Unstuffed cabbage rolls is a comforting, easier take on classic stuffed cabbage. Instead of wrapping, cabbage, ground meat, rice, and tomato sauce are cooked together for the same flavor with less effort. 🥬🍚🍅
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 1 lb Ground beef (or mix beef and pork)
- 1 medium Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 head Cabbage, chopped
- 1 cup White rice
- 1 can (14 oz) Tomato sauce
- 1 can (14 oz) Diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1–2 cups Beef broth
Optional:
- Fresh parsley or dill for garnish
Instructions
1. Brown the Meat
- In a large skillet or pot, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned.
- Add onion and garlic, cooking until soft.
2. Add Cabbage & Rice
- Stir in chopped cabbage and uncooked rice.
- Mix well with the meat.
3. Add Tomatoes & Broth
- Pour in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and beef broth.
- Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
4. Simmer
- Cover and cook over low heat for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and cabbage is soft.
- Add extra broth if the mixture becomes too thick.
5. Serve
- Spoon into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or dill.
- Optional: Serve with a dollop of Sour cream for creaminess.
Tips
- For a slightly sweet flavor, add 1 tsp sugar to the tomato sauce.
- You can also make this in a slow cooker: brown the meat first, then add all ingredients and cook on Low for 4–5 hours.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors meld.
✅ Result: All the comforting flavors of traditional cabbage rolls, but faster, easier, and no rolling required.
I can also give a 5-ingredient quick unstuffed cabbage roll version that’s ready in under 30 minutes if you want.
