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.
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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.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email to receive this recipe, along with weekly food inspiration!
Jamie
So amazing! I love cabbage! Now this recipe is perfect and healthy!
Amanda Mason
I'm so glad you liked it and YES - totally healthy!!
DK Park
Such an amazing recipe, not only it stays on the budget but a healthy one too! Thank you for this one!
Amanda Mason
Yes, this is a budget-friendly option for sure! Glad you loved it and glad it's a keeper for you!
Jason Ortman
What size crock pot is recommended for this cabbage roll casserole. I want to make it but im not sure my crock pot is big enough. Thanks!
Amanda Mason
This recipe makes a lot, so you need a minimum of a 6-quart crock pot. That will work. A 7 or 8-quart will work better though. I hope this is helpful!
Maria
Absolutely love this recipe!!!
Amanda Mason
Oh yeah!!! I'm so glad you love it so much!! It's a true classic, for sure!!! Let me know what other recipes of mine you try!! I can't wait to hear!
Andrea
I'm a traditional Polish girl and only ever ate my Buscia's golumpki. I was very skeptical of this recipe for that reason. I tried it, only subbing ground turkey for the beef, and it was awesome! Could this be done as a casserole with less cooking time? Thank you!
Amanda Mason
Hi Andrea! I am SO glad to hear this! What an amazing compliment from you considering your heritage!! I'm honored!! I've never made this in the oven in a casserole but I would think it could absolutely be done!! Let me know what other recipes of mine you try! I can't wait to hear!!
Renee
The adjustments I made: I cooked 6 pieces of bacon until super crispy. I crushed the bacon into bits and set aside. I reserved the grease, chopped an onion, and sautéed the onion in it. When the onions were about 1/2 cooked, I added the hamburger to the onion to brown. When the burger/onion mix was ready, I added the bacon This follows my traditional halupki recipe with the convenience of cooking as a casserole. Delish! Thanks for the crock pot recipe!
Amanda Mason
Yum! I love that you added some crispy bacon!!!
Walter G.
My wife and I just got a 10 Qt. Slow Cooker and had to try this recipe first. We started with 3 lbs. of ground beef, 1-1/2 heads of cabbage and adjusted everything else from there. Added 2 large green peppers and a whole mixture of tomatoes. Puree, sliced stewed, paste, and petite diced. Doubled the rice and seasonings. Couple of problems. It took 6 hrs. for this to start boiling. 7-1/2 hrs., and the cabbage was cooked enough, but the rice came out mushy. We were thinking next time to add rice sometime later during cooking. Also, everyone said it was bland. My son tried adding different seasonings to it but couldn't get it right. I used Ancho Chili Powder and that helped. Any idea's what seasonings would help?
Amanda Mason
Hi Walter!! I'm so honored that you tried my recipe first in your new crockpot!! While your adjustments sound yummy, I would definately encourage you to try my recipe as written because it is tried and true. With that being said...adding green peppers and the ancho chili powder sounds good! Perhaps adding some garlic salt or garlic powder would work well. But in all honesty, the recipe as written is delicious. The shredded mozzarella cheese is also delish with this recipe.
Susan Head
Delicious! Wasn't sure if I'd like the cheese but I did. Good with buttered toasted Italian bread.
Amanda Mason
Hi Susan! YEAH! So glad you liked it so much! It's one of my absolute favorite meals ever!! I can't wait to hear what else you make here on Recipes Worth Repeating!
Shirley
In all my life I’ve never heard of putting cheese on cabbage rolls. My recipe is from my Grandma, who was German.
Amanda Mason
The cheese adds so much flavor. Let me know how you like it!
PAULINE
I just leave it out....it tastes DELICIOUS
Amanda Mason
I'm so glad you all love it!! It does freeze well, yes!
Christine in Los Angeles
I'm sure it tastes as good as it looks, but where will I seat 14 dinner guests?
I cant imagine the size of your slow cooker.
I'll keep an eye open, for future recipes.
Amanda Mason
It's an 8 quart slow cooker that feeds 10+ people. This recipe feeds about 15 people with a serving size of 1 cup per person. The slow cooker I have is located here: https://amzn.to/36tKVPg
Pauline
This works great in my 8 quart slow cooker! also, this freezes well. It's just 2 of us and we eat it the day it's cooked, leftovers for our lunches the next day then freeze for later!! 🙂