Get ready to savor each mouthful of this cheesy, comforting Cabbage Roll Casserole that captures the essence and flavors of its original form, but in a convenient and delightful casserole form. Combine tender cabbage leaves, seasoned ground meat, and fragrant rice, all embraced by a rich tomato sauce. What sets this recipe apart is the generous layer of melted cheese that tops the casserole, adding an irresistible finish. Perfect for family gatherings or cozy weeknight dinners, this twist on a beloved classic is sure to become a staple in your home.
Making a Cabbage Roll Casserole is great when you have lots of extra shredded cabbage. After making my Cheesy Cabbage Steak recipe, I like saving all the extra pieces and shredding them so I can make this dish. Make my Fried Cabbage with bacon and sausage for an even simpler way of using up extra cabbage.
Ingredients
This recipe combines all of the ingredients or traditional Cabbage Rolls. Whether using leftover rice, or freshly cooked, this recipe comes together very easily. Use a combination of ground pork and ground beef for a leaner meat content.
- Cabbage
- Ground Beef
- Ground Pork
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cooked Rice
- Tomato Sauce
- Cubed Canned Tomatoes
- Carrots
- Brown Sugar
- Smoked Paprika
- Fresh Dill
- Grated Mozzarella
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Start by preheating your oven to 350F. Prepare a 9"x13" baking dish and then prepare all of your ingredients for cooking.
Heat a large Dutch oven or skillet on medium-high heat. Cook your onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes and then add your ground meat. Cook the meat until almost fully cooked.
Add the shredded cabbage to the cooked meat with your salt and stir everything together. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened.
Stir in the shredded carrots into the Dutch oven. Continue by adding the tomatoes, brown sugar and paprika. Stir everything to combine.
After stirring in the cooked rice, Worcestershire sauce and fresh dill. Transfer the contents of the Dutch oven into the prepared 9"x13" baking dish.
Make sure the casserole is leveled out and then sprinkle your cheese evenly on top. Place in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Take out of the oven and sprinkle with more freshly chopped dill. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Substitutions
- Rice - Use any type of cooked rice for this recipe, as long as you have 2 cups of cooked rice.
- Cheese - Replace the mozzarella in the recipe with any other type of shredded cheese, like Monterrey Jack, Cheddar, or even Marble cheese.
- Meat - You can replace the ground pork with more ground beef, in order to use just ground beef in the recipe. I recommend using lean, or even extra lean ground beef so that there is not too much extra fat when cooking the recipe.
I do not recommend using dry dill because the fresh dill is such an integral part of the dish. If doing so, only use a couple tablespoons of dry dill instead of the full amount of fresh dill.
Storage
Place any leftovers in airtight containers. You may leave them in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or even in the freezer for up to a month.
Recipe
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ pound Ground Beef
- ½ pound Ground Pork
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 large White Onion , chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic , minced
- 6 cups Cabbage , shredded
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 large Carrot , peeled and grated
- 2 cups Canned Cubed Tomatoes
- 1 cup Tomato Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 cups Cooked Rice
- ½ cup Fresh Dill , chopped
- 2 cups Grated Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F with a rack in the middle position.
- Prepare all of your ingredients, making sure your rice is cooked and all your vegetables are chopped, minced or grated.
- Place a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Drizzle the olive oil in the pan and add your onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the ground meats to the Dutch oven. Bread it down and cook it, almost all the way through.
- Add the shredded cabbage and the salt to the pan. Stir it all together and cook for 5 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened.
- Continue by adding the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, grated carrots, brown sugar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, rice, and fresh dill to the Dutch oven. Stir to combine everything very well.
- Transfer the contents of the Dutch oven into your prepared 9"x13" baking dish. Level out the filling, and then sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the dish.
- Place the dish, uncovered, into your preheat oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with more freshly chopped dill and serve!
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