh cabbage, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, aromatics, and a balanced blend of seasonings. It makes a filling family meal that stretches well and pairs perfectly with garlic bread or crusty sourdough.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Find the ingredients with exact measurements in the recipe card below. The list here summarizes the main components and substitution options.
- Ground meat: Hot Italian pork sausage (casings removed) is used here. You can substitute ground beef, or a 1:1 mix of ground beef and pork.
- Cabbage: Use fresh cabbage; half of a medium head or about 5 cups chopped into large 1/2–1 inch pieces for best texture.
- Rice: Long-grain white rice or jasmine rice works well. Avoid basmati or minute rice for this recipe.
- Tomatoes: The recipe combines crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste for depth and body.
- Aromatics: Yellow onion and minced garlic.
- Seasonings: Paprika, ground black pepper, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Adjust quantities to taste and add red pepper flakes if you like heat.
- Stock: Chicken, vegetable, or beef stock—use what you prefer. The recipe uses concentrated bouillon diluted in warm water.
- Oil: Any neutral oil or light olive oil for sautéing.
Tips & Tricks
- Low-carb option: Omit the rice and reduce stock to 1 cup, or replace rice with cauliflower rice (about 2/3 cup). If using cauliflower rice, keep the original stock amount.
- Cabbage size: Chop into larger pieces (about 1 inch) to prevent the cabbage from turning mushy during pressure cooking.
- Soup thickness: This version yields a stew-like, thicker soup. For a thinner broth, increase the stock to 7 cups.
- Meat choice: Browning the meat first adds a lot of layered flavor. Use Italian sausage, beef, pork, or a mix for more complexity.
- Tomato choices: Regular crushed or diced tomatoes are fine; fire-roasted or seasoned canned tomatoes will add extra depth and a hint of smokiness.
- Rice tips: Use uncooked long-grain or jasmine rice. If using leftover cooked rice, add it after cooking to avoid overcooking and thinning the soup.
Method
A full step-by-step recipe with measurements and a video is included in the recipe card below.
Step #1 — Brown the meat
Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE on HIGH. Heat oil, add the sausage (casings removed) and brown thoroughly. Drain excess fat if desired. Browning builds rich flavor that elevates the whole soup.
Step #2 — Pressure cook the soup
After browning, add chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Pour in stock and deglaze the pot thoroughly, scraping any browned bits to avoid a BURN warning. Stir in paprika, black pepper, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, rice, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Add the chopped cabbage, cancel SAUTE, close the lid and pressure cook on HIGH for 4 minutes, then perform a quick pressure release (QPR).
Open carefully, check seasoning and add salt if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot—ideal with garlic bread or crusty bread.
What to serve with cabbage roll soup
This soup pairs well with simple vegetable sides like Instant Pot steamed broccoli, green beans, or steamed carrots. It also works as part of a larger meal alongside cheesy garlic bread, bread sticks, a crisp green salad, toasted sourdough, or corn bread for a heartier spread.
Leftovers and storage
Fridge: Store in airtight containers for 4–5 days. Reheat as described below.
Freezer: Freeze up to 2 months in portion-sized freezer bags or containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop. Note that rice and cabbage may soften further after freezing and reheating.
How to reheat
Microwave: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then heat until hot. Add a splash of stock or water if the soup has thickened.
Stovetop: Reheat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add stock or water to adjust consistency and prevent sticking.
FAQs
Stored properly in the refrigerator, cabbage soup keeps for 4–5 days.
Yes. Overcooking breaks down the cabbage so that it becomes limp, pasty, and loses a pleasant texture and aroma.
Bitterness can come from glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables. Undercooking or overcooking can affect flavor; proper seasoning and balanced cooking help reduce bitterness.
Yes. Freeze in airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.
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Reader feedback
I made this on Monday, loved it so much I made a second batch on Tuesday and froze it!
— Loraine Kenemy
I love hearing from you! If you try this Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup recipe, please leave a comment and rating below to share how it turned out or what changes you made. You can also follow on Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter for new recipes each week.
Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup Instant Pot
10 minutes
15 minutes
25 minutes
6 people
257kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound Hot Italian Pork Sausage (casings removed; or use ground beef/pork)
- 5 cups Cabbage (about 1/2 head, chopped into large 1/2–1 inch squares)
- 1/2 cup Long grain white rice (or jasmine)
- 1 cup Onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 tbsp Garlic (minced)
- 15 oz Crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- 8 oz Tomato sauce (1 can)
- 3 tbsp Tomato paste
- 5.5 cups Chicken stock (use 7 cups for a thinner soup)
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt to taste
Seasonings
- 1/2 tbsp Paprika
- 1.5 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Bay leaves
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE on HIGH. Add oil and brown the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain excess fat if desired.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
- Pour in the chicken stock and deglaze the pot thoroughly, scraping the bottom to remove any stuck bits to prevent a BURN warning.
- Stir in paprika, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, mixing to combine.
- Add the uncooked long-grain rice, chopped cabbage, bay leaves, and salt. Cancel SAUTE.
- Close the lid and PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 4 minutes.
- When the cook cycle ends, perform a quick pressure release (QPR) and open the lid carefully.
- Check seasoning, adjust salt and pepper as needed, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve hot. For a thinner soup, add additional stock.
Notes
- To make it spicy: Add 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeños when adding other seasonings.
- Thinner soup: Use 7 cups of chicken stock instead of 5.5 cups.
- Seasonings: Adjust to taste; this recipe is forgiving and benefits from generous seasoning.
- Cabbage size: Do not finely chop the cabbage; larger pieces hold up better to pressure cooking.
- Meat options: Use Italian sausage alone, or a mix of sausage and ground beef for depth.
- Rice: Use long-grain white or jasmine; do not use instant minute rice.
- Tomatoes: Regular crushed tomatoes work well; seasoned or fire-roasted canned tomatoes will change the final flavor profile.
- Storage: Soup thickens in the fridge; add stock or water when reheating to restore consistency.
Calorie and nutrition details are estimates provided by a third-party tool.