This Cabbage Roll Casserole combines all the classic flavors of stuffed cabbage rolls into an easy, layered casserole that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
I can’t believe it took me this long to love cabbage as much as I do. I grew up in a Polish family, so you’d think I would’ve been a cabbage fan from the beginning since we often had pigs in a blanket. But for some reason, cabbage was the one vegetable I always avoided when I was younger.
A few months ago, I tried cabbage roll casserole at a community event and immediately thought, “Where has this been all my life?”. Days after I got home, I started to recreate it in my own kitchen, and I think my version turned out even better.
The secret is all in the layers. Every bite is packed with tender cabbage, seasoned beef, tomato sauce, fluffy rice and plenty of melted cheese. If you’ve always loved stuff cabbage rolls but don’t love all the work, this casserole is about to become a new family favorite.
If you’re looking for more easy comfort food dinners, be sure to check out my other family-friendly casserole recipes too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- No rolling individual cabbage leaves
- Everything bakes in one dish
- Made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients
- Easy to customize with your favorite cheese or ground meat
- Comfort food that’s filling and satisfying
- Leftovers reheat nicely
- A great way to use up fresh garden cabbage
- Freezer-friendly for easy future dinners
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground beef: I used lean ground beef but you can also use ground turkey, ground chicken or Italian sausage too.
- Cabbage: Green cabbage is traditional, but Savoy cabbage also works.
- Onion: small and chopped
- Tomatoes: Canned, diced and undrained
- Rice: White rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice can be substituted.
- Cheese: Shredded and any flavor will work
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
- Will also need: Brown sugar, olive oil, lemon juice and worcestershire sauce
How to Make Cabbage Roll Casserole
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 2: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chopped cabbage and cook for 5-7 minutes, just until slightly tender. Drain well and blot with paper towels if needed.
Step 3: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the ground beef and onion until the beef is browned. Drain excess grease.
Step 4: Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 5: Add the diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Step 6: Stir the cooked rice into the meat mixture.
Step 7: Spread half of the cabbage into the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the meat mixture.
Step 8: Repeat with the remaining cabbage and meat mixture.
Step 9: Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top, cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Step 10: Allow the casserole to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Variations of This Recipe
- Add diced green peppers to the meat mixture.
- Use spicy Italian sausage instead of ground beef for heat and flavor.
- Skip the cheese if you prefer a more traditional cabbage roll flavor.
- Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for some heat.
Helpful Tips
- Don’t overcook the cabbage before baking since it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Drain the cabbage well so the casserole doesn’t become watery.
- Cook your rice ahead of time to make assembly even faster.
- Freshly shredded cheese melts much better than pre-shredded cheese.
- If the casserole starts browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the baked casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave, or reheat the entire casserole covered in a 350℉ oven until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Assemble the casserole in the baking dish up to 24 hours ahead, cover, refrigerate, and bake by the next day.
Boiling helps soften the cabbage and is recommended to give the casserole the best texture.
This casserole pairs nice with crusty bread, garlic bread, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, or roasted vegetables.
Recipe
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 head of cabbage chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chopped cabbage and cook for 5-7 minutes, just until slightly tender. Drain well and blot with paper towels if needed.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the ground beef and onion until the beef is browned. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Stir the cooked rice into the meat mixture.
- Spread half of the cabbage into the prepared baking dish.
- Top with half of the meat mixture.
- Repeat with the remaining cabbage and meat mixture.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top, cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Allow the casserole to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Helpful Tips
- Don’t overcook the cabbage before baking since it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Drain the cabbage well so the casserole doesn’t become watery.
- Cook your rice ahead of time to make assembly even faster.
- Freshly shredded cheese melts much better than pre-shredded cheese.
- If the casserole starts browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the baked casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave, or reheat the entire casserole covered in a 350℉ oven until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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