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.
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Great recipe! Although I used a cup and half of beef broth to bring a longer boilI will be making this again!
Can you please tell me if on a diet would this be something good to eat. Trying to stay low carbs. I would use the ground turkey.
I was curious about the nutritional content as well. I found a nutrition calculator online and here are the results if you use 6 servings as the guide –
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Per Serving % Daily Value*
Calories 221
Total Fat 5.4g 7%
Saturated Fat 1.9g 10%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 68mg 25%
Sodium 1132mg 49%
Potassium 1017mg 22%
Total Carb 17.6g 6%
Dietary Fiber 5.7g 20%
Sugars 11.1g
Protein 26.9g
Vitamin A 53% · Vitamin C 111%
Calcium 6% · Iron 88%
https://www.verywell.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer
Thank you for posting this!
Why in the world would you add brown sugar?? I don’t use it in traditional cabbage rolls….
ok, so I made this yesterday, and yes I definitely double checked the ingredients, however I found it way too soupy and a little hot for my taste, but hubby liked it. so the next time I make it, I will also make rice and leave out some of the paparika, , and just add one can of diced tomatoes
thank you
I make it without the broth and sugar. Turns out fine.