Stuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole
Stuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole
This recipe serves 8 and takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes from prep to table.
Ingredients
- The Base: 2 lbs ground beef and 3.5 lbs chopped cabbage (about one very large head or two small ones).
- The Grains: 2 cups cooked white rice.
- The Aromatics: 1 large onion (diced) and 3 cloves garlic (minced).
- The Sauce: 2 cans (15 oz each) tomato sauce, 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained), 2 tbsp brown sugar, and 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (for that signature sweet-and-sour tang).
- The Topping: 2 cups shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese and fresh parsley for garnish.
Instructions
1
Prep the Oven and Cabbage
Preheat to 375°F
Chop the cabbage into 1-inch chunks. Place half of the raw cabbage in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
2
Brown the Beef
10-12 minutes
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic until no pink remains. Drain the excess grease.
3
Build the Filling
Stir in the rice
Stir the cooked rice and diced tomatoes into the beef mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread this beef and rice mixture evenly over the cabbage in the baking dish.
4
Simmer the Sauce
Whisk until smooth
In a bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Pour 2/3 of this sauce over the beef layer.
5
Final Layering and Bake
45-50 minutes
Top with the remaining cabbage and the rest of the sauce. Cover tightly with foil (this steams the cabbage). Bake for 40 minutes, then uncover, add the cheese, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
Pro-Tips for Success
- The Cabbage Texture: If you prefer very soft cabbage, sauté it in a bit of butter for 5 minutes before layering it in the dish.
- Rice Consistency: Use “day-old” or slightly undercooked rice. It will absorb the tomato sauce during the bake without turning into mush.
- Flavor Boost: Add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the beef mixture for a deeper, modern twist on the classic flavor profile.
