Instant Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

Instant Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Soup–This soup has the flavors of a cabbage roll with its ground beef, plenty of seasonings and lots of cabbage. It is a low-cal, high protein soup that satisfies!

Note: the SLOW COOKER instructions are listed in the recipe card below

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Instant Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

Cabbage rolls are so tasty but if you’ve ever tried to make them, then you know they can be quite tedious.  They are rolled up cabbage leaves stuffed with beef, rice, tomato sauce and seasonings. Why not take the delicious flavors from cabbage rolls and put them into a soup form?

This soup is super easy to make and takes only about 15 minutes for prep time and 10 minutes of pressure cooking time (or you can make it in your slow cooker and let it simmer all day!). This “unstuffed” cabbage soup is a little different from my Instant Pot cabbage roll soup because it doesn’t have white rice in it. So if you’re not a fan of rice or don’t want the carbs try this recipe! You’re going to love it. Greg is going crazy over it and keeps commenting how good it tastes. 

What’s In Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

• 1 pound lean ground beef–you can also use ground turkey or ground pork
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt–for flavor
• 3 cups beef broth–to bring the pot to pressure
• 2 Tbsp dried onions–or you can use 1 cup diced onions and saute along with the beef
• 1 bay leaf–for flavor
• 1 small cabbage, chopped–if you’re trying to hide veggies from kids then chop smaller
• 1 (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes–I like petite diced tomatoes best. Fire roasted tomatoes are amazing!
• 1 (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes–for a different texture
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce–for the tomato flavor
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic cloves–for flavor
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar–to add some brightness
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce–adds a savory and sweet distinct tang
• 1/4 tsp allspice–to add a warm spice flavor with a tiny bit of bite
• 1/2 tsp black pepper–for flavor
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder–for flavor
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder–for flavor
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning–for flavor
• 1 tsp smoked paprika–for a bit of smoky heat

How to make unstuffed cabbage roll soup in the Instant Pot

1. Brown the beef: Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Brown for about 5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease. Stir in ½ teaspoon of the salt. 
2. Deglaze the pot: Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking (to prevent burn error message). Turn off Instant Pot.
3. Add ingredients: Add in the onions and the bay leaf. Add all the cabbage on top. And then add the remaining ingredients and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt on top of the cabbage. (Don’t stir)
4. Pressure cook: Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 10 minutes (if you don’t have a soup button use the manual/pressure cook button). When cooking time is up let the pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
5. Serve: Stir well and serve topped with a little shredded parmesan cheese.

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Questions About Unstuffed Cabbage Soup

Will This Cabbage Soup Fill Me Up?

This soup only has 287 calories per serving but it will fill you up! To me, it seemed hearty with the ground beef and the large amount of cabbage. You won’t miss that this soup doesn’t have rice in it! If you want to beef it up a bit stir in some cooked cauliflower rice after it has pressure cooked. 

What to Serve with Cabbage Roll Soup

Try serving the soup with breadsticks, French bread or rolls. Nothing beats fresh bread (especially this time of year!).

Can I Use Chicken Broth Instead of Beef Broth?

Yes you can! Or you can try using any Better Than Bouillon flavor that you like. Use 3 cups water and 1 Tbsp of Better Than Bouillon.

Can I Use Purple Cabbage?

I used green cabbage but purple cabbage would also work. The color of your soup might be different and darker with a slightly different flavor.

How to Make Cabbage Roll Soup in a Slow Cooker

You can make this recipe in the crockpot too! Some slow cookers* have a setting that allows you to brown beef and then add in the rest of the ingredients and slow cook. If you don’t have that setting you will need to brown the ground beef on the stove in a frying pan before adding it into the slow cooker. You can also use the slow cooker setting on your Instant Pot. I would use the highest setting (“more”) because I have heard that the less and normal settings don’t work as well.

How Do You Store Leftovers?

Store the leftovers in an airtight container* for up to 5 days. Leftovers are better than the first day!

How to Freeze Cabbage Roll Soup

This recipe freezes well. Freeze in an airtight container or a zipper freezer bag for up to 3 months. To reheat place the container in the refrigerator the night before and let thaw. Then reheat on the stove or in the Instant Pot on saute setting, stirring often.

Can I double this recipe?

You can double this recipe in the 8 quart pot or 1.5 times the recipe in the 6 quart pot. Keep the same cooking time.

Can I halve this recipe?

Yes, halve all the ingredients and keep the same cooking time.

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Other Recipes You’ll Love

Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Casserole

Instant Pot Tortellini Meatball Soup Recipe

Instant Pot Cowboy Soup

Instant Pot “Free” Soup

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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.