Healthy Fast Food Recipes

Slow Cooker Golumpki Soup (Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup)

Doctor Pizza

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Golumpki, the classic Polish stuffed cabbage rolls, are delicious but take a lot of work. This slow cooker golumpki soup has all the same flavors (cabbage, lean meat, tomato and rice) with none of the rolling. Golumpki soup is one of the fastest-rising cabbage recipes on Pinterest, and slow cooker season is here, so this cozy, high-protein soup is perfect for the cold months.

🥣 Why You’ll Love This Healthy Soup

Hands-off: About 15 minutes of prep, then the slow cooker does the rest.
High in protein and fiber: About 20 g of protein and 6 g of fiber per bowl.
Lighter than the original: Lean ground turkey and brown rice instead of fatty pork and white rice.
Freezer-friendly: Make a big batch and freeze portions for busy days.

Bowl of slow cooker golumpki soup with cabbage, tomato broth, rice, yogurt and fresh dill

Slow Cooker Golumpki Soup (Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup)

All the flavor of Polish cabbage rolls with none of the rolling: lean turkey, cabbage, tomato and brown rice, slow-cooked into a cozy, high-protein soup.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 7

Total Time 7 15

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Polish

Servings 6 servings

Calories 265 kcal

Ingredients

1 lb 93% lean ground turkey 450 g, or lean ground beef
1 medium onion diced
2 carrots diced
3 cloves garlic minced
½ medium green cabbage about 1 lb / 450 g, chopped
28 oz crushed tomatoes 1 can / 794 g
4 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth 950 ml
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp dried dill or thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1½ cups cooked brown rice or cauliflower rice for low-carb
salt and pepper to taste
fresh dill or parsley and plain Greek yogurt for serving

Instructions

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground turkey with the onion for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up, until no longer pink. Add the garlic for the last minute.
Add the meat mixture, carrots, cabbage, crushed tomatoes, broth, paprika, dill and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir well.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the cabbage is very tender.
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the cooked rice and apple cider vinegar and let it warm through for 10–15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve topped with fresh herbs and a spoonful of Greek yogurt.

Notes

Add the rice at the end so it doesn't turn mushy. Cook time shown is for LOW; on HIGH it takes 3–4 hours. Using cauliflower rice saves about 15 g of carbs per serving. Keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Nutrition values are estimates.

Keyword crockpot soup, golumpki soup, slow cooker cabbage soup, unstuffed cabbage roll soup

🍴 How to Eat It

As a complete one-bowl dinner. It already has protein, vegetables and grains.
With a slice of whole-grain rye bread for a traditional touch.
Packed in jars for easy work lunches. It tastes even better the next day.

🧘‍♀️ Nutrition Tips

Approximate nutrition per serving (about 1¾ cups): 265 calories · 20 g protein · 31 g carbs · 6 g fiber · 7 g fat.

For low-carb: Use cauliflower rice instead of brown rice. That saves about 15 g of carbs per serving.
Control the sodium by using low-sodium broth and salting at the end.
Storage: Keeps for 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition values are estimates.

🛒 Healthy Amazon Finds for This Recipe

Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker: a programmable timer that switches to Warm automatically, perfect for busy days.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make golumpki soup on the stovetop?

Yes. Brown the meat and onion in a large pot, add everything except the rice and vinegar, then cover and simmer for 30–40 minutes until the cabbage is tender. Stir in the cooked rice and vinegar at the end.

Can I use uncooked rice in the slow cooker?

You can, but it’s less reliable: raw rice soaks up a lot of broth and can turn mushy over a long cook. If you try it, add extra broth and stir in the rice during the last hour. Adding cooked rice at the end gives the best texture.

Does golumpki soup freeze well?

Yes. It keeps for up to 3 months in the freezer. For the best texture, freeze it before adding the rice, then stir in fresh cooked rice when you reheat it.

Is golumpki soup healthy?

Yes. Each bowl has about 265 calories, 20 g of protein and 6 g of fiber from lean turkey, cabbage, tomatoes and brown rice. For more light soups, see our Detox Soup Recipe.

🔗 You May Also Like

🧮 Track it: Use our free Macronutrients Calculator to see how this recipe fits your daily protein, carb and fat goals.

✅ Final Thoughts

This slow cooker golumpki soup gives you all the comfort of grandma’s cabbage rolls in a lighter, easier, high-protein bowl. Set it up in the morning and come home to a cozy, healthy dinner. Save it to your soup board for the cold months!