Cabbage Roll In A Bowl

This Cabbage Roll In A Bowl is made with ground beef and rice in tomato sauce. These unstuffed cabbage rolls are healthy and great for dinner!

Cabbage rolls are one of the tastiest dishes out there, but the process of making them can be time-consuming. These Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls put an easy twist on the classic version, making it a great choice for a weeknight dinner.

I was first introduced to cabbage rolls a number of years ago on an Irish buffet at a local St. Patrick's Day celebration and fell in love with them instantly. I enjoyed the texture of the savory ground beef and rice stuffed into softened cabbage leaves drowned in a tangy tomato sauce.

Every year, I vow to make them at home, but never actually got around to it. Then it occurred to me that I could make sort of a 'cheater' version that is reminiscent of the real thing.

This recipe is inspired by the 'Egg Roll In A Bowl' that became super popular a number of years ago. The ingredients are sautéed in a skillet and then tossed together instead of getting stuffed, wrapped, or rolled.

It's made with ground beef that's sautéed with garlic and onions, along with lots of fresh cabbage and tossed with rice that has been simmered in tomato sauce. Apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce are added for an added layer of tangy and savory flavor.

Jump to:

• What Is A Cabbage Roll?
• Which Cabbage Is Best?
• How To Add Flavor To Cabbage Rolls
• Ingredients For Cabbage Roll In A Bowl
• How To Make Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
• How To Make The Rice
• Add Cabbage To The Ground Beef
• Add The Rice To The Skillet
• What To Serve With Cabbage Roll Bowls
• How Long Do Cabbage Roll Bowls Last?
• Cabbage Roll In A Bowl

What Is A Cabbage Roll?

A cabbage roll is a dish that consists of rice or grains and some form of ground or minced meat that is cooked and then stuffed into a boiled cabbage leaf. The rolls are then baked and sometimes covered in a sauce.

There is no 'one' variety of cabbage roll - You can find them in the cuisines of Poland and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and even Iran. I went for one that closely mimicked the flavors of those at my beloved Irish buffet.

To simplify the process, I went ahead and made this version in bowl-form. Instead of boiling and stuffing the cabbage leaves in this recipe the cabbage is chopped instead.

Which Cabbage Is Best?

Many cabbage roll recipes are made with green (also known as Cannonball cabbage). Green cabbage is hearty, readily available in most grocery stores, and very inexpensive.

I used green cabbage to prepare this dish and find that one head of cabbage is more than enough to make it.

You can also use red cabbage, Napa cabbage, or Savoy cabbage in place of the green cabbage.

Both red and green cabbage are hearty and retain its crunchy texture somewhat after sautéed in a skillet. The leaves of Napa and Savoy cabbage are more delicate and will likely cook down a bit more, resulting in a less crunchy texture.

How To Add Flavor To Cabbage Rolls

As mentioned there are many varieties of cabbage rolls out there and each one varies according to its country of origin. A cabbage roll from Eastern Europe is likely to contain very different flavors than a cabbage roll from Asia.

The basic components of cabbage rolls include cabbage leaves, ground beef or pork, rice or grains, spices, and tomato sauce.

This version is modified from the dish from the Irish buffet I enjoyed on St. Patrick's Day, so the flavors are inspired by the cabbage rolls of Ireland.

The flavors of this dish are simple and straightforward. It's savory, tangy, smoky, and a little sweet.

It's important to mention that this recipe does not taste exactly like traditional cabbage rolls - This is a deconstructed version that's reminiscent of the classic.

Ingredients For Cabbage Roll In A Bowl

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion (any color)
• 6 packed cups Cabbage (shredded)
• 1 lb. Ground Beef (can use ground turkey, ground pork, or a mixture of ground beef and pork)
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split)
• 1 cup Long Grain Rice
• 1 ¼ cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 ¼ cups Tomato Sauce
• 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika (or regular paprika)
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper (split)
• Fresh minced herbs such as chives or parsley for garnish (optional)

How To Make Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

These unstuffed cabbage rolls are prepared in two separate skillets. The ground beef and cabbage are sautéed in one skillet and the rice is simmered with tomato sauce in separate skillet.

Once the ground beef, cabbage, and rice are finished cooking the rice is then added to the ground beef and cabbage mixture wherein all of the ingredients are tossed until completely combined.

All that's required at the beginning of the process is to mince the garlic and onions and to shred one head of cabbage.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
2. Remove any dirty or damaged outer leaves from 1 head of green cabbage and discard. Cut the core from the bottom of the cabbage and discard and then cut the cabbage in half.
3. Shred with cabbage with a knife. Continue until you have shredded 6 packed cups of cabbage. Check out this article if you'd like more information on How To Shred Cabbage.
4. Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet.
5. Once the oil is heated, add the minced garlic and onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
6. Add 1 lb. of ground beef to the skillet, along with ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté the ground beef for 5-6 minutes or until cooked through, breaking it apart with a spatula as it cooks. Add 1 tsp. each smoked paprika (or regular paprika) and Italian seasoning to the ground beef and stir until incorporated.

You can also sub the ground beef for ground turkey if you'd like to lighten it up or ground pork if you'd prefer a richer flavor. Alternately, you can use a mixture of ground beef and pork.

Keep in mind that using ground turkey or pork will alter the nutritional values of the dish.

How To Make The Rice

The rice is cooked at the same time as the ground beef in a separate skillet. It's first sautéed with some olive oil and then simmered with chicken broth and tomato sauce.

The tomato sauce provides the dish with the classic tangy flavor that's present in many traditional cabbage roll recipes.

When cooking the rice, it's important to stir it frequently so that it doesn't stick to the skillet. It's also important not to overcook it, or the rice may become mushy and that cooking times may vary slightly.

I find that long-grain white rice works great for this Cabbage Roll In A Bowl.

1. Heat a separate skillet (one with a lid) to medium-high and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil.
2. Once heated, add 1 cup of long-grain white rice to the skillet. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring often until the rice is completely coated in the oil. This helps to toast the rice and deepens the flavor a little bit.
3. Pour 1 ¼ cups low sodium chicken broth to the skillet and stir until combined.
4. Add 1 ¼ cups tomato sauce to the skillet and stir once again until combined.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover the skillet with a lid.
6. Cook for 16-18 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes or so to prevent the rice from sticking to the skillet. Remove the rice from heat when it is al dente and all the liquid has been absorbed.

Add Cabbage To The Ground Beef

After the ground beef is fully cooked, it's time to add the shredded cabbage to the skillet.

1. Once the ground beef (or ground meat of choice) is fully cooked, add 6 packed cups of shredded cabbage along with ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper to the skillet (it will look like a lot, but the cabbage does cook down quite a bit).
2. Sauté the cabbage mixture for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Continue until the cabbage has softened slightly and is completely incorporated with the ground beef.
3. Add 1 Tbsp. each Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar to the skillet and stir until completely combined.

The Worcestershire sauce adds a savory flavor and the apple cider vinegar a tangy element to the dish. You can add 1 Tbsp. of brown sugar if you like a bit more sweetness in your cabbage rolls.

Add The Rice To The Skillet

At this point all the components are finished and the cooked rice is added to the ground beef and cabbage mixture.

1. Transfer the cooked rice to the skillet containing the ground beef and cabbage mixture.
2. Stir all of the ingredients until completely combined.
3. Feel free to add 1-2 Tbsp. of chicken broth if you'd like to loosen up the mixture.
4. Garnish the dish with some minced fresh herbs, such as chives or parsley (optional).

Alternately, you can serve the beef and cabbage mixture over the rice. Either way works great!

What To Serve With Cabbage Roll Bowls

The flavors of these cabbage roll bowls goes great with salads like this pickled beet salad, balsamic green bean salad, or snap pea mint salad.

It also pairs nicely with roasted vegetables like this Parmesan roasted cauliflower, maple Dijon Brussels sprouts, sheet pan green beans, or herb roasted potatoes.

Hearty side dishes like these buttermilk mashed red potatoes or mashed kohlrabi are great choices.

You can also add some sauerkraut or any variety of picked or fermented vegetables to the dish for extra flavor.

Looking for more ground beef recipes? Don't miss these!

• Tater Tot Hotdish
• Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes
• Juicy Lucy Burger
• Slow Cooker Ground Beef Chili
• Pizza Stuffed Peppers
• Blue Cheese Burgers

How Long Do Cabbage Roll Bowls Last?

Any leftovers should last 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Be sure to allow it to come to room temperature before storing in fridge.

Love cabbage? Check out these recipes!

• Light and Crunchy Coleslaw
• Asian Cabbage Slaw
• Blue Cheese Coleslaw
• Smoky Chipotle Coleslaw
• Turkey Rachel with Coleslaw
• Corned Beef Reuben with Sauerkraut
• Sheet Pan German Sausage

Looking For More Cabbage Dishes? Don't Miss These!

Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet

Air Fryer Cabbage Steaks

Garlic Cabbage and Carrots