Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole is a true comfort food go-to.
Nothing makes me think of my childhood and family more than Cabbage Rolls.
Growing up with Polish grandparents, they made an appearance at every occasion, from Christmas to Easter, weddings to baptisms!
On days when I don’t have the time to create cabbage rolls, I’m so glad I have a quicker version of this age old favorite that still delivers all the flavor I expect from the original dish!
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I’m sure most of you have enjoyed homemade cabbage rolls before. They’re delicious and truly a comfort food (not to mention budget friendly).
When I just don’t have the time to fiddle with boiling/freezing cabbage leaves and making the rolls, I turn to this simple lazy cabbage roll casserole.
There are a few steps in this recipe, but it is really easy to make! You’ll create a quick meaty sauce and while it’s simmering you can soften the cabbage in pan. Once softened, just simply layer and bake.
For the meat sauce layer I use a mixture of ground beef and pork because I find it gives the best flavor. Any ground meat will work, I’ve even subbed in ground turkey if it’s all I have on hand. If you do use ground turkey, I’d suggest adding in a beef bouillon cube to add some extra flavor.
I love the chunky tomatoes in this recipe but if you prefer a smoother sauce, you can simply substitute another can of tomato sauce for the tomatoes. Be sure to remove the bay leaf from the sauce before stirring the rice in, while it adds good flavor, it’s not good to eat! Long grain rice is traditionally used, but you can also sub in brown rice. Another tasty option is to substitute cauliflower rice in place of long grain rice make it lower in carbs and incorporate more vegetables into your meal!
The cabbage can be prepped ahead of time by chopping into ½” chunks and refrigerating in a zippered bag. Cabbage will keep for at least a week this way and is so convenient to have on hand (and also great to toss into vegetable soups and stir fries).
Another great thing about this cabbage roll casserole is that it can be prepared the night before (or in the morning) and then simply baked before serving. This makes it the perfect meal for guests and busy school nights!
This recipe does freezes perfectly so if you’re empty nesters or have a small family, this can be divided into 4 portions and frozen for future – a perfect meal ready and waiting!
Your family will absolutely love this Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole and you will love how easy it is! Homemade, ‘holesome’, hearty and healthy – the new definition of 4-H! It will quickly become a family favorite!
Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 10.5 ounces condensed tomato soup 1 can
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices, 1 can
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 ½ cups cooked rice brown or white
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 head cabbage chopped, about 8 cups
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 pan.
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Brown ground beef, ground pork, onion and garlic until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
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Add tomato sauce, tomato soup, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, dill, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and stir in rice.
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Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add cabbage and cook until tender-crisp.
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Place half of the cabbage in the pan. Top with half of the beef/rice mixture. Repeat layers ending with beef/rice.
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Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes or until hot & bubbly.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole
Cuisine American
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This is going to be one of those laughable comments where someone says they made your recipe but made so many adaptations that it is no linger the same recipe!! I just made this last night. I didn’t have bay leaf or dill so I left them out. I used garlic powder because I didn’t have fresh and I totally forgot about the parsley but I was going to use dry. I steamed the cabbage with a can of beer. I used 2 lbs ground beef. I used the whole can of tomato paste because otherwise it would just sit in the fridge and I added a jar or sauerkraut. It came out great! I had a good amount of rice mixture that didn’t fit in my casserole dish (because I didn’t follow instructions) that I froze for a future meal. Thanks for the inspiration! I always enjoy and share your recipes!
I love it Rebecca. I am glad you enjoyed it!
I was just skimming through recipes and this sparked my interest. I love making cabbage rolls, but it is time consuming. I always have to make a lot for family gatherings, because that is what they all come for. I really would like to have it more at home and less of a hassle deconstructing the ingredients. I did use lean ground beef and the pork mixture, also I used rice cauliflower as I just don’t care for rice much and wanted to be more carb conscious. I worked it out according to your recipe and it came out great. Truly the only thing I added was a nice layer of sauerkraut, as I love that extra tang it provides. Thanks for the idea! I’m not sure about using this for the family parties,…my family doesn’t adapt well to change!
Delicious
Is it meant to be 28oz diced tomatoes not 14oz? This seemed really liquid-y to me I added extra rice. Still delicious just wondering!
Hi Jessica, we use 28 ounces. It sooks off slightly as it simmers in step 3