What Can I Use for Cabbage Rolls If I Don’t Have Tomato Soup?

Tomato soup is often used with cabbage rolls because it gives them a simple, slightly sweet tomato flavour. But if you do not have tomato soup at home, you still have many easy options.

Cabbage rolls are flexible. You mainly need a warm cooking liquid or sauce that keeps them moist and adds flavour while they bake or simmer.

Use Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce is one of the easiest replacements for tomato soup. It has a stronger tomato flavour, so you can mix it with a little water or broth before pouring it over the cabbage rolls.

This gives the cabbage rolls a rich, homestyle taste without needing canned tomato soup.

Use Tomato Juice

Tomato juice also works well. It is thinner than tomato sauce, so it is good when you want the cabbage rolls to stay soft and moist.

You can pour tomato juice over the cabbage rolls before baking, or mix it with a little broth for a lighter flavour.

Use Canned Diced Tomatoes

Canned diced tomatoes are another good choice. They give cabbage rolls a more rustic texture and a fresh tomato taste.

If you want a smoother sauce, you can crush the diced tomatoes with a spoon before adding them.

Use Broth

If you do not want a tomato-based sauce, broth can also work. Chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth can help keep cabbage rolls moist while adding savoury flavour.

This option is lighter than tomato soup and works especially well if you plan to serve sour cream or gravy on the side.

Add Sauerkraut Juice for Tangy Flavour

For a more traditional sour flavour, you can add a small amount of sauerkraut juice to the cooking liquid.

Do not add too much at once, because sauerkraut juice can be salty and strong. Start with a little, then adjust to your taste.

Serve with Sour Cream or Mushroom Dill Gravy

Cabbage rolls do not always need to be served with tomato soup. You can also serve them with sour cream on the side.

Mushroom dill gravy is another comforting option. It gives cabbage rolls a creamy, homestyle flavour and pairs well with perogies, sausage, and other traditional comfort foods.

Simple Serving Idea

Place the cabbage rolls in a baking dish, add tomato sauce, tomato juice, broth, or diced tomatoes, then cover and bake until hot and tender.

Serve them with sour cream, mushroom dill gravy, beet borsch, farmer sausage, or perogies for a complete homestyle meal.