May 17, 2022
Review RecipeCabbage Roll Casserole
This cabbage roll casserole makes it easy to enjoy the taste of the original rolls, without any of the hard work.
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Cabbage roll casserole with rice is a super tasty and hearty casserole that is easy to make on a busy night at home. Ground beef is mixed with a homemade meat sauce, then combined with tender rice and cabbage to make a filling dish that the whole family is sure to love.
If you’re looking for a couple of other simple casserole dishes to add to your menu, you have to try out chicken fajita casserole and chicken bacon ranch casserole. Both of these are easy and delicious homemade dinner options.
Cabbage Roll Casserole Ingredients
You’ll need:
Meat Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
Rice
- 1 cup minute rice
- 1 cup water
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 2 tablespoons butter
Cabbage
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 head of cabbage, cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Toppings
- 2½ cups (one bag) shredded mozzarella cheese
- Chopped parsley for the top, optional
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
RED PEPPER FLAKES: If you are a spice lover, you could add ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes to your spices in the meat sauce.
RICE: I find that using minute rice for this recipe is easy and tastes great. However, if you prefer, you can use a different type of rice. Basmati, jasmine, or brown rice would work as well.
PROTEIN: If you’re looking to make this recipe vegetarian, it’s super easy to do so. Simply leave out the ground beef. You can also swap the ground beef out for another ground meat such as ground chicken, ground pork, or ground turkey if you prefer.
CHEESE: Feel free to use a different type of shredded cheese in this easy cabbage roll casserole. Swiss, provolone, or Colby jack would work, too.
How To Make This Cabbage Roll Casserole Recipe
PRO TIP:
To make into a freezer meal, cook in the skillet and then place in freezer bag to freeze rather than baking. When ready, let thaw, dump into the casserole dish, and finish as instructed.
STEP ONE: In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of butter, and beef bouillon cube to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup minute rice and stir well. Cover pot and let sit until you are ready to use it in the meat mixture.
STEP TWO: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
STEP THREE: In a large soup pot, over medium heat, add olive oil and ground beef. Cook and crumble until no longer pink. Drain grease. Return beef to pot, add onions and garlic. Stir well. Let cook for 5 to 7 minutes while stirring often.
PRO TIP:
You can cook ground beef in bulk ahead of time. Store in the freezer until you are ready to use and then add to your recipe when called for. This saves some time browning the meat.
STEP FOUR: Add dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine. Let cook for an additional 2 minutes.
STEP FIVE: Add water, Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes with their juices and tomato sauce. Stir well and turn the heat to low and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.
STEP SIX: Add cooked rice to the sauce mixture and stir well. Remove from heat and set aside.
STEP SEVEN: In a separate large skillet, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add chopped cabbage leaves, salt, pepper, and butter. Stir well. Let cabbage cook for 5 minutes, or until the cabbage is starting to get tender.
STEP EIGHT: Add your cabbage to the meat and rice mixture. Stir well to combine.
STEP NINE: Dump cabbage mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly with a spatula. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
STEP TEN: Cover with foil and cook for 40 minutes.
STEP ELEVEN: Uncover the casserole dish and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese on top of the casserole is starting to brown and the casserole juices are bubbling on the sides of the casserole.
How To Serve
This hearty casserole recipe has everything you need in one dish. Meat, veggies, and melted cheese will have everyone coming back for more and loving this comfort meal. Add homemade garlic bread to the side and you are all set.
MORE CABBAGE RECIPES
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Place leftovers of this unstuffed cabbage roll casserole in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: You can also freeze leftover cabbage roll casserole by spooning it into a freezer Ziploc bag (be sure it has cooled first). When you’re ready to enjoy it, you can simply place it in a baking dish and pop it in the oven.
You can never have enough easy, homemade casserole recipes. This simple cabbage roll casserole is a great recipe to have on hand for a busy weeknight meal. The flavorful, hearty meat sauce combined with the rice and cabbage is so delicious.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What other types of cheese would work instead of mozzarella?
This unstuffed cabbage casserole would also be tasty with Monterey Jack or pepper Jack if you like to spice things up.
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
This is a great freezer meal idea. Make the recipe in the skillet but instead of putting it in the casserole dish and baking it right away, you can put it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and freeze it until you are ready to use it.
How can I easily shred cabbage?
The best way to shred cabbage is in the food processor. If you don’t have one available, 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.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Cabbage Rolls
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Classic Coleslaw
- Cabbage Soup
- Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Southern Fried Cabbage
Cabbage Roll Casserole
This cabbage roll casserole makes it easy to enjoy the taste of the original rolls, without any of the hard work.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion diced finely
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 14.5 ounces petite diced tomatoes undrained
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Rice
- 1 cup minute rice
- 1 cup water
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 2 tablespoons butter
Cabbage
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 head cabbage cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Toppings
- 2½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- chopped parsley optional
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water, butter, and beef bouillon cube to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup minute rice and stir well. Cover pot and let sit until you are ready to use it in the meat mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large soup pot over medium heat, add ground beef. Cook and crumble until no longer pink. Drain grease. Return beef to pot, add onions and garlic. Stir well. Let cook for 5 to 7 minutes while stirring often.
- Add dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine. Let cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add water, Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes with their juices and tomato sauce. Stir well and turn heat to low and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Add cooked rice to the sauce mixture and stir well. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a separate large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add cabbage, salt, pepper, and butter. Stir well. Let cabbage cook for 5 minutes or until the cabbage is starting to get tender.
- Add your cabbage to the meat and rice mixture. Stir well to combine.
- Dump cabbage mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and spread evenly with a spatula. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and cook for 40 minutes.
- Uncover casserole dish and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is starting to brown and the casserole juices are bubbling on the sides of the casserole.
Notes
Note: To make into a freezer meal, cook in the skillet and then place in a freezer bag to freeze rather than baking. When ready, let thaw, dump into the casserole dish, and finish as instructed.
Note: You can cook ground beef in bulk ahead of time. Store in the freezer until you are ready to use and then add to your recipe when called for. This saves some time browning the meat.
Nutrition
Sodium: 2036mg | Calcium: 352mg | Vitamin C: 68mg | Vitamin A: 1229IU | Sugar: 11g | Fiber: 7g | Potassium: 910mg | Cholesterol: 106mg | Calories: 583kcal | Saturated Fat: 17g | Fat: 39g | Protein: 29g | Carbohydrates: 32g | Iron: 5mg
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Comments
Gloria says
We really like this casserole, even though we aren’t typically big cabbage fans. It’s very yummy!
Joyce says
Whole family loved this.
Mika says
Oh my, we loved it! Hubby even after a second helping ( a little one 😉) , said I could eat this all week! So goood!