Piggy Soup Recipe (Cabbage Roll Soup)

This Piggy Soup is a cozy one-pot twist on classic cabbage rolls, packed with ground pork, tender cabbage, rice, and a rich tomato broth — pure comfort in every spoonful.

Piggy Soup

Piggy Soup is just a playful name for what most people know as cabbage roll soup — a hearty, cozy, one-pot meal that captures all the goodness of classic cabbage rolls without the rolling and fuss. It's a full-bodied comfort food made with ground pork (or beef), cabbage, rice, tomatoes, and warm spices, all simmered together until the flavors meld into something rich and deeply satisfying.

This dish shows up in different corners of the world under different names. In Polish homes, it might remind you of Zupa Gołąbkowa. In small-town America, it’s a go-to for Sunday dinner or when the weather turns cold. But no matter what you call it, the idea’s the same: take the filling of a stuffed cabbage roll and turn it into a soup that feels like a hug.

The flavor starts with ground pork — it adds that slightly sweet, fatty depth that gives the whole pot some soul. Some folks do a pork-beef combo, which works great if you want it meatier. Then you’ve got fresh green cabbage, chopped and simmered until tender but not mushy. The tomato base is key — usually a mix of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, sometimes with a spoonful of brown sugar or a splash of vinegar to balance the acidity.

Garlic and onions are a must — sautéed right after browning the meat so they soak up all that flavorful fat. Then in goes the paprika, maybe a little thyme, and just enough rice to give the soup some body. If you're watching carbs, swap the rice for cauliflower rice and it still works beautifully.

When you eat it, there’s this beautiful contrast — the cabbage is soft and mild, the meat is savory and rich, and the tomatoes bring just enough tang to make every spoonful feel balanced. The broth is thick but still soup-like, not too stew-y. It’s the kind of thing that makes you pause halfway through and go, “Man, that’s good.”

It’s usually served hot, ladled into deep bowls, with some crusty bread on the side to soak up every drop. I know people who top theirs with sour cream or grated Parmesan — not traditional, but honestly delicious. This soup also holds up really well in the fridge. I usually store it in an airtight container and just reheat a bowl at a time. Microwave or stovetop — either works. In fact, it might even taste better the next day.

Health-wise, it’s actually pretty balanced. You’re getting protein from the meat, fiber and vitamins from the cabbage and tomatoes, and a bit of starch from the rice. Want to lighten it up? Use lean pork or turkey, go easy on the rice, and skip the optional sugar.

There are loads of ways to tweak this. You can add carrots or bell peppers for more color and sweetness. Go all pork, all beef, or even make it vegetarian with lentils and mushrooms. I’ve even thrown in leftover meatballs once — turned out to be a happy accident. One word of advice: don’t skimp on seasoning. A bland cabbage soup is the saddest thing on earth.

Bottom line? Piggy Soup is affordable, flexible, family-friendly, and perfect for feeding a crowd. Whether you’re meal-prepping or just trying to warm up after a long day, it delivers big flavor with simple, honest ingredients.

Go ahead — scroll down and check out the recipe below. Trust me, it’s worth making. One bowl of this and you’ll see why it’s called Piggy Soup — it’s the kind of dish you’ll go back to for seconds, maybe thirds.

Recipe

Hearty and flavorful Piggy Soup — a rustic cabbage roll soup made with ground pork, cabbage, tomatoes, and rice simmered into cozy comfort.

Ingredients

1 lb (450g) ground pork
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chopped green cabbage (about ½ medium head)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
4 cups beef or chicken broth
1 cup cooked white rice (or ½ cup uncooked if cooking in soup)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)

Instructions

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground pork and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
Add diced onions and garlic, sauté for about 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Stir in chopped cabbage and cook for 5 minutes until slightly wilted.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, thyme, paprika, bay leaf, and brown sugar (if using). Stir to combine.
If using uncooked rice, add it now. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 25–30 minutes until cabbage is tender and rice is cooked.
If using cooked rice, add it during the last 5 minutes of simmering and heat through.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve hot with crusty bread if desired.

15 minutes prep time with 30 minutes cook time.

Serves 6 and contains approximately 280 calories per serving.

American, Eastern European / Soup, Comfort Food

Rated 5.0 by 816 reviewers.

Recipe Tags: piggy soup, cabbage roll soup, unstuffed cabbage soup, pork soup, tomato cabbage soup, ground pork soup, easy soup recipe, comfort food soup, cozy soup, rustic soup, freezer-friendly soup, one pot soup, cabbage soup with rice

Published by: Crisprecipe

Recipe Video

Piggy Soup

This is a video about Piggy Soup.

Servings

Serving Piggy Soup is honestly one of the best parts — it's forgiving, flexible, and always feels like a full meal on its own. But to make it shine, here’s how I like to serve it:

Start by ladling the hot soup into deep bowls — it’s hearty, so use big ones. The broth should be rich and slightly thickened from the rice, with chunks of tender cabbage and well-seasoned pork throughout. Give it a good stir before serving, especially if it’s been sitting, so the rice doesn’t settle.

Now, for sides, nothing beats a warm piece of crusty bread — a sliced baguette, rustic sourdough, or even dinner rolls work beautifully. The bread helps mop up the tomato-rich broth and gives the whole experience that rustic comfort food feel.

If you want to elevate it a bit, add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt on top before serving — it adds a creamy, tangy contrast that cuts through the richness. Some people also sprinkle a bit of grated Parmesan or fresh herbs like parsley or dill to give it a fresh note.

For a full meal vibe, serve it with:

A side salad (simple greens with vinaigrette)
A cold cucumber salad or slaw
Pickles (a nod to Eastern European traditions)

Temperature is key — it should be piping hot when served. This soup really shines when it’s fresh from the pot, but it reheats beautifully too.

If you're serving guests or making it ahead, you can prepare the soup a day in advance and reheat gently on the stove. The flavors get even deeper by the next day.

And here’s a real tip: let it sit for about 5 minutes after turning off the heat before serving. That short rest helps everything come together even better.

Lastly, don’t forget a spoon that’s big enough — because one scoop usually carries pork, cabbage, and rice together. That’s the bite you want.

Tips

Here are my most valuable tips and recommendations to make your Piggy Soup absolutely perfect — the kind of soup that tastes like it simmered all day, even if it didn’t:

1. Brown the meat properly. Don’t just “gray” the ground pork — get some real browning on it. Let it sit undisturbed for a few minutes before stirring so it caramelizes. That fond (those brown bits at the bottom of the pot) is flavor gold.

2. Use bone broth if possible. If you can get your hands on homemade or store-bought bone broth (chicken or beef), use that instead of regular broth. It gives the soup more depth and richness.

3. Don't skip the onion and garlic sauté. Sweating your aromatics after the meat and before adding cabbage helps mellow their flavors and makes everything taste rounder and fuller. That extra 3–4 minutes makes a big difference.

4. Cabbage: not too early, not too late. If you overcook the cabbage, it gets too soft and disappears into the broth. Add it after the soup has come to a boil, then simmer until just tender — around 20–25 minutes is usually perfect.

5. Balance the acidity. Tomato-based soups can get too tangy. A small pinch of brown sugar or a splash of Worcestershire sauce smooths things out. A lot of people overlook this and wonder why the soup tastes “sharp.”

6. Rice caution: cooked vs. uncooked. If using uncooked rice, go easy — ½ cup is enough or it’ll soak up too much broth. If you’re using cooked rice, stir it in during the last 5 minutes so it doesn’t go mushy.

7. Make it your own. This recipe is flexible. Add veggies like carrots, bell peppers, or celery if you like. Spice it up with chili flakes. Want a low-carb version? Sub cauliflower rice and skip the brown sugar.

8. Taste and adjust seasoning at the end. Soup changes as it cooks — especially with tomatoes and cabbage. Always do a final seasoning check once it's done simmering. It often needs a pinch more salt or a crack of black pepper.

9. It stores and freezes beautifully. Piggy Soup is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Just be mindful the rice will soften more over time.

10. Don’t overcrowd with extras. Keep it simple. The beauty of this soup is in its balance — pork, cabbage, tomato, rice, spice. Too many additions can crowd the pot and confuse the flavor.

If you follow those, your soup won’t just be good — it’ll be remembered. The kind people come back asking, “Hey, can you make that Piggy Soup again?”

Ingredient Substitutes

Piggy Soup is wonderfully forgiving, and you can easily adapt it based on what you have on hand or dietary preferences. Here are some practical and reliable ingredient substitutes that still keep the flavor on point:

Ground Pork Substitutes:

Ground beef — classic and hearty, very common in cabbage roll soup.
Ground turkey or chicken — leaner option, still works great with strong seasoning.
Plant-based mince — for a vegetarian or vegan version (just boost the umami with mushrooms or soy sauce).
Chopped leftover meatballs or sausage — adds texture and flavor if you’re using up leftovers.

Cabbage Alternatives:

Napa cabbage — softer, milder, and cooks faster.
Savoy cabbage — similar texture, a little sweeter and prettier in the bowl.
Kale or spinach — totally changes the flavor but still works, especially for variation.
Coleslaw mix — a quick hack when you’re in a rush (just go easy on carrots if the mix is sweet-heavy).

Tomato Options:

Crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes (hand-crushed) — if you don’t have diced tomatoes.
Tomato passata or purée — works as a smooth base, but you may need to adjust liquid.
Tomato paste (2 tablespoons) + water — in a pinch, this can mimic tomato sauce, but you’ll need to balance the flavor with seasoning and a bit of sugar.

Rice Substitutes:

Cauliflower rice — for a low-carb or keto version.
Barley or quinoa — heartier texture, slightly nutty flavor.
Farro or bulgur — makes it more stew-like, but great for variation.
No grain at all — keep it soupier and meatier.

Onion & Garlic Substitutes:

Shallots or leeks — milder but still aromatic.
Onion powder & garlic powder — use 1 tsp of each if fresh is unavailable (but fresh is always better if you can).

Seasoning and Herbs:

Paprika → Smoked paprika or chili powder — for more depth or heat.
Dried thyme → Italian seasoning, marjoram, or oregano — similar woody profile.
Bay leaf → Skip it or replace with a tiny pinch of ground clove or nutmeg for warmth.

Broth Substitutes:

Vegetable broth — works if you’re keeping it vegetarian.
Water + bouillon cubes or seasoning powder — just watch the salt levels.

Brown Sugar Alternatives (for acidity balance):

Honey or maple syrup — go easy; about ½ teaspoon.
Grated carrot — adds natural sweetness and color.
Worcestershire sauce — boosts umami and balances acidity.

These swaps don’t just rescue you in a pinch — they’re also great for customizing the soup to your taste or pantry. Just remember the golden rule: taste as you go. That’s how good soup becomes great.

Remarks

Piggy Soup delivers all the comfort of cabbage rolls with half the effort—bold, hearty, and freezer-friendly. It’s a dependable, one-pot classic you’ll keep coming back to.