This Keto Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup is a comforting, hearty, low carb meal made easily in your slow cooker for any busy weeknight!
WHAT IS CABBAGE ROLL SOUP?
Cabbage roll soup is essentially a deconstructed cabbage roll turned into an easy soup! You may or may not be a cabbage fan, but honestly you must try this recipe it might just win you over!
One of the most comforting meals on a cold winter's day made in your slow cooker or just simmer on the stove, but either way it's a hearty meal for the whole family.
Often cabbage roll soup has rice in it, but to make this keto friendly, I swapped it out with the infamous cauliflower and you will love how thick the texture is because of it. In fact I think you'll love it even more than traditional cabbage roll soup with rice!
CARBS IN TOMATOES AND MARINARA SAUCE
Tomatoes can be enjoyed on a low-carb or keto diet. There is no food that is keto. Ketosis is a nutritional state your body is in when you lower the carbs enough to get into ketosis.
1 large tomato is about 7 carbs. Contrary to popular belief, you can enjoy a small amount of tomatoes within a recipe. Granted you may not be able to eat a whole tomato and stay in ketosis but, a small amount can be enjoyed.
½ cup of my homemade low carb marinara sauce is 6 total carbs. You can also purchase Rao's brand which is low carb if you don't want to make my recipe.
This unstuffed cabbage roll soup provides you a whole lot of servings so the total carbs per serving are 8 and if you follow net carbs just 6 grams per 1.5 cups of this delicious soup!
LOW-CARB RICE OPTIONS
There are a many options for a low carb rice that you could use in this cabbage roll soup. I chose cauliflower rice but there are plenty of others if you aren't a fan.
Palmini rice is made from Hearts of palm and has about the same amount of carbs as cauliflower rice.
Miracle rice or Shirataki rice is another low carb option with the lowest amount of carbs, just 4 per serving.
If you choose to use rice instead of cauliflower then I would suggest 1 cup of cooked rice and eliminate the cauliflower. You can eliminate the cauliflower in the recipe if you prefer. I feel it was a good substitute for rice which is usually in cabbage rolls. I think it thickened it nicely without being very noticeable in texture.
I will tell you that not even my hubby noticed cauliflower was in this soup and everyone who was at our party raved about it and asked for the recipe and none of them are low carb!
SLOW COOKER VERSUS STOVE TOP METHOD
The slow cooker is great if you have the time in the morning to make before heading out to work. It will be amazing to come home to the aromas of a hearty cabbage roll soup.
But don't fret if you don't have a slow cooker or don't have the time. I've provided directions below for making this recipe in your stove top in about an hour.
Either method will provide you a satisfying meal for the whole family and plenty of left overs!
HOW TO MAKE CABBAGE ROLL SOUP
1. Heat olive oil and garlic on medium high heat.
2.Add onions and shallots and cook until softened.
3. Add ground beef and cook until browned and no longer pink.
4. Add seasonings to beef and marinara sauce.
5. Add the riced cauliflower to the beef mixture and stir until coated.
6. Pour the beef into the crock pot, along with broth and cabbage.
7. Stir to combine everything and cover slow cooker. Cook on high 3 hours or low 6 hours.
If you don't have a crock pot, simply cook ground beef in a dutch oven or heavy soup pot, follow recipe and simmer on low, covered for about an hour until cabbage is tender.
LOW-CARB VERSUS KETO
If you've had a reluctant family member not ready to embrace a sugar free and/or low carb lifestyle, try comforting recipes like this that they won't even notice is grain free and healthy! They will hopefully realize it's not that hard to give up processed carbs and sugar.
Unsure about the differences between sugar-free and low carb? I've cleared it up for you in this post as well as low-carb versus keto to help you figure out the best plan for you!
KETO UNSTUFFED CABBAGE ROLL SOUP
Crock Pot Low Carb Un-Stuffed Cabbage Roll Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup onion chopped
- ½ cup shallots chopped
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 16 ounces low carb marinara sauce
- 2 cups cauliflower riced
- 5 cups beef broth low sodium
- 8 cups cabbage sliced
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and garlic on medium high heat.
- Add onions and shallots and cook until softened.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned and no longer pink.
- Add seasonings to beef and marinara sauce.
- Add the riced cauliflower to the beef mixture and stir until coated.
- Pour the beef into the crock pot.
- Pour beef broth into crock pot and add cabbage.
- Stir to combine everything.
- Cook on high 3 hours or low 6 hours. If you don't have a crock pot, simply cook ground beef in a dutch oven or heavy soup pot, follow recipe and simmer on low, covered for about an hour until cabbage is tender.
Notes
- This recipe was first published in January 2016 and updated with video in October 2018.
- You can subscribe for free by email so you won't ever miss any recipes I share on social media.
Roxann Benbow
Made this for dinner last night, it makes a large quantity. Its is very good we both liked it. Will be making it again.
Kim
Could you use Sour cabbage?
Priscilla
any idea how to make this in the Instant Pot? how many minutes to pressure cook? I have ground beef already browned. I could saute the onions & then deglaze the pot with the broth before putting everything else in
Selma
Priscilla, our instant pot has a slow cook button, maybe your has it too? Otherwise, I have made cabbage alone in instant pot before and it took only 5 min. I like mine to have a bit of a bite. Since all other ingredients are already precooked, 5-10 min should be enough giving a amount and depending how soft you like your cabbage to be🤗
David
I grew up eating cabbage rolls, they were amazing. This was a huge hit, well done Brenda and a big thank you.
Suzanne
Can you freeze the leftover
Brenda
Yes that works.
Susan H
This looks so good!!! Can I use frozen cauliflower rice or will it ruin the recipe?
Brenda
Sure that works, just thaw and drain liquid before adding to the soup.