Go Back
Easy Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Easy Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

A one-pot comfort food dinner made with ground beef, chopped cabbage, tomatoes, and rice. It has the familiar flavor of classic stuffed cabbage rolls with a much easier preparation.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 lb (450 g) Lean ground beef
  • 1 about 1 cup Medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 about 2 lb (900 g) Small green cabbage, chopped into bite-size pieces
  • 1 28 oz (800 g) can Diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 8 oz (227 g) can Tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup (95-100 g) Uncooked long-grain white rice
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Beef broth or water
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Dried Italian seasoning or dried thyme
  • 1 tsp, plus more to taste Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper
Optional
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil, only if needed for browning
  • As needed for garnish Fresh parsley, chopped

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the cabbage into evenly sized, bite-size pieces. Rinse the rice if desired and have all ingredients ready before starting.
  2. Place a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion, then cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking the beef apart as it browns; drain excess fat if necessary.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the chopped cabbage and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to wilt.
  5. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, beef broth or water, uncooked rice, paprika, dried Italian seasoning or thyme, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly so the rice is distributed through the mixture.
  6. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the rice is tender and the cabbage is soft.
  7. Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt if needed, then garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

Cut the cabbage evenly so it softens at the same rate. Keep the pot covered while the rice cooks and stir occasionally so the rice does not stick. If the mixture becomes too thick before the rice is tender, add a few tablespoons of broth or water. For a flavor closer to traditional stuffed cabbage, use half ground beef and half ground pork, or add 1-2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce.