One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls - Family Fresh Meals

 

Stuffed cabbage is a delicious traditional dish from eastern Europe. There are lots of ways to make it, but the most familiar way is to mix ground beef with onion, garlic, and cooked rice, wrap this filling in boiled cabbage leaves, cover it with tomato sauce, and bake it in a casserole dish. The juices from the meat ooze out into the rice and blend with the tomato sauce to make a yummy, hearty, savory meal.

Unfortunately, making it this way is a big hassle. You have to cook the cabbage first, and then mix up the filling, and then load it into the cabbage leaves and roll them up and put them in the dish and spoon on the tomato sauce…and then wait 45 minutes for the whole thing to cook.

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One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls - Healthy cabbage recipe served in a white bowl

So I decided it was time to give this complicated dish a makeover. Just like my Easy Crockpot Lasagna Ravioli and my Chicken Cordon Bleu Bites, these One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls have all the flavor of the original recipe, but they’re way easier to make. No need to mess with boiling and stuffing and rolling up a bunch of cabbage leaves…just brown the meat, add the rest of the ingredients, and let it all simmer in one pot until it’s done.

Stuffed cabbage that tastes just like Grandma’s…but without all the work.

One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

(printable recipe at bottom of post)

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb lean ground beef
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 small green cabbage head, chopped (about 4 cups)
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large, deep skillet or dutch oven, brown ground beef, onions and garlic together. Cook until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease.

One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls - Brown beef and onion in a pan

 

2. Add cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, paprika, sugar, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.

One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls - Add cabbage and diced tomatoes in to pan

3. Cover and reduce heat, and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes. Enjoy as is, or serve over rice.

One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls -  Low carb beef and cabbage recipe

 

One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls - A fast cheap family meal! FamilyFreshMeals.com

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4.77 from 84 votes

One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

Author Corey Valley
These One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls tastes just like Grandma’s...but without all the work. Whip this yummy dish up in about 30 minutes. 
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 2-3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 cup onion diced
  • 1 small green cabbage head chopped (about 4 cups)
  • 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 8oz can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • In a large, deep skillet or dutch oven, brown ground beef, onions and garlic together. Cook until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease.
  • Add cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, paprika, sugar, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.
  • Cover and reduce heat, and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 1125mg | Potassium: 814mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Vitamin C: 69.5mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.

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158 Comments

  1. roxane boatman says:

    Hi Corey. This looks so good, easy, and simple. Thank you for your great recipes. I just have a quick question regarding the amount of broth. I assume it’s about 1/2 c but you may have meant something else?

    1. Yes I am so sorry the “cup” got cut off 🙂 It should be 1/2 cup 🙂 I will correct that now.

      1. Theo Crampton says:

        The recipe calls for tomato sauce but the video says paste, which is it?

      2. Michelle McLaughlin says:

        Where’s the rice? I ‘ve made cabbage rolls not stuffed for years. My mother took the time to stuff them. I can’t be bothered lol She also added a bit of bacon too. I will try your recipe and will add rice. Thanks.

        1. I also put rice in my stuffed cabbage, so I’m wondering how to incorporate it in the unstuffed cabbage. Would you add cooked or uncooked rice and just add extra liquid?

          1. I would imagine that you just serve it over rice if that’s what you’d like. That’s what we do. Tastes great!

          2. 5 stars
            I just add two cups of cooked white or brown rice after the cabbage is done or 10 mins. Before an dmix thoroughly.

        2. 5 stars
          I agree Where’s the rice I always put rice in my cabbage rolls,

        3. Beate Grobe says:

          5 stars
          Or you can cook potatoes as a side dish

          1. 5 stars
            Loved this recipe I cut the salt to half a tsp served with half a cup of brown rice per serving. Really tasty.

      3. I just made this tonight! It’s so good! Except I had to cook mine closer to 90 min instead of 30 to soften the cabbage. Also, I made rice and then once the cabbage was cooked, I added all the rice to the pot and mixed it all together!

        1. Love this recipe. I used ground turkey instead. I had tomato paste instead of sauce, so I had to make my own sauce. I think I added a little bit too much of the tomato sauce but I decided to add a little more cabbage. I also added rice!

          1. 5 stars
            This turned out so good. I recommend adding can tomato soup to it and mushrooms and either potatoes or pasta. Making it a third time right now it’s so good. Trying it with little onion soup mix.

      4. 5 stars
        I have come back to this recipe so many times. It is delicious and such a great comfort food meal for the colder days. Love love love! Thank you.

        1. So happy you love it Kim!

    2. This looks awesome! Question or your thoughts. I have jars of homemade sauerkraut … Could I use that in this soup? Or does it have to be made with fresh cabbage?

      1. Bert pierce says:

        I would try it, just rinse the sauerkraut first. .

  2. Ricksbarngrill says:

    Will be making this soon. What is the unit of measure for the broth… 1/2 broth…? I suspect 1/2 cup but just needed to confirm.

    1. Yes I am so sorry the “cup” got cut off 🙂 It should be 1/2 cup 🙂 I will correct that now.

  3. Cindy Kinney says:

    How much beef broth? It just says 1/2 beef broth. Is that supposed to be cup or box?

    1. Yes I am so sorry the “cup” got cut off 🙂 It should be 1/2 cup 🙂 I will correct that now.

    1. Nope. At the end of the post, I suggested that you could serve over rice, but if you are looking for a more low carb meal, just enjoy as is 🙂 I hope that helps Ellen.

      1. 5 stars
        I just made this for my elderly mom and dad. Not only is this inexpensive but so darn delicious! i made some rice with the left over beef broth and it completed the meal! I will be making this once a week . I give it 5 stars!

      2. Become a family favorite at our house. We like things a little on the spicy side so we use fire roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika. I serve it over cauliflower rice to keep the carbs down.

    2. 5 stars
      Added 2 more cups of beef broth and a cup of uncooked rice and it came out amazing! will be keeping this recipe handy.

  4. Do you think this would freeze well for later? Looking for some make ahead meals for my return to work.

    1. Yes! I freeze single portions all the time!

  5. Tammy Fontenot says:

    I have made this many times. Big hit. I even added a cup of uncooked rice when making it. Love the soup recipe too. Sometimes cross the too. Add the Worchester sauce to the unstuffed cabbage rolls. Like the taste it gives.

  6. Kathy Norris says:

    4 stars
    Made this in my crockpot amazing

    1. Kathy, How long did you cook in crock pot?

  7. Not the biggest fan of tomatoes. Replaced one can of diced with more broth. Delicious over rice!!

    1. Great idea Amber! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  8. 4 stars
    I found this recipe today, and have it cooking right now….smells awesome….

  9. 5 stars
    Just made this. It is very good and the kids love it too. Very easy to make!!