If you're a cabbage roll fan, you must try this keto unstuffed cabbage soup. It's got all the flavor you love without all the work in an easy to make low-carb soup recipe.
Article Index
The Perfect Soup For Picky Eaters
When you are trying to feed a family, it's tough to navigate menu planning, especially with picky eaters. But, I have to say everyone loves this soup, even picky kids.
My three year old has really been into soup lately. I'm not sure if it's because of the cooler weather or the fact that she just likes to sip her food.
It's really tough when you have picky eaters. When I was growing up, we just ate what we were given. There were no complaints or refusals.
My son, the oldest of three, has always been a great eater. Then my two daughters came along and were complete opposites.
My older daughter refused to eat any vegetable right from the start as a baby. It wasn't until she was 18 that she decided to try salads and vegetables.
When my youngest saw me make this easy unstuffed cabbage soup recipe, she wanted to eat it immediately. Although she didn't care for the meat, she was crazy about the rest.
What's In Unstuffed Cabbage Soup
You'll certainly get enough to serve a large group of people. And, it only calls for a couple of pounds of ground beef and a head of cabbage. I used Miracle Rice to keep it authentic, but you could leave that out if you wish.
Cabbage is one of my favorite low carb vegetables, but I don't eat it that often. I need to start buying it more often. It has so many benefits!
One great way to eat more cabbage with little work is to buy it pre-shredded. Just pick up the coleslaw mix that doesn't have the added carrots.
You can use any of the leftover coleslaw mix to make a super easy low carb skillet dish called crack slaw. It's a yummy mix made with cabbage and ground beef.
This soup also has diced tomatoes, onion, and garlic in it.
For the broth, I used a combination of chicken bone broth and flavored it with Worcestershire sauce.
I prefer to make my own Worcestershire sauce since I know what's it in and I can make sure all the ingredients are keto-friendly.
Questions About Unstuffed Cabbage Soup
The full recipe is at the bottom of this post. First, I want to answer some of the most popular questions you might have.
Will This Cabbage Soup Fill Me Up?
I found this cabbage soup to be very filling eating only a small cup. It could be used as an appetizer or a main meal. For us, it was a perfect for lunch or dinner.
Are Tomatoes Keto-Friendly?
If you are in an induction phase, you may want to wait for maintenance for this soup. Tomatoes do have sugar which may stall weight loss if too much is eaten.
When I'm on an egg fast, I stay away from tomatoes. They are a fruit so you need to be careful with how much you eat.
How Do You Store Leftovers?
You can store leftovers easily in the refrigerator. Just put them in a sealed container. This soup will stay fresh for up to 4-5 days.
This soup freezes well, too! When you are ready to reheat it, either let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight or just heat it right on the stove from frozen.
If you are going to freeze it in a freezer bag, lay it flat in your freezer, not on a shelf with slits. The liquid soup will sag in between the slits on the shelf and expand as it freezes, making it get stuck.
What Can You Use Instead of Miracle Rice?
The Miracle Rice is incredible stuff. It has zero net carbs and fills you up.
Instead of Miracle Rice, you can always use cauliflower rice. You can also leave both options out entirely.
This soup will taste just as delicious without any rice, it just won't fill you up as much if you don't use it.
Can I Use Chicken Broth Instead of Bone Broth?
Chicken bone broth will make the soup thicker. It also has more nutrients in it and it fills yup up more. I always use bone broth over normal broth if I have the option.
How To Make Unstuffed Cabbage Soup
I love that it's so easy to make cabbage soup. You really just have to cook up the meat and then add in everything else. And, it simmers on the stove or in the crockpot without needing much attention.
Use Miracle Rice For Low-Carb Cabbage Soup
Miracle rice gives this soup bulk, makes it a lot more filling, and adds to the texture too. It really does taste and feel just like white rice.
Miracle rice is made from Konjac flour. It has zero net carbs and is gluten-free - a perfect choice for keto meals!
This Soup Makes 16 Servings
This unstuffed cabbage soup recipe made a lot of servings. I'd say it was about 16 bowls!
Since it was way too much for us, I ended up giving half to my son to take back to college with him.
Since he's busy studying and working on campus, he doesn't have a lot of time to cook. So, the soup should give him a few healthy meals without worry.
When I made the soup, I had no idea it was going to be such a large quantity. I ended up transferring it from a 6-quart pot to a 12-quart stock pot.
Other Recipes To Love
I hope you enjoy this tasty low carb soup. It's certainly a comforting meal to come home to on a chilly fall evening! If you like this recipe, you may want to take a look at my unstuffed cabbage casserole and stuffed pepper casserole.
And if you want more soup recipes, here are a few top picks:
- Instant Pot Low Carb Taco Soup tastes even better with a dollop of sour cream.
- Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup is filled with hearty vegetables and sausage.
- Vegetable Beef Soup is super easy to make in the slow cooker.
- Romaine Lettuce Soup is dairy-free and still super full of flavor.
- Roasted Brussels Sprout Soup is creamy and has the salty crunch of fried bacon on top.
Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!
Recipe
Easy Unstuffed Cabbage Soup Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 packages Miracle Rice (7 ounces each) optional (or use riced cauliflower)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- dash pepper
- 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces each)
- 1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 32 ounces chicken bone broth
- 1 head cabbage sliced into strips
- extra chicken bone broth optional
Instructions
- Prepare Miracle Rice (if using) by draining, soaking in water for 5 minutes, draining again, then boiling dry. Set aside.
- In large stock pot (I used 12 quart), heat oil and saute onions and garlic unit tender.
- Add ground beef to stock pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned.
- Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the cabbage and stir in. Cover and cook on medium low for about 30 minutes or until cabbage has softened.
- Stir in prepared Miracle Rice if using. Add additional chicken broth, if desired. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
First Published October 28, 2016... Last Updated: September 23, 2020 with additional recipe tips.
Lori
After reading this recipe, the recipe for cabbage lasagna, and the recipe for cabbage rolls, I opted for the soup since I figured slicing cabbage would be easier than rolling it. The lasagna recipe put me in the mood for Italian flavoring though, so I used half Italian sausage and half ground beef. I also subbed in 16 ounces of mushrooms since I was sans miracle rice and cauliflower rice. Great recipe and perfect for a chilly December evening! Thank you!
James Maverick ( USMC Retired )
The Best Recipe the wife and I have tried in a very long time!
This recipe was absolutely the best we have ever tried!
Well done Lisa, well done!!
KathyR
This is really good and healthy but it seems a little bland to me. What other spices might help?
Helene Bahnman
Great soup recipe. I omitted the rice and added konjac spaghetti noodles and served it with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Thanks for all of the recipes you share.
Jamie
Do we not need to drain the grease from cooking the hamburger first?
Lisa MarcAurele
You don't have to drain the grease unless you want to.
Keisha
I've made this a few times already using cauliflower rice, and I love it. I meal prep it for a week of meals, and I look forward to eating it every day.
Lynn O’Brien
Awesome soup, will make this again.
Ruth Siegel
THANK YOU for providing an "honest" low carb recipe for beef and cabbage soup. Other recipes claiming to be KETO or LOW CARB have carrots and cooked onions in them which jack up the carb counts. Their recipes pictures show carrots and onions that "stare" back at you while you are trying to keep your net carbs at 40 grams. This is a recipe that I can pass on to my clients. Kudos to you!
I am an Ideal Protein coach and will pass your site on to my graduates and clients!
Lisa MarcAurele
Thanks for the recommendation. It's definitely best to avoid or restrict carrots and onions on keto!
Aaron Rpberts
is a cup a serving?
Lisa MarcAurele
It's a little more than a cup.
Rosa rizk
Hi, what would be the carbs total if I added cauliflower rice instead of the miracle rice?
Charles
Notify when book is for sale
Lisa MarcAurele
The cookbook
Rose
I made this last night and it was AMAZING. I had to use ground turkey because I left my chop meat at the store, but it didn’t matter, delicious (and I’m polish!). I used cauliflower rice and I will absolutely be making this again. THANK YOU!!
Joan
Try using 1/3 ground pork to 2/3 ground beef. I’m Polish too. ????
Susan
How did you cook the cauliflower rice? I have a frozen bag. I'm afraid if I cook too long it will be mushy.
Lisa MarcAurele
If using frozen cauliflower rice, add it at the end of cooking just until it's heated.
Dana
I make this quite often. I use brown rice and add some of my own seasonings. It literally lasts all week long. My fiancé and and so love it !
Donna
Made this to take to work for our SuperBowl Friday celebration. Didn't change a thing (I used riced cauliflower )......everyone loved it! I will make again. Great recipe!
lorie
I made this with ground turkey and it was 1 WW Freestyle point for 1 cup. Very good!
Lisa
Good to know about the WW points!
Chris
Can this be frozen with the Miracle rice? With the cauliflower?
Lisa
Yes. The soup freezes well.
Becky
If I use riced cauliflower do I cook it before adding to the soup?
Lisa
You shouldn't have to if you cook it in the soup.
Martine
Made this tonight. Should I read your blog, as I didn't realize just how much soup it makes. I know what's for supper do the rest of the week!
Once I made the recipe I turned it over to my husband to adjust the flavours. He is quite picky and will complain if anything is at all bland. So he added some hot sauce, Sherry peppers, 2 generous glug of sherry, a cube of onion soup, and whole pepperscorn . . I added a bay leaf, some caraway seeds, some fennel seeds. It turned out really tasty and flavourful