This hearty and savory cabbage roll casserole combines the flavors of rich tomato sauce with cabbage, beef, and cheese. Without the hassle of making traditional cabbage rolls, the casserole version is perfect for any weeknight dinner!
Cabbage rolls are absolutely delicious, but it takes a lot of effort to stuff and roll them. When you're short on time but want to enjoy the flavors of stuffed cabbage rolls, make this cabbage roll casserole. Similar to homemade lasagna, this recipe is layered with seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, rice, and cabbage topped with melted mozzarella cheese. And just like my beef enchilada casserole, this is one of the most delicious and comforting casseroles you'll ever eat!
Traditional cabbage rolls require you to boil the cabbage leaves and then fill them with meat, rice, tomato sauce, and cheese. They are then rolled and baked. While delicious, it's messy and can be a hassle if the cabbage leaves rip. That's why I love this version so much. This is more of an unstuffed cabbage casserole version that is made in the crock pot.
This dish is made with simple ingredients that can be found at any local grocery store. This is a budget friendly meal and you'll enjoy the flavors of classic cabbage rolls in every bite! And, it pairs amazingly well with this romaine lettuce salad, this homemade garlic and rosemary flatbread, or these oven baked roasted potatoes!
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✔️ Quick Recipe Overview
Why This Is The Best Cabbage Roll Casserole: Slow cooked in the crock pot, you'll love the satisfying flavors with each layer of beef, cabbage, rice, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese!
How Long It Takes: 4 hours
Equipment You'll Need: crock pot, skillet
ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
1. With only 20 minutes to prepare, layer all the ingredients and let the crock pot do all the work!
2. You don't have to cook the cabbage leaves ahead of time. The cabbage is chopped instead and layered with simple ingredients.
3. There's no need to double the recipe. This cabbage roll casserole makes a lot and is great for leftovers!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Ground Beef - adds flavor and protein to the dish.
- Cabbage - use fresh cabbage, not frozen. The cabbage will turn to mush if frozen.
- Onion - use a small yellow or white onion to ensure the flavor is balanced and not overbearing.
- Garlic - for the best flavor, use fresh cloves of garlic instead of the jarred version or garlic pasta.
- Tomato Sauce - helps add flavor and helps cook the rice.
- Diced Tomatoes - use cans instead of fresh diced tomatoes. It adds the perfect amount of flavor and texture.
- Tomato Soup - used as a thickening agent and adds additional flavor.
- Rice - helps thicken the casserole and adds carbs.
- Seasonings - salt, thyme, and paprika are used to provide a balanced flavor in every bite.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📋 Variations
It's easy to make modifications without changing the incredible taste of this comforting dish.
- Instead of ground beef, try using ground turkey meat, pork, or any plant based meat.
- To keep this dish lean, use 92% or 96% ground beef.
- Substitute brown rice for white rice.
- To make a low carb version, leave out the rice completely.
- Add some heat by adding ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a freshly chopped jalapeno pepper.
- Try using pepper jack or Monterey jack cheese instead of mozzarella.
- For a Mexican flavor, add in a small can of chopped green chiles.
🔪 How To Make Cabbage Roll Casserole
Step 1: Start by chopping the onion. Put the ground beef in a large skillet. Add the chopped onion, fresh garlic, paprika, thyme, and salt to the skillet and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the fat in a colander and then set aside.
Step 2: Next, add 1 cup of the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, 1 cup water, and ½ can of tomato soup to the skillet with the cooked ground beef.
Step 3: Add the rice to the skillet and mix well until heated through, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Step 4: While the beef and cabbage roll sauce is heating in the skillet on the stove top, go ahead and cut the cabbage into 4 wedges and remove the core. Chop the cabbage into large bite sized pieces.
Step 5: From there, layer ½ of the beef and cabbage roll sauce mixture in the crock pot. Then, layer ½ of the freshly chopped cabbage.
Step 6: Repeat the layers again.
👩🍳 Chef's Note: If you love cheese, add some mozzarella into the layering process! Simply add an extra ½ cup of shredded mozzarella on top of the chopped cabbage before adding on the last layer of sauce mixture.
Step 7: After the layering is complete, combine the remaining tomato soup, remaining tomato sauce, and ⅓ cup water into a large bowl.
Step 8: Stir to combine and then pour the mixture over the top layer of cabbage. Put the lid on the crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours.
Step 9: Once done, turn the crock pot off and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Allow the cheese to melt before serving. Add salt and pepper to taste.
This easy family favorite combines all the delicious flavors of stuffed cabbage rolls with a lot less work. These are lazy man cabbage rolls in casserole form that is cooked to savory perfection!
🙋 Recipe FAQs
Store any leftovers in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To reheat, place a serving in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, until warmed all the way through.
I don't recommend freezing this recipe. When thawed and reheated, it tends to turn out mushy.
💭 Expert Tips
- While pre-shredded cheese works fine in this recipe, use freshly grated cheese for best results.
- Don't use cauliflower rice. It will change the texture and make it mushy.
- Make sure to follow the instructions on the divided ingredients in the recipe card. It makes a difference taste wise.
- Don't overcook. When the rice is fully cooked, it's done.
- While a leaner % of ground meat will keep this dish healthier, using a higher fat ground meat will provide more flavor.
🥗 Serving Suggestions
If you tried this cabbage roll casserole or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And, please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
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Cabbage Roll Casserole
Equipment
- crock pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce, divided
- 1⅓ cup water, divided
- 1 can condensed tomato soup, divided
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ¾ cup white rice, uncooked
- 1 head cabbage
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Start by chopping the onion. Put the 2 lbs. of ground beef in a large skillet. Add the chopped onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon thyme, and 1½ teaspoons of salt to the skillet and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the fat in a colander and set aside.
- Next, add ½ of the can of tomato sauce, the 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes, 1 cup water, and ½ can of tomato soup to the skillet with the cooked ground beef.
- Add the ¾ cup of uncooked rice to the skillet and mix well until heated through, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Cut the cabbage into 4 wedges and remove the core. Chop the cabbage into large bite sized pieces.
- From there, layer ½ of the beef and cabbage roll sauce mixture in the crock pot. Then layer ½ of the freshly chopped cabbage.
- Repeat the layers again.
- After the layering is complete, combine the remaining ½ can of tomato soup, remaining ½ can of tomato sauce, and ⅓ cup water into a large bowl.
- Stir to combine and then pour the mixture over the top layer of cabbage. Put the lid on the crock pot.
- Cook on low for 4 hours or just until rice is done. Once done, turn Crock Pot off, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and let sit 10 minutes to set and melt cheese. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- If you love cheese, add some mozzarella into the layering process! Simply add ½ cup of shredded mozzarella on top of the chopped cabbage before adding on the last layer of sauce mixture.
- While pre-shredded cheese works fine in this recipe, use freshly grated cheese for best results.
- Don't use cauliflower rice. It will change the texture and make it mushy.
- Make sure to follow the instructions on the divided ingredients in the recipe card. It actually does make a difference taste wise.
- Don't overcook. When the rice is fully cooked, it's done.
- While a leaner % of ground meat will keep this dish healthier, using a higher fat ground beef will provide more flavor.
Anne Lawton
I love stuffed cabbage, but not all of the time it takes to make! this is such a great idea!
Amanda Mason
yes, this is a time saver for sure!
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life
Healthy and gluten-free?! Get out of town! This looks so darn delicious and ridiculously filling, I never would have guessed it would be healthy and gluten-free to boot! I don't think healthy and gluten-free has ever looked so good!
Amanda Mason
Thanks! Yep - check out the nutritional info in my post to get the exact macros but definately no guilt in this dish!
Anne Murphy
And you didn't have to *roll* the Cabbage Roll Casserole! More win! (Can you tell I dislike that step? LOL) It does look good...
Amanda Mason
Nope - no rolling involved!! Let the Crockpot do all the work!
stacey
just curious why some recipes call to cook rice first? yours doesn't though? also we leave for work at 8 in the morning and don't return unitl 6:30 in the evening. It would be on low all day. Would it be mush by the time we got home? thanks
Amanda Mason
I'm afraid that if you leave it on low for that long, it will turn to mush. I dont cook my rice beforehand because about 4 hours in the crockpot cooks the rice. If you wanted to cook the rice beforehand and cook it in the crock for for 2 hours...perhaps that work work, but I like the taste and consistency at about 4-5 hours cooking in the crockpot.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
We really like our cabbage rolls but have never made them in a crock pot. In fact, my German MIL called them pigs in a blanket and we did too. It was one of their side of the family's favorites. It's been a long time since we've made them. We'll have to try out your method.
Amanda Mason
I hope you like it!!
Patti
I love cabbage rolls, but I rarely make them because they're a lot of work. I love this layered casserole, and I really love that it's made in the slow cooker. All of the taste of cabbage rolls in a simple slow cooker meal. Brilliant!
Amanda Mason
Cabbage rolls are a lot of work; that' why this recipe is so amazing! Tastes amazing without the mess!
Veena Azmanov
This sounds so incredible. I love slow cooker recipes and this looks really simple and easy. I think cabbage is very underused vegetable especially in our home. Must try this.
Amanda Mason
I agree. I'm lucky in that my kids like it and my husband LOVES it! I'm starting to cook with cabbage a lot!
Kushi
Drooling! Looks so flavorful and delicious.
Amanda Mason
Yep - it is THAT good!
Dominique | Perchance to Cook
This sounds SOOO good. I love slow cooker recipes because the flavors really get a chance to melt into each other. I can't wait to try it!
Amanda Mason
Exactly! I could not have said it better myself!
Kiki Johnson
This looks like the perfect comfort food! Can I make this without a crock pot?
Cheers, Kiki
Amanda Mason
You probably could make this on the stove in a pot...I've never tried that before!
Patti @Patty Cake's Pantry
I love cabbage rolls, but they are so labor intensive. I appreciate that this recipe is a casserole, and I love that it's made in the slow cooker. I'm definitely planning on making this. I might have seconds, too.
Amanda Mason
Yes! No mes or effort with this recipe!