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.
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
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Jen
This is such a family friendly meal! So easy to make and everyone loves it!
Lily
This was so simple and yummy, and full of flavor, the perfect family dinner.
Kushigalu
Drooling over this delicious dish. Love the flavors. Can’t wait to try. Thanks for sharing
Amy D
This looks so scrumptious! I love cooked cabbage casseroles like this. My mother in law makes something similar that is fantastic!
Charla
This look absolutely divine. I’ve never had a cabbage roll casserole so that’s one to add to my “prep list”. Thank you!
Gloria
Wow the Ukrainian in me loves the sound of this casserole. I will admit…cabbage rolls are sort of sacred…I don’t always have the time to make them. This I can make any night of the week.
Andrea
This is the perfect way to enjoy “stuffed cabbage” without all the hassle! Thanks so much for this recipe.
Dorothea
I haven’t tried this yet. But right up my alley. Glad to know what I can use my leftover brown rice in this. Love reading the comments helps make a decision on how I’ll make it. Thanks
Beth Pierce
Awesome Dorothea! I hope you enjoy it!!
Jorge
Is that one and a half cups of both cheeses, total 3 cups of cheese blend or half a cup of each for 1 cup total, might be a dumb ?, I want to clarify the recipe. Thanks
Beth Pierce
1 1/2 cups of each cheese for a total of 3 cups
Cindy
Made this a couple of nights ago. Very good and leftovers last well! Ended up having this for 3 meals because there’s only 2 of us. Will make again and cut recipe in half.
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it Cindy! Yes it is a big casserole.
MARK CUMBERLEDGE
Very nice recipe. I added salt and pepper to the ground beef mixture, also added fire roasted tomatoes. Also as I was sauteing the cabbage I added a little salt and pepper to each batch, and used Avocado Oil with garlic to sautee the cabbage with. Very tasty. Thanks!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Mark and I love all the great tips!
SAM
Hi. Can uncooked brown rice be used instead of white?
Beth Pierce
It would take some experimentation. Brown rice cooks a lot slower than white rice and it requires more liquid. I think that you would be better off cooking the rice separately and adding it to the casserole.
Dar
Sam I used brown rice, but cooked it first as it takes longer than white rice. It turned out so good.
Heidi
I used brown rice with the rest of the recipe as written, and it took FOREVER to cook. (Like, a full hour in the oven or more). I also added more broth because it got dry along the way. It ended up delicious even after all that, but I really recommend using instant brown rice in the recipe or pre-cooking the rice.
Nancy Ordway
I used a can of diced tomatoes since that’s what I had, smoked paprika, and orzo instead of rice. It was delicious, everyone loved it.
Beth Pierce
I love a cook that can improvise. Sometimes you really have to! So glad that you liked it! We love it too!!
Kim
I really want to try this. However, The cabbage in the picture looks green. Mine always turns more yellow after cooking. What do you do you keep it green?
Beth Pierce
Sometimes it is just a matter of finding good green cabbage to start not to mention lighting and having experience taking pictures for years.
K Witmer
Wow! This is delish! As a vegetarian, I made a minor modification by substituting Gardein “The Ultimate Beefless Ground” for the ground beef and my family loved, loved, loved this casserole! Thank you for sharing at his recipe!
Beth Pierce
Awesome! So glad that you liked it and were able to adapt it to your wants and needs!
Dar
Best recipe for cabbage roll casserole EVER!. I have searched and searched for a recipe that didn’t sound as boring as all the ones that just use tomato sauce. I finally found this one and it is SO good. Only substitution I made was smoked paprika instead of regular . This is definately a keeper!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! I love it…I mean really love it when a reader says that I stand out above the rest because I do not use the status quo.