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White plate containing Cabbage Roll Casserole served with a spinach salad.
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5 from 41 votes

Cabbage Roll Casserole

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!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 15 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 216kcal
Author: Amanda Mason

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
  • 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.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 440mg | Potassium: 541mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 352IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 2mg