Stovetop Cabbage Casserole
This Stovetop Cabbage Casserole is a deconstructed, one-pot take on cabbage rolls or an oven-baked casserole. It's full of flavour, yet made with a few inexpensive pantry staples.
I'm excited to share today's recipe, for four specific reasons. First, it requires just a few ingredients and it's a one-pot deal, so really easy to make. Second, it's very budget-friendly (green cabbage is pretty cheap, and you get SO much out of it!). Third, it tastes so good. Even if you don't think you like cabbage, this cabbage casserole is just so yummy and comforting. And fourth, this is a recipe my mom made a lot when I was growing up. I made a few tweaks to it but I'm excited to share my take on one of my childhood classics!
I would have liked to make this in the oven using a casserole dish, but since I don't have one, I decided this would be a stovetop version. But to be honest, it's just as good made in a pot. And easier, too, since you can cook it all in one go without the need to transfer dishes. I suppose this means it's not a cabbage casserole at all, but deconstructed stovetop cabbage rolls, I guess. But that doesn't sound as pleasant.
Ingredients for Stovetop Cabbage Casserole
For this recipe you'll need:
Ground beef (sub ground chicken or turkey, if preferred)
Green cabbage
Onion
Olive oil
Rice
Diced tomatoes
Tomato paste
Beef or chicken broth
Parsley
Thyme
Sea salt
How to Make Stovetop Cabbage Casserole
Finely dice up a small onion. Add to pot over medium heat with a little olive oil, and sauté until soft.
Add ground beef to pot with onion. Stir and cook until browned.
Add broth, diced tomatoes, parsley, thyme, salt, and rice to pot and stir well. Place lid on top and let rice cook until a little softened, about 10 minutes or so.
Core and slice cabbage into strips. About half a medium-sized cabbage, or 1 whole small cabbage. Add to pot and put lid back on. Let cook until cabbage shrinks and softens, about 25 minutes.
Once cabbage has cooked down, add tomato paste and stir well. The mixture should be softened but thick, and rice should be cooked through. If rice and/or cabbage is still a bit firm, cook a little longer with the lid on.
Serve in bowls and garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme or parsley.
How to Cut Cabbage
Cabbage can be tricky to figure out how to cut and remove the core, since the core in the middle is tough and bitter. The easiest way to go about it is to cut the cabbage in half down the center, through the root. Then, cut your halves into half again. From there you can slice out the white chunk of core at the end (called the 'heart'), and then slice into strips.
This video here gives a good visual of how to do this.
Stovetop Cabbage Casserole
A hearty and comforting dish made with cabbage, tomatoes, and beef.
Servings: 4
★★★★★
5 from 5 votes
Ingredients
1/2 medium green cabbage (or 1 small cabbage), cored and sliced into strips
1 lb ground beef, grass-fed if possible
1 small onion, diced
14 oz canned diced tomatoes (about 2 cups)
1 can tomato paste (5.5oz)
1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
1/4 cup rice
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Finely dice up a small onion. Add to pot over medium heat with a little olive oil, and sauté until soft.
Add ground beef to pot with onion. Stir and cook until browned.
Add broth, diced tomatoes, parsley, thyme, salt, and rice to pot and stir well. Place lid on top and let rice cook until a little softened, about 10 minutes or so.
Core and slice cabbage into strips. Add to pot and put lid back on. Let cook until cabbage shrinks and softens, about 25 minutes.
Once cabbage has cooked down, add tomato paste and stir well. The mixture should be softened but thick, and rice should be cooked through. If rice and/or cabbage is still a bit firm, cook a little longer with the lid on.
Serve in bowls and garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme or parsley.
Notes
This recipe makes great leftovers. Store any extras in airtight containers for 3 days, or freezer for 3 months.
Leave me a comment and a rating below if you give this recipe a try, and tag me on Instagram @meghanlivingstone -- I'd always love seeing photos of your recipes!