Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

Michelle Berteig's Note:

From a free Penzey's recipe card... Edited 3/24/08 to add that I have now made this recipe for the first time. We really liked it, but found it a bit bland, so I doubled the amounts of vinegar and brown sugar and also added some ketchup to jazz it up a bit. Definitely a keeper, though!

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb ground chuck
• 1 onion , chopped
• 8 cups cabbage , cut into 1 inch wide strips (half of a 3 lb. cabbage)
• ½ cup water
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, brown the ground meat and drain off any grease. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until the onions are softened.
2. Add the cabbage and water and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the cabbage starts to wilt.
3. Add the tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, caraway seed and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover.
4. Simmer until the cabbage is cooked to the desired tenderness, about 30 minutes. Serve with white rice.

Reviews

[newmama]

My family ate this right up. I used 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, 1 head cabbage, diced tomatoes and 1 cup tomato sauce, 2 tsp caraway and 3 tbs each vinegar and sugar. I made rice (1 cup dry) and stirred it in at the end, cooked for 10 more minutes.

[Chef #1251180]

My family really enjoyed this. It was MUCH LESS labor intensive than cabbage rolls but tasted just as good. I made a few modifications for my family as follows: used 93% fat free ground turkey and omitted caraway seeds and the water for a 14 oz can of chopped stewed tomatoes. Also added 3 Tbs of ketchup. I made this 3 days ahead of time so I did not simmer the ingredients at the end. I placed it into a sprayed casserole and covered until ready for use. Baked the casserole covered for 30 minutes at 350 and served with steamed white rice. My family loved it and it was a great make ahead meal!

[Moor Driver]

Super late autumn meal. I used quorn mince in place of beef and cream of tomato soup in place of the crushed tomatoes because that's what my mom used to make cabbage rolls. Loved it. Can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!