If you like the flavors of cabbage rolls, then you have to try this paleo cabbage roll soup. Loaded with healthy cabbage, tomatoes, ground beef, and lots of flavor, this soup is surprisingly and deliciously paleo-friendly.

When cabbage roll soup began making its rounds on the internet, I wanted to give it a try with a paleo-friendly spin. Namely, I cut out the rice, used lots of veggies, and to sweeten it just a bit I used coconut sugar (instead of brown sugar).

And guess what? It was delicious.

Thick, rich, and tomato-y with just a touch of sweetness.

It reminded me of my mom’s cabbage rolls – a dish she only makes occasionally, but it’s one of my favorites.

Paleo Cabbage Roll Soup: What You’ll Need

The ingredient list is pretty short (read: affordable!):

• 1 small head of green cabbage (approximately 1.5 pound head)
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 carrots
• Garlic (3 cloves… or more!)
• 1 lb. ground beef (buy frozen to save money)
• Tomato paste
• Worcestershire sauce
• Beef bouillon cubes (a cheaper option than beef broth in a carton)
• Coconut sugar (a paleo-friendly alternative to brown sugar)
• Red wine vinegar

If you’ve ever made homemade cabbage rolls before, you will appreciate how much faster and easier this soup is to make!

Money-Saving Tips For Making Soup

I make soup ALL THE TIME and always abide by these money-saving tips:

• Instead of buying cartons of broth (beef broth or chicken broth), I usually use bouillon cubes + water, and occasionally purchase Better Than Bouillon paste
• I usually purchase frozen ground beef from ALDI, and keep a few packages in my freezer for easy weeknight meals
• I practice these tips for making your food taste better without spending a lot of money (this recipe uses tips #1 and #3)

More Paleo-Friendly Soup Recipes

Looking for hearty, veggie-packed paleo-friendly soup recipes that don’t cost a lot of money? Here are a few reader favorites:

• Creamy sausage kale soup
• Creamy vegetable soup (makes great use of odds-and-ends of vegetables & vegetable scraps)
• Smokey whiskey chili (omit kidney beans, use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar – or omit sugar altogether)
• Midwestern booyah stew
• Homemade vegetable broth (using vegetable scraps)

More Cabbage Recipes

If you are looking to save money on food, adding more cabbage-based recipes into your meal rotation is a great idea. Cabbage costs roughly 17 cents per cup when chopped up. Here are some recipes to try:

• Buttered cabbage
• Savory roasted cabbage
• Cabbage and ground beef casserole
• Egg roll casserole
• Reuben bowls
• Thai peanut cabbage slaw
• Peanut ramen salad
• Cabbage crunch salad
• 50 affordable cabbage recipes

Continue to Content

Cabbage Roll Soup (Paleo)

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This recipe makes a thick and hearty soup. If you prefer a thinner soup, you can add more beef broth.

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Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• Olive oil
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small head of cabbage (about 1.5 pounds)
• 3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 5 cups beef broth (or equivalent water + beef bouillon cubes)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Dried parsley, for topping

Instructions

1. Prepare cabbage: Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage. Rinse under cold water. Remove stem. Cut cabbage in half, and proceed to cut into bite-sized pieces.
2. In a large pot, sauté onion in a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, until onions begin to brown.
3. Add ground beef, breaking the meat up as it cooks, until browned. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add chopped carrot and cabbage. Cook for a minute or two, stirring.
5. Add beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, coconut sugar, and red wine vinegar. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are fork tender. Season with salt and pepper. Top with parsley, for serving.

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