Hearty and comforting cabbage and seasoned ground beef are cooked in a thick tomato broth for a one-pot meal that’s ready in 30 minutes.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Savory and hearty with a rich tomato-based broth, tender cabbage, and a hint of Worcestershire and dill.
- Recommended tools: 4-Quart Dutch Oven or a deep skillet
- Swaps: Swap ground beef for ground turkey or pork, use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version, or add bell peppers for extra flavor.
- Time-Saving Tip: Use pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix to reduce prep time.
- Freezing: This recipe freezes beautifully! Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months, then reheat on the stove for the best texture.
Ingredient Tips and Swap Outs
- Beef: 80/20 ground beef is a great choice because it has just enough fat to provide flavor. You can change it and use half beef and half pork or Italian sausage for a zestier flavor.
- Cabbage: I use green cabbage for this recipe.
- Broth: The beefy tomato broth infuses this dish with rich flavor. Use a can of Rotel instead of regular diced tomatoes if you want a spicier version.
Variations: This is a great recipe for sneaking in veggies that picky eaters won’t notice. Shredded carrots, zucchini, chopped kale, red bell peppers, and sliced Brussels sprouts or peas are great options. Garnish with sesame seeds.
How to Make Ground Beef and Cabbage
- Cook and drain ground beef according to the full recipe below.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer until the cabbage is tender.
- Serve over rice or with egg noodles.
Serving Suggestions
- Spoon this dish over rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes.
- French bread, dinner rolls, or crusty bread.
- Simple Green Salad or coleslaw.
Storage and Leftovers
Keep leftover ground beef and cabbage in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to four months and thaw overnight before reheating.
Did you enjoy this Ground Beef and Cabbage Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Ground Beef and Cabbage
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 can diced tomatoes with juices, 14.5 ounces each
- 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.
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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Very good recipe. I love cabbage dishes. Not a fan of Worcester sauce. I substituted apple cider vinegar. Excellent smell and taste.
Richard, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Apple cider vinegar sounds like a great swap for Worcestershire sauce. Thanks for sharing your twist on it!
Tasty and easy meal. I’ll definitely make it again.
So glad you enjoyed it, Corol!
I’m wondering if you can substitute ground chicken for the ground beef? Or does it make a big difference in taste?
Hi Jessica, it will make a difference in the flavor but will still be delicious!
Quick and easy but a wonderful hearty meal, served with rice. What was left over of the ground beef and cabbage made another meal with a side salad. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
So happy you enjoyed it, Judy! Thanks for trying our recipe.
Ground beef and cabbage was excellent ,I made 1dozed cabbage rolls with the larger leaves of the cabbage with the same recipe they were tasty as well, They freeze well,thanks I love trying new recipes
So glad you loved it Kathy, it’s certainly an easy favorite!
I’ve been making something similar for many years, I’ve always called it ‘Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls’ LOL. The first time I made it, I was actually making cabbage rolls at the time and had some ground beef left over along with the core of a head of cabbage which was too small to use to make rolls with. So I just chopped it up and tossed it all together, and it came out great! It’s actually a great way to eliminate waste when you are making cabbage rolls, because if you boil or steam your cabbage to peel the leaves for rolling, you will end up with a partially cooked core of cabbage that has little use. Can’t use it to make coleslaw because it is no longer raw and crunchy. This is the perfect solution!
I love recipes that use up all of the little bits of veggies!
I have been looking for a simple tasty cabbage recipe and this popped up today. I made it as stated. I usually add different things but stuck with the stated recipe. I served it with a simple salad and over mashed potatoes. It was really good and filling. I will freeze a couple of portions and eat the remaining this week. Highly recommend as is.
So glad you enjoyed it!