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My Stuffed Cabbage Casserole recipe is complete with layers of seasoned ground beef, bell peppers, rice, and cheese, all in a tomato-based sauce. The taste is fantastic and the steps are so easy! Serve it for a family dinner or as part of a holiday buffet.
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Stuffed Cabbage Casserole with Ground Beef
Cabbage is one of my favorite vegetables to pick up from the store. Not only is it budget-friendly at generally less than a dollar per pound, but it is versatile, filling, and so delicious! It's easy to make this cabbage casserole recipe. It uses staple ingredients like yellow onion, green bell pepper, and diced tomatoes. All it requires is cooking ground beef in a pan, sauteing veggies, simmering the mixture, then adding it to the oven in a baking dish layered with cheese. This casserole practically cooks itself!
I love serving this cabbage casserole with ground beef for busy weeknight dinners, but have also been known to bring it to potlucks or serve it as part of a holiday meal. Even the pickiest eaters love the flavors of this dish, and it freezes and reheats well, making it a great option for meal prep.
I made your stuffed cabbage casserole for dinner tonight and it was DELICIOUS! We both loved it! 😍 My mom made cabbage rolls when I was a kid and I absolutely loved them—even requested them for my birthday. The flavor reminded me of them and I didn’t have to roll the mixture in cabbage leaves!
Megan
Ingredients Notes
- Ground Beef: I'm using 80/20 ground beef for this recipe. Feel free to use a leaner option, or even another protein, such as a mix of ground beef and ground pork, or ground turkey. Keep in mind other proteins may require a longer total time to cook than beef.
- Yellow Onion: Provides the perfect level of sweet onion flavor that complements the savory and slightly bitter beef and cabbage so well. If you don't have yellow onion, you could use white onion, but skip out on using red onion. It's too astringent for this recipe.
- Green Bell Pepper: The flavor and crunch of bell pepper adds great depth to this casserole dish. I recommend the green variety, but other varieties of bell pepper will work, too.
- Olive Oil: You'll be cooking the cabbage in olive oil, which adds a rich and silky smoothness with a nice, mild flavor. If you prefer, you can also use avocado oil or another neutral vegetable oil.
- Garlic Powder: Use powder, or fresh minced garlic, according to your tastes. If you want to use fresh garlic, use about 2 teaspoons (about 2 cloves garlic or so). I recommend using a garlic press if you do.
- Paprika: I'm using regular paprika for this recipe. If you only have another variety of paprika, such as sweet, smoked, hot, or Hungarian paprika, you can use it, instead. Just keep in mind it may slightly alter the flavor of the completed dish.
- White Sugar: A couple teaspoons of sugar help sweeten the veggie and beef mixture, which pairs well with the naturally savory and bitter flavors of the beef and cabbage.
- Diced Tomatoes with Juices (Canned): Do not drain the can.
- Tomato Sauce (Canned): Use your favorite tomato sauce for this recipe.
- Head of Cabbage: I'm using regular green cabbage for this recipe. It is the most common variety. You can use other varieties of cabbage, but keep in mind that some, like savoy cabbage, have different cook times and flavor profiles.
- Water: You simmer the cabbage leaves in water to cook them. I recommend using filtered water.
- Rice (Cooked): Although adding rice is optional, a rice mixture is what will make it a true unstuffed cabbage roll casserole. You can use either cooked white rice or cooked brown rice according to your preferences. Alternatively, you can also use cauliflower rice.
- Carrot: The carrot will be grated, so I recommend using large carrots to grate them easily.
- Mozzarella Cheese: For best flavor, buy a block of mozzarella cheese and shred it yourself using a cheese grater. Pre-shredded cheese has a powder that makes it clump more easily. However, you can also use already-shredded cheese, and it will work out just fine.
- Salt: I prefer kosher salt or my favorite Maldon sea salt flakes.
- Black Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper works best, but pre-ground pepper is just fine.
How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
- Place a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat on the stove. Once hot, add ground beef.
- Use a spatula to break the beef up as it cooks. For best flavor, allow it to cook in a large chunk until well-browned and crispy on one side, then break it up.
- Cook the ground beef until browned all of the way through. Drain excess grease or use a paper towel to carefully soak it up.
- Add chopped onions and grated carrot. Season with garlic powder, then let the mixture cook down for about 3 minutes.
- Mix in chopped bell pepper and cook for an additional 3 minutes or so.
- Season with black pepper, salt, sugar, and paprika. Stir to combine completely.
- Pour in tomato sauce and diced tomatoes with juices. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.
- After simmering, add in cooked rice if desired, and stir well. Set the mixture aside in a bowl.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8 by 11-inch casserole dish by spraying it lightly with cooking oil or greasing the inside with oil or butter.
- In the same pan you used for the ground beef mixture, add olive oil, chopped cabbage, and water. Let the water simmer until the cabbage starts to soften and the water evaporates, about 10 minutes.
- Add half of the cabbage to the casserole dish, then layer with half of the beef and rice mix.
- Add the remaining half of the cabbage over the top, then the remaining beef mixture.
- Top with shredded mozzarella cheese if desired, then cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes covered. After 20 minutes, carefully remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil, serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired, and enjoy!
Tips for Making Cabbage Casserole
- This stuffed cabbage casserole is naturally dairy-free so long as you leave out the cheese. Feel free to use a dairy-free cheese alternative.
- By leaving out the rice or using an alternative like cauliflower rice, you can make this dish low carb.
- I recommend making a second batch to freeze. Trust me... you will want more!
- Alternatively, for a smaller batch, feel free to halve the ingredients. No other changes need to be made.
- Try adding in other seasonings and veggies if you like. Generally anything you enjoy in a stuffed cabbage roll will pair very well with this recipe, so you can mix up the flavors using your favorites.
Storing Cabbage Casserole
Allow leftovers to cool completely, then store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Cabbage casserole can also be frozen for long term storage, making it a great choice for meal prep.
Freezing Cabbage Casserole
Allow your cabbage casserole to cool completely, then add to freezer-safe storage such as an airtight container or a zip-top freezer bag. Store for up to 3 months in the freezer. I like to divide the portions before freezing to make it easier to take out exactly the amount I want when ready to cook.
Reheating Cabbage Casserole
Before reheating frozen cabbage casserole, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. For cabbage casserole that has not been frozen, and for thawed cabbage casserole, reheat in the oven at 350°F until heated through completely, about 15-20 minutes. I like to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature to know when it's done heating.
FAQ
Not at all. You can use ground turkey, ground pork, or even a plant-based alternative to ground meat. Keep in mind some variations may require adjusting the cook time.
Yes, feel free to experiment using other varieties of cabbage depending on your taste preferences. Some people like to use savoy cabbage when making cabbage roll casserole.
What to Serve with Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
Video
Equipment
- 8 by 13-inch baking dish
- Large pot or skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20
- 1 medium yellow onion - chopped
- 1 green bell pepper - chopped
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder - or, 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- 15 oz. diced tomatoes - canned, with juices - do not drain
- 15 oz. tomato sauce - canned
- 1 medium head of cabbage - chopped into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup cooked rice - optional but classical in cabbage rolls. leftover or quick microwave rice ideal
- 1 cup carrot - grated
- 1 cup mozzarella - shredded (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat on the stove. Once hot, add ground beef.
- Use a spatula to break the beef up as it cooks. For best flavor, allow it to cook in a large chunk until well-browned and crispy on one side, then break it up.
- Cook the ground beef until browned all of the way through. Drain excess grease or use a paper towel to carefully soak it up.
- Add chopped onions and grated carrot. Season with garlic powder, then let the mixture cook down for about 3 minutes.
- Mix in chopped bell pepper and cook for an additional 3 minutes or so.
- Season with black pepper, salt, sugar, and paprika. Stir to combine completely.
- Pour in tomato sauce and diced tomatoes with juices. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.
- After simmering, add in cooked rice if desired, and stir well. Set the mixture aside in a bowl.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8 by 11-inch casserole dish by spraying it lightly with cooking oil or greasing the inside with oil or butter.
- In the same pan you used for the ground beef mixture, add olive oil, chopped cabbage, and water. Let the water simmer until the cabbage starts to soften and the water evaporates, about 10 minutes.
- Add half of the cabbage to the casserole dish, then layer with half of the beef and rice mix.
- Add the remaining half of the cabbage over the top, then the remaining beef mixture.
- Top with shredded mozzarella cheese if desired, then cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes covered. After 20 minutes, carefully remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil, serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired, and enjoy!
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