Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
This unstuffed cabbage rolls recipe is a hearty and nutritious meal that combines lean ground beef, fresh cabbage, and savory tomato sauce for a healthy twist on comfort food. Perfect for busy weeknights, it’s an easy unstuffed cabbage roll skillet that your family will love!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 6 cups chopped green cabbage
- 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 1 (8.8-ounce) package microwaveable brown rice
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- In a high-sided, ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, chopped onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and cooked through (about 6–7 minutes).
- Add chopped garlic and crushed red pepper, stirring constantly until fragrant (1 minute).
- Stir in the cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until mostly tender (about 5–8 minutes).
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, microwaveable brown rice, balsamic vinegar, caraway seeds, paprika, 1 tablespoon of parsley, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Mix thoroughly and spread into an even layer.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and lightly browned (approximately 15 minutes).
- Garnish with the remaining parsley before serving.