Welcome to your new favorite weeknight meal! This incredibly easy and comforting pressure cooker cabbage soup, featuring savory ground sausage and tender rice, is designed for busy home cooks. Whether you own a Ninja Foodi or an Instant Pot, this recipe promises a hearty, flavorful, and gluten-free dinner that will quickly become a staple. Say goodbye to complicated cooking and hello to delicious simplicity!
Our pressure cooker cabbage soup is a revelation, offering rich flavors with ground sausage or beef. It’s an ideal choice for a cozy dinner, especially as the weather cools. If you’re searching for more convenient Instant Pot recipes that deliver big on taste with minimal effort, you’ve come to the right place! (Affiliate links may be present, supporting our culinary adventures.)
Instant Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Soup: The Easiest Way to Enjoy Cabbage
Imagine all the delicious flavors of traditional cabbage rolls, but without the fussy rolling and extended cooking time. That’s exactly what you get with our Instant Pot unstuffed cabbage soup! This deconstructed version is not only quicker but also incredibly satisfying, making it a new favorite for cabbage lovers. Beyond the Instant Pot, this versatile recipe can also be prepared as a Ninja Foodi recipe or even in your Crockpot Express. Any electric pressure cooker with a high-pressure function will yield fantastic results.
While a slow cooker stuffed cabbage soup certainly has its charm, the pressure cooker slashes the cooking time dramatically, bringing a hearty, comforting meal to your table much faster. Both methods deliver a robust dish, whether you prefer it with savory ground beef, flavorful sausage, or a delightful vegetarian version by simply omitting the meat.
Essential Tips for Pressure Cooking Success
To ensure you have the best experience with this recipe and all your pressure cooking endeavors, consider these helpful tips:
- For a comprehensive collection of diverse recipes, make sure to explore our dedicated Instant Pot recipes page, where we consistently add new and exciting dishes.
- Enhance your pressure cooking journey by considering an InstaPot cookbook for endless inspiration and expert guidance.
- A crucial accessory for any pressure cooker enthusiast is a good non-stick inner pot. We highly recommend investing in this non-stick pot. It not only simplifies cleanup but also significantly reduces the chances of encountering the dreaded “burn message”, ensuring a smoother cooking process.
For context, this is the specific pressure cooker we use for developing and testing all our delicious recipes, consistently achieving excellent results.
Ninja Foodi Cabbage Soup: Versatility at Its Best
The beauty of this unstuffed cabbage dish lies in its adaptability across various electric pressure cookers, including the popular Ninja Foodi. I once prepared a variation that turned out thicker, which I affectionately named Instant Pot stuffed cabbage casserole. However, for a perfect soup consistency, this particular recipe calls for a generous amount of broth and tomato sauce, creating a rich and savory liquid base.
When using your Ninja Foodi, simply use the non-attached pressure cooking lid and select the pressure cook function. It’s all about utilizing the equipment you have and love to create meals that suit your preferences. For a truly complete and satisfying dinner, consider pairing this delightful soup with some warm, crusty pull-apart bread. It’s the perfect complement to soak up every last drop of the flavorful broth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cabbage Soup
Many people have questions about making the perfect cabbage soup. Here are some common inquiries:
What type of cabbage is good for soup?
While many varieties work, Savoy cabbage is often considered the best for soup due to its tender leaves and delicate flavor. However, common green cabbage is also excellent and more readily available. You’re unlikely to find a huge variety at most grocery stores beyond purple or organic options, but local farmers markets might offer more unique types.
What is cabbage soup called?
The name for cabbage soup can vary widely depending on regional culinary traditions. Here, we refer to it as unstuffed cabbage soup to highlight its similarity to deconstructed cabbage rolls. If you incorporate sauerkraut, some traditions might call it sour shchi, particularly in Eastern European cuisine.
Here’s a glimpse of the key ingredients we typically gather to bring this incredible soup to life:
Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup: A Homage to a Humble Vegetable
If you’re new to simple cabbage recipes, you’re in for a treat. Cabbage, often overlooked, brings a wonderful texture and a subtle, earthy flavor to dishes that truly elevates them. In my opinion, this versatile vegetable doesn’t receive nearly enough credit for its culinary potential.
- My grandma was a big proponent of cooking with cabbage, but truthfully, in my younger years, I wasn’t eager to try it. It seems with age comes wisdom – or at least a broadened palate! Now, I find myself incorporating cabbage into almost everything, appreciating its unique qualities and health benefits.
This unstuffed cabbage roll soup was an absolute winner in our household. It’s perfectly satisfying on its own, but if you desire a little something extra, a warm roll or a slice of crusty bread on the side makes for a delightful addition. It’s comfort food at its finest, made accessible for any night of the week.
Is Cabbage Soup Good for Weight Loss? Understanding the Difference
It’s important to clarify that this particular recipe for pressure cooker cabbage soup is *not* designed as a weight-loss soup. While delicious and wholesome, it is generously loaded with flavorful ground sausage (or beef) and rice, which contribute to a higher calorie count and richer profile than typical restrictive weight-loss cabbage soup diets. Those diets often feature a broth-based soup with only vegetables and are meant for very short-term calorie reduction, which many nutritionists do not consider a healthy or sustainable method for weight management. Our soup is about hearty, satisfying flavor for a family dinner, not a diet plan.
Pressure Cooker Cabbage Soup Ingredients: The Flavorful Foundation
Crafting this incredible soup requires a thoughtful selection of ingredients that build layers of rich flavor and satisfying texture. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need:
- Ground Sausage: We highly recommend a spicy version to add an extra kick, but a mild Italian sausage works wonderfully too. While ground beef is an option, sausage typically delivers a much deeper and more complex flavor profile to the soup.
- Cabbage: A fresh head of green cabbage, chopped into large, bite-sized pieces, provides the essential foundation and a delightful tender-crisp texture.
- Olive Oil: Used to sauté the meat and onions initially, helping to brown them and build a foundational flavor before pressure cooking.
- Spaghetti Sauce or Tomato Sauce: A good quality spaghetti sauce, with its blend of herbs and tomatoes, is our preferred choice as it adds more depth than plain tomato sauce.
- Diced Tomatoes: Petite diced tomatoes are excellent for adding a pleasant chunky texture and bright tomato flavor throughout the soup.
- Beef Broth: Using beef broth instead of water is crucial. It infuses the entire soup with a rich, savory essence that water simply cannot provide.
- Rice: Uncooked white rice (long grain or Jasmine) is added directly to the pot and cooks perfectly in the broth, absorbing all the wonderful flavors and making the soup incredibly hearty.
- Onions: Diced onions are optional but highly recommended. They caramelize slightly during the sautéing process, adding a sweet aromatic base to the soup.
- Seasoning: While we find the existing ingredients provide ample flavor, feel free to add salt and pepper to taste, or any other preferred seasonings like a pinch of dried oregano or Italian seasoning.
Optional Add-ins: For an even more robust vegetable presence, consider dicing and adding carrots or celery along with the onions during the initial sauté step. These vegetables add extra nutrients and a lovely complexity to the broth.
What Kind of Rice is Best for Soup?
For this pressure cooker cabbage soup, we recommend using long-grain white rice or Jasmine rice. These varieties cook quickly and maintain a good texture within the soup, becoming tender without turning overly mushy. Avoid “Minute” or instant rice varieties, as they tend to break down too much and can result in a less desirable, pulpy texture when cooked under pressure.
Can You Cook Raw Rice in Soup? Absolutely!
One of the most appealing aspects of this recipe is the ability to cook raw rice directly in the soup. There’s no need for pre-cooking! Simply add the uncooked white rice to your Instant Pot with all the other ingredients, and it will cook to perfection in the flavorful beef broth. This method allows the rice to absorb all the delicious juices, infusing every grain with incredible taste. In just about 12-15 minutes of pressure cooking time (plus pressure build-up), you’ll have perfectly tender rice integrated into your hearty meal.
Can You Make Unstuffed Cabbage Without Rice?
Yes, you absolutely can! If you prefer a lower-carb option or simply aren’t a fan of rice, feel free to omit it from the recipe. The soup will still be wonderfully flavorful and satisfying. However, we personally find that the addition of rice significantly contributes to the heartiness and overall comforting texture of the meal, making it a more complete and filling dish.
How Long Does It Take to Make Soup with Rice in a Pressure Cooker?
The total time required for this pressure cooker cabbage soup is remarkably short – approximately 20-27 minutes from start to finish. This includes the time it takes for your appliance to come to pressure. Once the pressure cooking cycle is complete and the pressure is released, you’ll have a steaming, hearty dinner soup ready to serve. One of the best secrets about this Instant Pot cabbage soup is that it’s often even more fantastic the next day as leftovers!
As the soup sits, especially overnight, it tends to thicken up slightly, becoming less “soupy” and more stew-like. This transformation doesn’t detract from the taste; in fact, it often enhances it, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen further. It truly is amazing.
After you’ve savored this fantastic Instant Pot cabbage soup, we encourage you to explore our collection of other easy and delicious pressure cooker soups. This recipe joins our extensive list of Instant Pot soup recipes, each promising a complete meal bursting with flavor.
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup: All the flavors of lasagna in a comforting soup.
- Pressure Cooker Bean Soup: A wholesome and satisfying soup that requires no pre-soaking of beans.
- This Pressure Cooker Sausage and Cabbage dish is another one you’ll undoubtedly love.
- Our 17-minute homemade Instant Pot Split Pea Soup Recipe is a quick and healthy classic.
If you’re preparing this as a Ninja Foodi cabbage soup, simply set it to high pressure for 12 minutes. The Ninja Foodi typically doesn’t have a specific “rice” button, so this manual setting works perfectly.
Can You Freeze Cabbage Soup? Yes, It’s Perfect for Meal Prep!
Absolutely! This cabbage soup recipe is ideal for meal prepping or ensuring you have a quick dinner on hand for a busy night. We highly recommend making a double batch so you can easily freeze half of it. To freeze, first allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature. Then, transfer it into an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving a little headspace for expansion. It will maintain its quality in the freezer for about 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
For more delicious and innovative Instant Pot cabbage recipes, explore these fantastic options:
- Pressure Cooker Fried Cabbage: A quick and flavorful side dish.
- Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage: The traditional favorite, made easier in your pressure cooker.
- You can also prepare a delicious unstuffed cabbage casserole in your oven for another variation.
- Easy Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage: A classic dish, simplified for your pressure cooker.
Average Rating: 4.92 from 12 votes
Pressure Cooker Cabbage Soup
Justine
15
12
27
6
Save or print this recipe for your convenience!
Print Recipe
Equipment
-
1 pressure cooker
-
1 knife
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground sausage (1/2 regular and 1/2 lb. spicy is best for balanced flavor)
- 1 c onion (diced)
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce (24 oz)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (petite, 14.5 oz.)
- 32-40 oz beef broth (depending on desired soupiness)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2-1 c uncooked white rice (raw, long-grain or Jasmine, we prefer 1 cup for a heartier soup)
- 6 c cabbage (cut into 2×2″ squares, then separated into chunks)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
-
Set your pressure cooker to the “Sauté” function. Add the olive oil, diced onion, and 1 lb. of ground sausage. Cook, breaking up the sausage, until it’s no longer pink. About halfway through, add the minced garlic and continue cooking for another minute until fragrant. Once done, turn the pressure cooker OFF.
-
Carefully add the can of petite diced tomatoes (undrained), spaghetti sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and 32-40 oz. of beef broth into the pot. Stir gently to combine all the liquids and seasonings with the sausage. (Note: We typically start with 32 oz. of broth and can add an additional cup at the end if we prefer a thinner, soupier consistency).
-
Evenly pour your uncooked white rice into the liquid. It is crucial NOT to stir the rice at this point, as it can cause the “burn” message. Next, separate the leaves of your cubed cabbage and measure out approximately 6 cups.
-
Place the 6 cups of cabbage leaves on top of the liquid and rice in your Instant Pot. Gently press the cabbage down into the liquid without stirring it into the bottom.
-
Secure the lid on your pressure cooker, ensuring it is properly sealed. Close the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position.
-
Select the “Rice” button on your Instant Pot. This will automatically set the cooking time to low pressure for 12 minutes. If your pressure cooker does not have a “Rice” button, set it to “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” on HIGH pressure for 12 minutes.
-
Once the cooking cycle is complete, perform a quick release of the pressure by carefully opening the steam valve (using a kitchen towel or oven mitt). Once the float valve drops, open the lid. Stir the soup, and if desired, add extra broth for a thinner consistency. Serve hot and enjoy, perhaps with some freshly shredded Parmesan cheese on top!
Video
A video tutorial could be placed here to visually guide you through the cooking process.
Nutrition
Calories: 409kcal,
Carbohydrates: 28g,
Protein: 17g,
Fat: 25g,
Saturated Fat: 7g,
Cholesterol: 54mg,
Sodium: 1686mg,
Potassium: 971mg,
Fiber: 4g,
Sugar: 10g,
Vitamin A: 695IU,
Vitamin C: 43.2mg,
Calcium: 96mg,
Iron: 3.6mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Appetizer, Entree, Main Course, Soup
American
Tried this recipe?
Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!
