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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Rose
I made tonight but cooked in pressure cooker for 25 minutes after add raw cabbage After done I opened and added the cheese stirred in and was great
Beth Pierce
That is awesome! Thanks for the tip Rose!
Cindy
Can you mix it altogether minus the cheese instead of layering it?
Beth Pierce
I am sure you can but it may not seem as cheesy as the cheese may kind of meld into the recipe. I hope that makes sense!
Dianne
Great recipe! I added salt, pepper, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. It was great! Thx for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it! It is an easy recipe that the whole family can love!
Amanda Cooper
Made this tonight and my picky husband and I both loved it! It was so easy to prepare; I added a little Cajun seasoning for a little more kick! This will definitely be replacing traditional cabbage rolls in my house. It was easier and the cheesy goodness gave it that extra flavor boost!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Amanda! I am so glad that you liked it. I love the cheesy goodness too!
Lesly Clarke
My Ukrainian Grandmother would roll over in her grave if I put cheese on it so being the purist that I am, I left it out and it still tasted really good! The spices were unique too and added flavour, I too added a can of diced tomatoes and of course, salt and pepper.
Beth Pierce
LOL! Oh my goodness you are making me laugh. I understand completely! My grandmother had her way with certain recipes too. I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
Becky Hardin
So good! I recommend this to anyone. A must make for sure.
Emily
I wish I would have realized how much I love cooked cabbage sooner! This was so good and I didn’t feel guilty going back for seconds!
Beth Pierce
I am so glad that you liked it. You will have to put the recipe on your regular rotation so you can make up for lost time.
Anna
Thank you for the recipe, Beth! It’s fantastic!
Krissy Allori
I’ve never tried making casserole with cabbage before! This is delicious!
Kara
This is the only way I can get my kids to eat cabbage. It’s delicious!
Beth Pierce
LOL! Well at least they like it!
Jesse Walser
Add 1/4 cup vinegar before baking.
Beth Pierce
Interesting! I will have to try that!
Lynn W
Why vinegar?
Mary
My daughter and her husband do the keto eating plan and therefore don’t do pastas rice and etc so we sub riced cauliflower in recipes and last week I subbed shredded zucchini in stuffed peppers for the rice and it turned out delicious so I will try this recipe as well soon and use one or the other in the place of rice. Thanks for sharing this one. I’m sure my kids will love it.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome! That sounds like a great idea. I hope you enjoy it!
Carol
My husband is allergic to rice can I use cauliflower rice instead?
Beth Pierce
I am not familiar enough with cauliflower rice to answer that. Perhaps one of my readers will be able to answer that.
Nicole
What temp for the oven?
Beth Pierce
350 degrees
Linda Tumminelli
Can you put this together and bake the following day?
Beth Pierce
Yes I do believe you could easily do it with this casserole.
linda betz
Wow! This was so incredibly good! Thank you for sharing yur recipe. I ended up steaming the cabbage on one burner and the ground beef ingredients on the other so they were done at the same time. The only change was I used frozen Chinese white rice. Came out so good. I may never make stuffed cabbage again! ☺
Beth Pierce
I am so glad that you liked it. We love this casserole! I guess your rice was already cooked?
Suzy
Love this recipe! Turns out great every time.