Ground beef and cabbage simmer together in this easy, comforting one-pot meal that’s full of cozy, savory flavor. It’s a simple, budget-friendly dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Savory browned beef simmered in a rich tomato broth with tender cabbage, a tangy splash of Worcestershire, and a light dill finish.
- Why Make It: One pot, minimal chopping, and cabbage roll flavor without the rolling. The cabbage cooks down tender for a hearty, hands-off dinner.
- Recommended Tools: Make this in a 4-quart Dutch oven or a deep sauté pan with a lid, using a sturdy spoon to break up the beef and give everything a good stir as it simmers.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve over rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes, top it with a little parmesan, and enjoy the leftovers for lunch the next day.
What You’ll Need
- Beef: Choose lean ground beef to keep it less greasy. Remember to drain the oil after browning so the sauce stays rich, not oily.
- Cabbage: Choose a firm, heavy head of cabbage. I prefer green cabbage but bagged, chopped cabbage or coleslaw mix is a great shortcut.
- Tomato Sauce Base: For a smoother sauce, replace the diced tomatoes with crushed. For a spicier version, use a can of Rotel instead of regular diced tomatoes. The beef broth can be substituted with chicken broth.
- Variations: For a little kick, add red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne with the dill. Sliced bell peppers or shredded carrots can also be added to the cabbage. Or make it cheesy with a sprinkle of Parmesan at the end.
How To Make Ground Beef and Cabbage
- Cook and drain ground beef (full recipe below).
- Stir in the remaining ingredients, scraping the brown bits up.
- Simmer covered until the cabbage is tender.
Serve over rice or with egg noodles.
How To Store and Reheat
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. The cabbage will be a little softer but still tasty.
Reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen. Warm on the stovetop over medium-low with a splash of broth or water, or microwave covered, stirring once or twice until heated through.
Easy Ground Beef Dinners
Did you enjoy this Ground Beef and Cabbage Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ¾ cup beef broth
- 8 cups chopped green cabbage
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- cooked rice for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a 4qt Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes without stirring to form a nice crust on one side. Break it up with a spoon, continue cooking until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes more. Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the cabbage, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dill, salt, and pepper.
- Stir, cover, and simmer for 18 to 25 minutes or until the cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally. Simmer uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes to thicken if desired. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over rice or pasta if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Main Course
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Excellent recipe – Easy, fast and one pot. My husband loved it and he’s not so easy to please! I made Goya Yellow Rice and it was delicious with Ground Beef and Cabbage. Thank You!
This was a very tasty, easy and relatively quick meal to make. I added some fresh garlic and served over rice with biscuits. We will definitely have this meal again. It was delicious!
YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY
Wonder if I could use chopped up
Bok Choy (much prefer to ordinary white cabbage)
Thanks for any assistance
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Rosalee, but I think it should work just fine! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Could you cook rice in the dish when the rice is added for the remaining cook time that it takes to cook the rice.
ie: At 10 minute cook time remaining add rice to cook if it takes 10 minutes to cook.
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure James, but it would likely affect the liquid needed.
Wonderful, taste, and quick dishes. A very fast and efficient way to bring comfort food to the table. One pot dishes make a quick and fast/
easy clean up
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Susan!
Turned out great!
This was absolutely fantastic! So easy to prepare and an overall healthy dish! I made modifications to make it a 0 point WW dish (cooking spray instead of oil, 96% lean ground beef, no rice in my bowl) and it was comfort food at its best, a great recipe!! Will definitely make this again!