The leftovers are excellent too, either reheated or even cold straight out of the fridge! My grandma Chava (Eve) used to make amazing cabbage rolls. The leaves were lightly steamed, stuffed with a mixture of beef, onions, and rice, and cooked lovingly in well-seasoned tomato sauce. It was a delicate, flavorful, and laborious dish. Grandma’s entire life revolved around cooking for us, her kids and grandkids, and feeding us. She made complex recipes and slaved over the stove the entire day. She didn’t seem to mind. That was what she did, her life’s work, and our pleasure when eating her food was her reward. I belong to a different generation. I still expect my food to taste good, but I also expect it to be easy and quick. And I almost never make complicated recipes. That’s why I love this casserole so much. It has all the wonderful flavors of stuffed cabbage, but it requires much less work.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty cabbage casserole. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Olive oil: I love cooking with this flavorful oil. But if you’d rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead. Lean ground beef: I use a mixture of 85% lean and 15% fat. Onion and garlic: Jarred minced garlic is acceptable, but freshly minced will have the best flavor. To season: I use kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Diced tomatoes: Make sure to drain them well. Green cabbage: You want it roughly chopped, so it’s best to buy a whole head of cabbage and chop it yourself. Bagged chopped cabbage is usually finely chopped. Shredded cheddar: I love the flavor of extra-sharp cheddar in this casserole.
Instructions
One of the best things about this cabbage casserole is how easy it is to make. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps: You start by cooking the ground beef, onions, garlic, and spices in olive oil. Next, add the tomatoes and shredded cabbage and cook until the cabbage is tender. Turn the heat off and stir in shredded cheddar. Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish. Top with more cheese. Bake the casserole until the cheese is browned, 20-30 minutes in a 400°F oven.
Expert tip
When the casserole is ready, there is going to be some liquid on the bottom. After the casserole has cooled off a little, you can very carefully tip the baking dish into the sink and drain some of it off. But it’s fine to just leave it in the pan.
Frequently asked questions
Variations
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you’d like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
You can cook the beef mixture in ghee or in avocado oil instead of olive oil.Use ground pork instead of ground beef.Vary your spices. Ground cumin and dried thyme are excellent in this casserole.Instead of cheddar, you can use other melty cheeses such as provolone. Shredded mozzarella works too, althogh its flavor profile is milder.
Serving suggestions
This tasty casserole is an entire meal, so you don’t even need to serve it with a side dish. However, if you’d like, you can add a simple green veggie such as steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus (which you can roast in the same oven).
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, on 50% power. Like many casseroles, this one actually improves after it’s been refrigerated for a day or two.
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