Cabbage Roll Casserole
If you’ve never made cabbage rolls before, there are two things you need to know about them. First, they’re delicious. And second, they’re a pain in the butt. The fusion of flavors – browned ground beef, onions, rice, cabbage, and tomato sauce – is incredibly satisfying. But to create it, you have to cook the cabbage by itself, then make the filling, then roll it up in the leaves, pile everything in a casserole dish, and bake it. That’s just too many steps for a busy cook.
My One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls solved this problem, but at a cost: I had to leave out the rice. And to a lot of people, the dish just wasn’t the same without it. They didn’t just want to serve it with rice; they wanted the rice baked right in so it soaked up all the delicious juices.
So, to make those folks happy, I’ve created this Cabbage Roll Casserole. It has all the ingredients of traditional cabbage rolls, all baked together in the traditional way – but without the rolling part. And, for good measure, I’ve added a topping of melted mozzarella cheese to give it even more flavor. So now, you can have all the flavor of cabbage rolls with no rolling involved.
What’s the best way to shred cabbage if you don’t have a food processor?
- There’s a good, detailed explanation of how to do it at Taste of Home, but here’s the quick version: First, cut the cabbage head in half and cut out the stem. Then put it flat side down on a cutting board and slice it into thin ribbons. A mandoline does this well if you have one, but you can also use a big chef’s knife.
Why do you cover the casserole with foil before baking it?
- It holds in moisture, so the casserole doesn’t dry out. It also helps it cook more evenly.
Can you use any other kind of cheese besides mozzarella?
- Monterey Jack would also work well, or pepper jack if your family likes it spicy.
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How to Make Cabbage Roll Casserole
- Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef. Drain off the fat. Stir in the onions, salt, pepper, garlic and green pepper. Cook for 4 minutes stirring frequently.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juice) and tomato sauce to the skillet and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir the rice into the beef/tomato mixture.
- Put half of the shredded cabbage in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the beef mixture. Repeat layers. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.
- Remove foil, sprinkle with cheese and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Serve sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley.
Cabbage Roll Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 2 cups white rice cooked
- 1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 24 oz can tomato sauce
- 5 cups cabbage shredded
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- Fresh parsley for serving if desired
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef. Drain off the fat.
- Stir in the onions, salt, pepper, garlic and green pepper. Cook for 4 minutes stirring frequently.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juice) and tomato sauce to the skillet and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir the rice into the beef/tomato mixture.
- Put half of the shredded cabbage in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Top with half of the beef mixture. Repeat layers. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.
- Remove foil, sprinkle with cheese and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Serve sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley.
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Nutrition
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.
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This is a definite keeper ! W we love cabbage rolls but I don’t care for all the work lol. This took a little ut oh my so worth it , I did however put 5 slices of provolone cheese in between the 2 layers .. fabulous. I took a pic and putting it on my Facebook page !
Could I use crushed tomatoes vs diced in this recipe?
Sure! I think that would work out just fine Janet.
This recipe is awesome! I modified it by adding some ketchup on top because that is
always what my grandma put on the cabbage rolls. I I also used ground turkey instead of ground beef and it was absolutely delicious.
So happy you loved it Judy!
Loved this recipe! I made only half as I was using up left over cabbage & will make it again!
Thanks
Just finished making this cabbage casserole! Turned out so good! Will Make again soon,for sure!