Cabbage and Ground Beef Casserole (without rice)
This Cabbage and Ground Beef Casserole is an easy, one-pot meal bursting with Italian flavors! Made without rice, it’s a low-carb, cheesy, and satisfying dinner that’s ready in about 30 minutes. It’s perfect for busy weeknights!
This Cabbage and Ground Beef Casserole is a quick and easy dinner recipe that takes just 40 minutes from start to finish.
If you’re a fan of cabbage rolls, you’ll love this one pot casserole that tastes like the “unstuffed” version of the classic recipe!
Cabbage casseroles typically contain rice, but I opted to make this recipe without rice to keep it low carb.
You won’t miss the rice though! The casserole is still plenty hearty thanks to the combination of ground beef, fire roasted tomatoes, tender cabbage, and gooey mozzarella.
Make this cabbage and ground beef casserole on busy weeknights when you need to get something filling and delicious on the table now.
This is sure to become one of your new favorite cabbage recipes in no time!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This ground beef and cabbage casserole is made without rice to keep it low-carb without sacrificing heartiness or flavor.
- It’s an easy recipe that comes together in one pot in about 40 minutes.
- It uses budget-friendly ingredients like cabbage, canned tomatoes, and ground beef.
- It’s easy to customize using your favorite ground meat and cheese.
- It’s naturally gluten-free and keto-friendly.
Recipe ingredients
I kept the ingredients for this unstuffed cabbage roll casserole super simple, but the finished dish is still incredibly filling and flavorful.
- Ground beef. I used lean ground beef, but you may also use ground pork, turkey, or chicken. I highly recommend using 1 1/2 lbs. of ground meat to make this a high protein meal.
- Onion. Half a large onion adds lots of flavor to the casserole.
- Garlic. I used three cloves, but you may use more or less depending on how much garlic flavor you prefer.
- Cabbage. Use green cabbage for this recipe, which becomes very tender with a slightly sweet flavor once it’s cooked. You’ll need just half a head or about 6 cups of chopped cabbage (use the other half to make sautéed cabbage or cabbage soup later in the week!).
- Canned tomatoes. I used both tomato sauce and fire roasted tomatoes in this recipe. Tomato sauce gives this dish a very cozy lasagna feel, and fire roasted tomatoes add smoky flavor. Use low sodium or no salt added varieties to control the sodium.
- Red wine vinegar. The tangy vinegar provides acidity, which helps heighten all of the flavors. It may be substituted with whatever type of vinegar you have on hand.
- Mozzarella. Choose grated mozzarella rather than fresh mozzarella balls, which contain too much moisture. You can also use grated parmesan or omit the cheese altogether to make this dairy-free.
- Herbs and spices. A blend of smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano add layers of flavor to the casserole. Add more red pepper flakes to make this dish extra spicy, or omit them entirely for no spice.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make ground beef and cabbage casserole
Once the veggies have been prepped, this dish cooks in about 30 minutes. Make sure to use a 12″ skillet that’s large enough to fit all of the delicious ingredients you’ll be adding to it!
Pro tip: Prep the cabbage and vegetables up to a few days in advance to make this meal go even more quickly on busy weeknights!
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Brown the ground beef. Cook the ground beef until it’s just slightly pink, then add the onion, garlic, and spices and cook 5 minutes more.
- Cook the cabbage. Add the chopped cabbage to the ground beef mixture and cook until crisp-tender, or about 5 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes and vinegar. Let the casserole simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened to your liking and the sauce has thickened.
- Top with cheese and dig in! Cover the pan with a lid to melt the cheese faster.
Recipe FAQs
I love cooking with green cabbage because it’s slightly sweet and mild in flavor, but you may also use half a head of Napa or Savoy cabbage as a substitute.
Do not use purple cabbage for this dish as it has a much stronger flavor and will turn the casserole a shade of red.
Pre-shredded cabbage can be used as a time saver, just keep in mind that it will cook much more quickly as it’s chopped thinly.
If you’re not concerned with keeping this cabbage roll casserole low carb, you’re welcome to add up to 1 – 1 1/2 cups of cooked white or brown rice. Simply stir it in during the last few minutes of cooking time. Making a batch of Instant Pot brown rice a few days in advance would work well!
You can also opt to serve the casserole with a side of rice as well.
If stored in an airtight container, leftover casserole will last up to 3 days in the fridge.
Serving suggestions
Enjoy this casserole as is or pair it with one of the following sides to stretch the recipe even further.
- Serve it with a butter leaf salad or Italian tricolore salad for added freshness.
- Spoon the casserole over Yukon Gold mashed potatoes or creamy mashed cauliflower.
- Mop up the sauce with a slice of 1-hour focaccia bread.
Recipe notes
- The red pepper flakes add subtle spiciness. Add more or less to suit your tastes.
- I prefer using lean ground beef in this recipe, but ground turkey or ground chicken may also be used. You might need to add a little extra oil to the pan if using ground poultry, since it contains less fat than beef.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, replace the mozzarella with your favorite dairy-free alternative or omit altogether.
More easy casserole recipes you’ll love
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Cabbage and Ground Beef Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 lbs. lean ground beef see note 2
- 1/2 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 cups chopped green cabbage 1/2 head, or about 8 ounces; see note 3
- 15 ounces low sodium fire roasted diced tomatoes see note 4
- 15 ounces low sodium tomato sauce see note 4
- 1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup grated mozzarella sub with your favorite cheese or omit to make this recipe dairy-free
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break into chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook for 3-4 minutes until about halfway cooked, then add the onion. Cook for another 5 minutes until the onion has softened, then stir in the garlic, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds longer.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1.5 lbs. lean ground beef, 1/2 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add the cabbage and stir well. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until browned and somewhat softened (it will be crisp tender at this point). Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar and oregano and stir to combine. Simmer on medium low for 10 -15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the cabbage is cooked to the desired doneness. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.6 cups chopped green cabbage, 15 ounces low sodium fire roasted diced tomatoes, 15 ounces low sodium tomato sauce, 1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Remove from heat and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and cover until the cheese has melted. Serve and enjoy!1 cup grated mozzarella
Notes
- Pro tip: Prep the cabbage and onion 1-2 days in advance to make this recipe go even more quickly.
- I’ve used 1.5 lbs. of ground beef to make this a high protein meal, but you can use just 1 lb. of ground meat if you prefer. Sub the beef with your favorite ground meat.
- I recommend using green cabbage in this recipe as it gets nice and tender with a mild sweetness once cooked. I don’t recommend using purple cabbage as it will turn the dish red. Use pre-shredded cabbage as a time saver, but keep in mind that it will take less time to cook as it is sliced thinly.
- Use low sodium or no salt added canned tomatoes to control the sodium in this dish.
- Store leftover cabbage roll casserole in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
