Love stuffed homemade cabbage rolls but short on time?
We’ve got you covered with this Cabbage Roll Casserole! Layers of tender cabbage, rice, and meat in a zesty tomato sauce.
Made with simple ingredients, this cabbage casserole is so easy to toss together and can be made ahead of time (on the weekend!). The family and the cook will love this simple and comforting dish!
A Cozy Cabbage Roll Casserole
- This casserole is also known as lazy cabbage rolls and it’sso simple to make!
- All of the flavor of our favorite easy cabbage rolls without the fuss rolling or cooking whole leaves.
- This makes a hearty family sized meal and reheats and freezes well.
- This casserole can be made low carb by swapping the rice for riced cauliflower.
- Top it with the optional cheese (or don’t if you’d prefer).
Ingredients in Cabbage Roll Casserole
Green cabbage is used in this recipe. It is chopped and cooked which means no peeling leaves or rolling. You can use other types of cabbage in this recipe but cooking time might need to be adjusted slightly.
The traditional ingredients in the cabbage roll filling from my grandmother’s recipe make an appearance in this recipe! Ground beef, ground pork (or use all beef), rice, and spices are combined with a zesty tomato sauce.
Theoptional topping in this recipe is loved by all. A unique cheese mixture forms a flavorful brown crust and while cheese is not traditional in cabbage rolls, we do love it on this casserole. If you’d prefer, it can be left off.
How to Make Cabbage Roll Casserole
Enjoy all the flavors of traditional cabbage rolls without all the work and fuss.
- PREP MEAT SAUCE – Cook meat and onion garlicper the recipe below. Add remaining sauce ingredients and simmer.
- COOK CABBAGE – While meat is cooking, chop and fry cabbage.
- ASSEMBLE – Mixe the rice into the meat sauce and layer with cabbage in a casserole dish.
- BAKE – Top if desired and bake until browned and bubbly.
If you’d like to cook this in the crock pot, we use this Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Casserole recipe.
Make Ahead and Leftovers
Leftover casserole will keep in the refrigerator for 4 days or can be frozen.
This is also a great casserole for doubling and freezing. The dish can be frozen either before or after baking. They will keep in the freezer for 3 months.
To bake from frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as per the directions in the original recipe (you may need to add about 15-20 minutes if the casserole is cold from the fridge).
Got Cabbage? (Lucky you)!
- Quick Cabbage Soup – quick and healthy
- Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe – reader favorite
- Cabbage and Noodles – family recipe
- The Best Coleslaw Recipe – potluck perfect
- Corned Beef and Cabbage – a complete meal
- Crock Pot Cabbage Roll Soup – set it and forget it
Did your family love this Cabbage Roll Casserole? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
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Cabbage Roll Casserole
Cabbage Roll Casserole combines layers of meat sauce, rice, and cabbage all topped with cheese and baked in the oven!
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes
Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
Author Holly Nilsson
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or pork , or ½ pound of each
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can, including juice
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt & pepper each
- 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
- 1 large head cabbage 12-14 cups
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon dill optional
Topping
- 2 cups Gruyere cheese or monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Brown beef or pork, onion, and garlic over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat. Stir in diced tomatoes (including juice), tomato sauce, tomato paste, & seasonings. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes until thickened.
Remove from heat and add cooked rice.
Meanwhile, chop cabbage into 1" squares, rinse and shake dry. Heat oil in a skillet and add ½ of the cabbage and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook just until softened (about 10 minutes). Repeat with remaining cabbage.
Place ½ of the cabbage in a 9x13 casserole dish. Top with ½ of the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Topping
In a small bowl combine cheese, egg, and milk. Remove foil, top casserole with cheese mixture, and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes.
Notes
Use lean ground beef or pork or a combination of the two.
This recipe calls for 2 cups cooked rice which is approximately ⅔ cup uncooked long grain white rice. If you have a tiny bit more or less, this recipe will still work well. Cauliflower rice can be used and should be precooked so it doesn't make the casserole watery.
Cabbage can be steamed, boiled, or fried. We prefer frying for easy prep and flavor. If boiling or steaming, ensure the cabbage is drained well. The cabbage will soften a bit as it bakes but you'll want to ensure it's fairly tender before adding to the casserole.
The cheese topping is optional (but delicious!). If you skip the cheese topping, bake covered for the last 20 minutes so the top doesn't dry out.
4.97 from 157 votes
Nutrition Information
Calories: 428 | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 647mg | Potassium: 827mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 929IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 463mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Casserole, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American
© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
More Favorite Casseroles
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole – comfort food classic
- Homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole – so cheesy
- Cheesy Ham Casserole – with crispy Panko topping
- Easy Baked Mostaccioli – so creamy & flavorful
- Creamy Turkey Casserole – perfect weeknight meal
Categories:
Beef, Casseroles, Main Dishes
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About the author
Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
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