Cabbage Roll Casserole
Love cabbage rolls?! Here's a MUCH easier and totally delicious way to get all of those flavors!
Ingredients
- 1 head green cabbage
- 2 cups cooked grain of choice I use the frozen organic brown rice from Trader Joes that you can microwave*
- 1 large egg
- 18 ounces diced tomatoes
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 4 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar sub coconut sugar or monkfruit for sugar-free
- 1/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground turkey or pork
- 1 small sweet yellow onion/Vidalia onion diced into 1/4" pieces
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- Optional: 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Fill a large stock/soup pot with water and bring to a boil. While water is coming to a boil, slice your head of cabbage in half vertically, then slice out the stem in the middle. Pull leaves off until there is no green left in them and the rest of the cabbage is white (I’ll share ideas for what to do with those leftovers below).
- Grease a 13x9x2 baking dish and preheat oven 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, salt, pepper and onion powder. Set aside.
- Whenever water comes to a boil, add cabbage leaves and boil 5-7 minutes, until tender and look somewhat ‘clear’. Drain into a colander.
- Heat a large, high-sided skillet OR the same pot to medium and add ground beef and turkey. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon or spatula, until cooked through with golden-brown edges. We want some bits sticking to the pan!
- Push meat to one side of the skillet and add diced onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent. Add garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds. If using, stir in butter until melted.
- Carefully pour in tomato mixture and gently fold to combine, then fold in cooked grain of choice.
- Spread approximately half of your cabbage leaves over the bottom of the baking dish; they will overlap! Add filling and spread into an even layer. Top with remaining cabbage leaves.
- Bake casserole for 40 minutes, until the sides are bubbling and the top cabbage leaves have golden-brown edges. Cool 15 minutes before serving. Leftovers will keep tightly sealed in the fridge up to 4 days or frozen 3 months.
Notes
*You could use thawed frozen cauliflower rice as well, but I suggest putting it in a dish towel and squeezing out excess water.
