Cabbage Roll Casserole is an easy family favorite. It combines all the delicious flavors of stuffed cabbage rolls with much less time and effort. This delectable casserole makes eight healthy servings, and the leftovers heat up perfectly in the microwave.
Tasty Cabbage Roll Casserole
This cabbage roll casserole quickly comes together and tastes just as good or better than the cabbage rolls your grandma used to make. Just think of it as an unstuffed cabbage roll casserole. It is delicious, totally homemade, and does not contain cream of anything soup.
How to Make Cabbage Roll Casserole
Start by browning the ground beef in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. When it is about halfway browned, add the onion and cook until the beef is fully browned. Turn the heat to low and toss in the garlic at the last minute of cooking. Drain any excess fat from the skillet. Stir in the paprika, onion powder, cayenne, brown sugar, tomato sauce, beef broth, and rice. Bring the mixture to a low boil and then turn it to a simmer and cover it with a lid. Simmer until the rice is tender. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
In a separate large skillet, add a little olive oil. Add half of the chopped cabbage and cook until it starts to get tender. Add the cooked cabbage to a casserole dish sprayed with a little nonstick cooking spray. Spread half of the beef mixture on top of the cabbage and top with half of the cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese. Cook the second half of the cabbage the same way and add it to the casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese and bake covered for about twenty minutes, then remove the foil and continue cooking until the cheese is lightly browned.
Can Cabbage Roll Casserole be prepared in a skillet?
Of course, with a couple of easy steps, you can prepare this in the same skillet you cooked the cabbage in. You could do it either on the stovetop or in an ovenproof skillet. For the stovetop, after you finish cooking the cabbage, layer cabbage, cooked beef mixture, cheese, and cabbage in the skillet. Then, turn the heat to a low simmer and cover with a lid or foil. Cook until the cabbage is tender and the cheese melts.
To cook it in the oven, ensure your skillet is ovenproof. Layer the cooked cabbage, cooked beef mixture, and cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for twenty minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is lightly browned and melted.
Recipe variations
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning added at the same time as the other spices.
- Add 1-2 pinches of crushed red pepper to the tomato sauce and beef broth.
- Stir in a (14.5-ounce) can of fire-roasted tomatoes added at the same time as the tomato sauce.
- Use Pepper Jack Cheese or mozzarella cheese in place of the Monterey Jack.
- Add some minced jalapeno added at the same time as the minced garlic.
This delectable Cabbage Roll Casserole is family-friendly, easy, quick, and adaptable to your taste buds. Put the ingredients on your shopping list today and make this wholesome casserole for your family.
More Casseroles to Love
Cabbage Roll Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 ounce can low sodium beef broth
- 1 cup long grain white rice uncooked
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium head green cabbage chopped
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil spray.
- Brown ground beef. When the ground beef is about halfway browned, add the onion; cook until the beef is fully browned. Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Drain any excess fat from the skillet.
- Add paprika, onion powder, cayenne, brown sugar, tomato sauce, beef broth, and rice. Bring the mixture to a low boil. Turn to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer for 20 minutes until rice is tender. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 of the chopped cabbage and cook until slightly tender; 5-7 minutes. Spread cabbage over the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with 1/2 of the ground beef mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheeses, blending them. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the other 1/2 of the chopped cabbage and cook until slightly tender, 5-7 minutes. Spread the cabbage over the cheese in the casserole dish. Top with the other 1/2 of the beef mixture and then with the remaining cheese.
- Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned.
Video
Notes
- Substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork for the ground beef.
- Add fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, parsley, or dill.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
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Sommer
This is my kind of meal!
Liz
So much easier than regular stuffed cabbage and just as wonderful.
Ditties Ellis
Just found this recipe on facebook. Thinking about trying it tonight but cant think what side dishes I could serve with it. Have you any suggestions?
Beth Pierce
That casserole is almost all inclusive. Mashed potatoes, applesauce, Pierogies, green salad with a light vinaigrette, crusty rye bread and butter.
sandi browne
This looks very good. I would like to try this, but could you tell me a way to possibly cut down on the sodium level?
Beth Pierce
It probably does not have that much sodium in it. I use a program to establish nutritional information by matching ingredients as best it can. There was not an option for low sodium beef broth. Make sure you use that and low sodium tomato sauce. That should reduce the sodium quite a bit.
Louise M Stevens
I will make it with ground turkey and leave out the cayenne pepper and sugar.
Kylie
Could I substitute the rice for quinoa?
Beth Pierce
I am not sure. I have not tried.
job
Is there any way to reduce the sodium in this? Also, would using ground turkey instead of beef spoil the taste or recipe? I think this looks very good, but need to make adjustments in recipes because of husband’s health issues.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! It probably does not have that much sodium in it. I use a program to establish nutritional information by matching ingredients as best it can. There was not an option for low sodium beef broth. Make sure you use that and low sodium tomato sauce. That should reduce the sodium quite a bit.
Joan
Looks good we love cabbage. I make cabbage beef soup a lot and freeze the leftovers
Beth Pierce
Thank you! I love cabbage soup! So darn delicious!!
Christine Helms
Do you have a recipe for Cabbage Soup
Beth Pierce
Yes I do here it is! Cabbage Roll Soup
Jackie
This looks like my kind of comfort food! Can’t wait to make this. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Wanda
Can you use bagged slaw instead of chopping cabbage?
Beth Pierce
No it is chopped way too thin. You want larger chunks.
Alli
Sometimes you just know when you are putting a recipe together that it is going to be a keeper. This is one of those recipes! In the oven now, smells fabulous & I cannot wait to eat it! I used riced cauliflower instead of rice…& smoked paprika. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
I so hope you enjoy it Alli! We love it!!
Genevieve M
Wow! I have never seen a recipe quite like this one. I had a menu planned out for tonight’s dinner and a shopping list created but looks like I’ll be rewriting those! Going to try this for dinner tonight! Thank you.
Beth Pierce
How sweet! Thanks Genevieve! I sure hope you enjoy it!!
Nadine
Freezes well after cooked. I freeze cabbage rolls in ziploc bags every Fall for the winter. Love a recipe like this for a quick meal as love cabbage!
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the heads up! That is good to know!
Cara Hersey
Delish!! Made this today for tonight’s dinner, I could have eaten the beef and rice mixture alone! It’s not even dinner time yet and my husband has helped himself to two servings! Pretty sure the kids are also going to LOVE it!
Beth Pierce
That is great Cara! I am so glad that you and your family love it! You made my day!
Linda Perkins
Delicious! I added a can of diced tomatoes to the ground beef mixture. Thanks for a very good recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine! So glad that you liked it!!
Lou Berezo
Linda,
Did you use diced tomatoes in place of tomato sauce or in addition to?
Rachel
Can you make ahead and freeze this recipe?
Beth Pierce
No I do not recommend that. Cabbage does not do well frozen
sheila green
I haven’t made this yet but I am going to. I make cabbage soup all the time and freeze it and it comes out fine. However I don’t think you should freeze cabbage before it is cooked. I like to make these types of casseroles and freeze leftovers in single serving size containers for my husband to take to lunch. I will try this and see what happens.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! Please let us know how it turns out. My readers are always asking about freezing.
Naomi
I have frozen this recipe many times and it comes out great , but I always cook it first. I freeze it in portion size containers, there are only two of us, and it reheats in no time at all
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the heads up Naomi! We love to hear good tips from our readers!
janice montgomery
i freeze whole cabbages and make cabbage rolls the old fashion way other than u thaw the cabbage no pre cooking involved
Cindy
I do the same with the head of cabbage! Freezing makes that messy boiling of the cabbage obsolete!
Suzanne
As a person who is “so-so” on cabbage rolls themselves, I was totally blown away by how absolutely delicious this is. I mean, we LOVED it. Made a bunch to use up Savoy cabbage from the garden and cooked and froze the extras. Have fed it to my husband, 8 month old and the 14 year old babysitter and everyone was asking for more. Yum!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Suzanne! So glad that you liked it!!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Toni! So glad that you like it!
Sharon Pitcher
Made this dish and it’s a new favorite. Didn’t add the hot pepper and didn’t saute the cabbage. The cabbage was well cooked with less oil in the dish. Well done!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sharon! So glad that you liked it! Thanks for the tips!