One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

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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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.

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

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


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Corey, Darryl, Big D & Little D

One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
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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
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.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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It was easy to prepare, and quick enough to make on a weeknight after work! I served it over rice! It was delicious! I love stuffed cabbage, but I think this might be my new way if doing it! It is so much less work, with similar result! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
My whole family loved this. Didn’t take long to cook it up
My family enjoyed this recipe. I left out the beef broth and added some worcestershire as suggested in a couple of the reviews . It did need a little more flavor but we did enjoy. It was a easy meal.
This is SO good!! I added a cup of riced cauliflower to it and simmered it till soft. Very tasty! Thanks for the recipe!
I love the idea of adding riced cauliflower!
Made this last night as written except for a few additions. I increased the beef broth to one cup and increased the tomato sauce to 16 oz. I cooked half a cup of rice in a cup of beef broth and added the rice to the entire dish once it as done. I also added a tbsp of Worcestershire sauce and one teaspoon of oregano. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for a wonderful recipe