Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole is a true comfort food go-to.
Nothing makes me think of my childhood and family more than Cabbage Rolls.
Growing up with Polish grandparents, they made an appearance at every occasion, from Christmas to Easter, weddings to baptisms!
On days when I don’t have the time to create cabbage rolls, I’m so glad I have a quicker version of this age old favorite that still delivers all the flavor I expect from the original dish!
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I’m sure most of you have enjoyed homemade cabbage rolls before. They’re delicious and truly a comfort food (not to mention budget friendly).
When I just don’t have the time to fiddle with boiling/freezing cabbage leaves and making the rolls, I turn to this simple lazy cabbage roll casserole.
There are a few steps in this recipe, but it is really easy to make! You’ll create a quick meaty sauce and while it’s simmering you can soften the cabbage in pan. Once softened, just simply layer and bake.
For the meat sauce layer I use a mixture of ground beef and pork because I find it gives the best flavor. Any ground meat will work, I’ve even subbed in ground turkey if it’s all I have on hand. If you do use ground turkey, I’d suggest adding in a beef bouillon cube to add some extra flavor.
I love the chunky tomatoes in this recipe but if you prefer a smoother sauce, you can simply substitute another can of tomato sauce for the tomatoes. Be sure to remove the bay leaf from the sauce before stirring the rice in, while it adds good flavor, it’s not good to eat! Long grain rice is traditionally used, but you can also sub in brown rice. Another tasty option is to substitute cauliflower rice in place of long grain rice make it lower in carbs and incorporate more vegetables into your meal!
The cabbage can be prepped ahead of time by chopping into ½” chunks and refrigerating in a zippered bag. Cabbage will keep for at least a week this way and is so convenient to have on hand (and also great to toss into vegetable soups and stir fries).
Another great thing about this cabbage roll casserole is that it can be prepared the night before (or in the morning) and then simply baked before serving. This makes it the perfect meal for guests and busy school nights!
This recipe does freezes perfectly so if you’re empty nesters or have a small family, this can be divided into 4 portions and frozen for future – a perfect meal ready and waiting!
Your family will absolutely love this Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole and you will love how easy it is! Homemade, ‘holesome’, hearty and healthy – the new definition of 4-H! It will quickly become a family favorite!
Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 can tomato soup
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can, with liquid
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 ½ cups cooked rice (brown or white)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 head cabbage chopped, (approx. 8 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 pan.
- Brown ground beef, ground pork, onion and garlic until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
- Add tomato sauce, tomato soup, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, dill, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and stir in rice.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add cabbage and cook until tender-crisp.
- Place half of the cabbage in the pan. Top with half of the beef/rice mixture. Repeat layers ending with beef/rice.
- Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes or until hot & bubbly.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole
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That was easy to make and absolutely delicious.
I altered a bit….didn’t have enough diced tomatoes so I added some stewed tomatoes. I omitted the dill, parsley, and bay leaf, but it was fantastic!
Definitely will make it again.
Is that 8oz of tomato sauce
Yes, we use 8 fl oz of tomato sauce
Perfect!! And the perfect amount of dill; it’s key.
Absolutely Delicious.
And then when do we put in the rice? I’m not seeing this in the instructions. Please clarify. Thanks!
The rice is added in step 3: Add tomato sauce, tomato soup, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, dill, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and stir in rice.
I hope this helps Lucy!
I’m a little confused… where are we browning the ground meat? In a pot? Are we transferring the meat to the casserole dish for baking later?
Hi Lucy, you can find this info in step 2: Brown ground beef, ground pork, onion and garlic until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
Really easy to make and tastes very good – as if there are a lot more ingredients in it. We really enjoyed it and will make again.
Easy and delicious!
This is one of my favorite recipes I have found on Pinterest! It is so yummy that I am making it again. I LOVE cabbage rolls, but the work is so much more arduous than this recipe and you get the same great taste. Love it!!!
I’ve made this about 5 times and it’s great as it is. I’ve played around with the recipe as well, adding green bell pepper with the cabbage and sauteing together and also adding in mushrooms with the meat and rice. I’ve skipped using the tomato soup due to the dairy in it every time and works out well.
I made this and it turned out fabulous! I will be making this regularly.
Do you freeze it before or after cooking?
Hi Nunu, we freeze this recipe after cooking.
Unstuffed cabbage roll casserole was Delicious we top with a little parmesan it was so good!!
Wow impressed!! I must admit I wasn’t too enthused to make a cabbage roll recipe, however thought it might be something easy to do for the family. Was I ever surprised, as was my husband when we took our first bite. It was delicious!! Tastes like no other cabbage roll casserole I’ve ever had before. The dill really changes things up. Instead of using diced tomatoes, I used more tomato sauce (Lydia’s Arrabiata tomato sauce). I am definitely keeping this recipe and adding it to my favourites. What a great surprise, Thanks!!
So happy you enjoyed this recipe, Tania! It’s such an easy way to enjoy cabbage rolls without all the work of rolling them!
I’ve been making a similar dish for about 15 years and it has long been a family winter favourite. In our house we call it “dropped cabbage rolls” and I add a little paprika and use just the canned chopped tomatoes without the added tomato sauce.
I love the name, Kevin! We hope you enjoyed our version.