Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
If you love stuffed cabbage, you’ll love this stuffed cabbage casserole. It simplifies the classic dish, combining ground beef, seasonings, and cabbage into an easy family favorite.
Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
Stuffed Cabbage Casserole is a simple and filling meal you can make when you want all the flavors of stuffed cabbage rolls without all the work.
This casserole has layers of cabbage, seasoned beef, rice, and a rich tomato sauce, baked together in one easy dish.
I like making this when I need a hearty dinner that doesn’t take hours to put together.
You’ll love how easy it is to prep and how it all cooks in one pan, making cleanup quick too.
It’s great for busy weeknights or when you want something warm and comforting without spending a ton of time in the kitchen.
Ingredients
Olive oil: Great for sautéing the onions and garlic.
Onion: Use a medium yellow onion for its sweetness and balanced flavor. If you prefer a milder taste, you can swap it for a sweet onion.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is a must for this recipe!
Ground beef: We use 85% ground beef.
Seasonings: We use salt, black pepper, paprika, dried oregano, and thyme.
Diced tomatoes: I recommend using canned diced tomatoes with no added sugar or preservatives.
Tomato sauce: A simple, no-sugar-added tomato sauce is perfect for this recipe.
Beef broth: Feel free to use homemade or store-bought. If you need to, you can sub it out for chicken broth.
Worcestershire sauce: This adds a nice savory umami kick to the dish.
Brown sugar: You can a light brown sugar for a mild sweetness or dark brown sugar for a richer taste.
Cooked rice: Leftover rice works great in this recipe! If you’re cooking fresh rice, make sure it’s cooled a bit before adding it to the casserole.
Green cabbage: Use a medium-sized cabbage and make sure to chop into bite-sized pieces for easy layering.
Shredded mozzarella cheese
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
Add the diced onion and cook for about 3 minutes until it softens.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks.
Season with salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and thyme.
Continue cooking until the beef is browned, then drain any excess grease.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.
Simmer for about 5 minutes to let the flavors combine.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cooked rice.
Spread half of the chopped cabbage evenly in the prepared baking dish.
Layer half of the beef and rice mixture over the cabbage.
Repeat with the remaining cabbage and beef mixture.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.
Uncover the dish, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese if desired, and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese melts.
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & Tricks
Here’s some tips and tricks for making this stuffed cabbage casserole:
Use leftover rice: This recipe is perfect for using up leftover rice.
Add veggies: Add in extra vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, or mushrooms.
Swap for turkey or chicken: For a lighter version, you use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.
Make it ahead: Prepare the casserole a day or two before, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake for a quick dinner.
Top with breadcrumbs: For a crispy topping, sprinkle breadcrumbs over the cheese before baking.
Leftovers/Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
To reheat, microwave individual portions or bake in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
What to Serve with Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
Some of our favorite things to serve with stuffed cabbage casserole are garlic bread, side salad, steamed broccoli or cauliflower, and roasted carrots.
Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 small head green cabbage chopped (about 6 cups)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and thyme. Cook until browned, then drain any excess grease.1 ½ pounds ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes.15 ounces diced tomatoes, 15 ounces tomato sauce, 1 cup beef broth, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- Remove from heat and stir in cooked rice.2 cups cooked rice
- Spread half of the chopped cabbage in the prepared baking dish. Layer half of the beef and rice mixture on top. Repeat with remaining cabbage and beef mixture.1 small head green cabbage
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until cabbage is tender.
- Uncover, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese if using, and bake for 5 more minutes until cheese melts.1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Please note that the nutritional content of this recipe will vary based on the specific ingredients used. For a detailed breakdown of the nutritional values, consider using a recipe nutrition calculator with the exact brands and measurements you’ve used.
