Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
A comforting, deconstructed version of traditional stuffed cabbage rolls featuring seasoned ground beef and rice simmered with cabbage in a tangy tomato sauce. All the flavor without the rolling!
Prep
: 10
Total
: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 large head green cabbage (about 2 lbs), cored and chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 0.25 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp paprika
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add ground beef to the pot and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 8–10 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in chopped cabbage, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is very tender.
- Stir in cooked rice and continue to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 15–20 minutes to allow flavors to meld and sauce to thicken slightly.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, optionally garnished with fresh parsley or a dollop of sour cream.
Notes
For a lighter version, substitute ground turkey for beef. Leftovers reheat well and taste even better the next day!