My unstuffed cabbage rolls give you everything you love about an old fashioned recipe, but without the fuss. Leave out the tedious rolling and serve cabbage roll bowls over steamy, fluffy rice instead. It’s got that same nostalgic, old-school taste with ground beef, canned tomatoes, and tender cabbage but in a new-age twist – this one works in the slow cooker or Instant Pot too.
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Easy Weeknight Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls with Ground Beef
I am a huge fan Ina Garten’s Stuffed Cabbage Roll recipe…on very special occasions. This classic comfort food meal makes the absolute best cabbage rolls, but daaannng…they do take forever. When I’m looking for easy weeknight gluten-free dinner ideas, I want something just as tasty, minus the effort.
My ground beef cabbage roll bowls takes all the best parts of Ina’s recipe – tender cabbage, a saucy ground beef tomato filling, and raisins added in for a touch of old fashioned sweetness. While it simmers to perfection, prep the rice to assemble the bowls.
This is my way to enjoy the same rich, comforting flavors, all without the effort. Depending on how much time I have on hand I’ll either make it on the stove top, in the Instant Pot (for more hands-off and faster cook time), or crock pot (if I want a dump and walk away version).
Similar to another weeknight fave of ours, Korean ground beef bulgogi, you can build up your bowl however you’d like it. After a layer of cauliflower rice, white, or brown rice, top with the cabbage roll mixture. Sprinkle on fresh parsley, grated parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper, or even a dollop of sour cream.
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(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Brown ground beef
To make a cabbage roll skillet start with browning the beef together with chopped onions and garlic.
Saucy tomatoes and seasonings
Now it’s time to add all the flavor. Add in the brown sugar, seasonings with canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and (don’t-knock-it-till-you-try-it) raisins. If you like a more savory dish, cut back on the sugar and leave out the raisins. You can also add in a little spicy cayenne pepper.
Chopped cabbage and simmer
Mix in chopped cabbage, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until tender. This will take about 25 minutes, stirring every so often. This is a great time to cook the rice for the bowls.
To finish the unstuffed cabbage rolls you may want to thicken the sauce a bit. I usually add tomato paste towards the end of the cooking time.
I’ve also turned this recipe into a soup. Cook in a larger pot, but add in beef broth, water, crushed tomatoes, or a mixture of all three. Stir in cooked rice at the end. If you plan on having leftovers, add the rice to the bowls as you serve and store separately.
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Hearty Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ head cabbage (6-7 cups), cored and chopped
- ¼ cup raisins, optional
- 3-4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
Stove Top Method
- In a large 12-inch skillet cook ground beef and onion over medium heat, for about 5 minutes. When beef is cooked and onion is translucent, drain excess liquid. Add garlic to skillet and sauté for 30 seconds more.1 ½ pounds ground beef, 1 small onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, paprika, thyme, brown sugar, salt, and pepper to skillet and stir. Add chopped cabbage, optional raisins, and toss gently. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir, recover, then simmer for 10 minutes longer, or until cabbage is tender.8 ounce can tomato sauce, 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, ½ cup beef broth, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon thyme, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ head cabbage (6-7 cups)
- Remove lid and add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste. Stir and simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes, or until sauce reduces slightly. If you prefer a thicker sauce, add additional tomato paste and stir. Serve over cooked rice.¼ cup raisins, 3-4 tablespoons tomato paste
Instant Pot Method
- Press SAUTE function on Instant Pot. Add beef and onion and saute until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Press CANCEL.
- If desired, remove pot from Instant Pot and drain grease. Replace pot and add tomato sauce, drained diced tomatoes, beef broth, paprika, thyme, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and optional raisins. Seal lid and cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes. Quick release pressure and carefully remove lid.
- Add chopped cabbage to the pot. Seal and lock lid in place. Cook on HIGH pressure for 3 minutes. Quick release pressure and carefully remove lid.
- Stir in tomato paste until desired consistency. If the sauce needs to thicken more, turn on SAUTE low and simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until sauce reduces and thickens. Serve over cooked rice.
Slow Cooker Method
- Spray crockpot liner with nonstick cooking spray. Crumble raw ground beef on bottom of slow cooker. Layer chopped onions, garlic, chopped cabbage, and (optional) raisins over top.
- In a medium bowl stir together tomato sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, beef broth, paprika, thyme, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour over beef / cabbage layers.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Serve over cooked rice.
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Recipe is great, but my grandmother (I’m 83 yrs old) used to make this when she was not able to make stuffed cabbage rolls for her family. There’s not much that is NEW in the world.
Not sure if I commented before on this recipe, but it is soooo delicious! Family staple. I used Spanish paprika last night and 1 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound ground pork. I also add more salt and pepper. Thank you thank you thank you.
Thank you! This is on our meal plan for the week too! The whole family loves it. Great idea adding ground pork!
Best,
Melissa