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’s so 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).
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Cabbage Roll Casserole combines layers of meat sauce, rice, and cabbage all topped with cheese and baked in the oven!
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 9×13 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.