Forget trying to roll the cabbage rolls. I tried this once and realized that I didn't need to spend all that time making the rolls because they ended up looking the same on the plate anyways.
This recipe looked good when I read it--was looking for something a bit friendly to our low carb efforts, in casserole form. I submit recipes and don't like it when somebody makes a bunch of changes and then rates it, but let me be clear that I think this would have been a five-star keeper without my messing with it. However, let me share what I did: First, I used a bag of shredded cabbage coleslaw mix because I hate grating cabbage. One bag was perfect. Next, I did the same stuff I read in the other reviews: some Italian seasoning, sprinkle of cayenne. I used 1(15oz)can tomato sauce PLUS 1 can condensed tomato soup (healthy req), because we like that slight sweetness and depth of flavor in anything like stuffed peppers, etc. Here's the tricky part for those who lamented uncrispy bacon. I left it off while baking. Cut the bacon into small cubes and fried them crisp separately in a skillet. DRAINED well on paper towels while casserole baked. Baked in foil-covered casserole as stated, removed from oven when done, sprinkled with the smattering of crispy bacon pieces and a little shredded cheddar/colby-jack cheese. Back in oven for 5 minutes till melted cheese. IT. WAS. AWESOME. Probably the best recipe I've seen in a long time. Served with fresh broccoli steamed for 5 minutes (while cheese was melting)in a little chicken bouillon & 1tsp. butter; desert was the juiciest, fresh ripe pear you can imagine. What a great supper--thanks so much for giving us this great recipe !
Read MoreI made this recipe, but i was in a hurry but didn't read the recipe carefully. I grew up on the Hungarian version of "stuffed cabbage". There are a few cooking basics I felt were missing. First, I softened the onion (sweet) and garlic after browning the meat. (I used ground sirloin). Also, I would have cooked the meat in the bacon FAT for depth of smoked flavor. Bacon does not "crisp" while covered in foil. (This is NOT a low fat, low carb, Blah, blah, blah, recipe. Search elsewhere). The addition of a can of drained sauerkraut would have knocked this recipe out of the park. And where is the paprika? Next time, I would use a spicy V-8 like juice instead of tomato sauce, as the tomato sauce was a little too Italian-y for this dish ( not that there's anything wrong with that, as I am 1/2 Italian also). There is potential here. Thanks for the inspiration.
Read MoreThis recipe looked good when I read it--was looking for something a bit friendly to our low carb efforts, in casserole form. I submit recipes and don't like it when somebody makes a bunch of changes and then rates it, but let me be clear that I think this would have been a five-star keeper without my messing with it. However, let me share what I did: First, I used a bag of shredded cabbage coleslaw mix because I hate grating cabbage. One bag was perfect. Next, I did the same stuff I read in the other reviews: some Italian seasoning, sprinkle of cayenne. I used 1(15oz)can tomato sauce PLUS 1 can condensed tomato soup (healthy req), because we like that slight sweetness and depth of flavor in anything like stuffed peppers, etc. Here's the tricky part for those who lamented uncrispy bacon. I left it off while baking. Cut the bacon into small cubes and fried them crisp separately in a skillet. DRAINED well on paper towels while casserole baked. Baked in foil-covered casserole as stated, removed from oven when done, sprinkled with the smattering of crispy bacon pieces and a little shredded cheddar/colby-jack cheese. Back in oven for 5 minutes till melted cheese. IT. WAS. AWESOME. Probably the best recipe I've seen in a long time. Served with fresh broccoli steamed for 5 minutes (while cheese was melting)in a little chicken bouillon & 1tsp. butter; desert was the juiciest, fresh ripe pear you can imagine. What a great supper--thanks so much for giving us this great recipe !
A 4-star as written. I added more tomato sauce (about 1/4 cup)and about 1/4 cup more water to it so it would not be too dry. I also added some basil and oregano to the mixture as it seemed like it would be sort of bland. This was very good and we enjoyed it. We will make it again. Went great with mashed potatoes and a bottle of cabernet franc!
This was the best and easiest stuffed cabbage I have ever made. I used brown rice instead of white and cooked the rice according to directions prior to adding to the other ingredients, then put in oven. I also put in a couple shakes of cayenne pepper because I add it to almost everything I make. I did not cover with foil because I wanted the bacon to brown, and still had to turn on the broiler for a few more minutes. Will be making this a lot.
I made this recipe, but i was in a hurry but didn't read the recipe carefully. I grew up on the Hungarian version of "stuffed cabbage". There are a few cooking basics I felt were missing. First, I softened the onion (sweet) and garlic after browning the meat. (I used ground sirloin). Also, I would have cooked the meat in the bacon FAT for depth of smoked flavor. Bacon does not "crisp" while covered in foil. (This is NOT a low fat, low carb, Blah, blah, blah, recipe. Search elsewhere). The addition of a can of drained sauerkraut would have knocked this recipe out of the park. And where is the paprika? Next time, I would use a spicy V-8 like juice instead of tomato sauce, as the tomato sauce was a little too Italian-y for this dish ( not that there's anything wrong with that, as I am 1/2 Italian also). There is potential here. Thanks for the inspiration.
This was just ok for me. The bacon never crisped up in the first hour and a half. I ended up removing the foil and broiling it for about 5 minutes. I did add an extra half cup of tomato sauce and water to the casserole otherwise this would have been very dry. The bacon was an interesting addition to this casserole. It was not an overpowering flavor but the whole dish was kind of bland. It could use additional seasoning.
This recipe is fantastic. I made these modifications: I used brown rice instead of white rice, doubled the garlic, added a 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, white sugar to taste, 1/4 cup of raisins and about 1/2 cup more water than recipe calls for plus 1/4 tsp nutmeg. I served this over mashed potatoes with a side of green peas. Will definitely make this again.
Fantastic! I did take in consideration of other reviews. I added a can of tomato soup and seasoned tomato sauce. I thought it was going to have too much liquid but I was wrong. I will make this again and again.
This is sooo much easier to make than cabbage rolls. I added a can of rotel and put pasta sauce on top to add a lil' sumn sumn to it. Delicious!!
So delicious! I tweaked it a bit but probably didn't have to. Here's what I did just FYI! I sautéed a full yellow onion and about 2 cloves of minced garlic WITH the meat instead of adding it after. I used 16 oz of tomato sauce and 15 oz of diced tomatoes for the added texture. I used brown rice instead of white. I seasoned everything with Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and black pepper. I used a full head of raw cabbage and chopped it into small pieces for the layers. It was AWESOME!
I love cabbage rolls, but the flavour just wasn't there for me when I followed the recipe to a T. The kids still loved it! I also found my rice didn't cook all the way through. Even after all that time in the oven some of the cabbage wasn't soft enough. As is, it was a 3 for me but probably a 5 with the kids, so I settled on a 4. I made it again with some modifications and enjoyed it more. I added more seasoning to the beef and rice mixture. More salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. A touch of cayenne. I added diced tomatoes and more tomato sauce. I used beef broth instead of water. I also steamed the cabbage while I was prepping everything else, which drastically reduced my cook time.
I liked your recipe Tracy. Thank you for posting. I loved the idea of not having to roll up the meat in the leaves. What a time saver. I agree with other reviewers, as written the meat sauce rather bland. I gave the 4 star rating based on the recipe as written. If I didn't need to adjust the seasoning, I would have rated it 5 stars. I hate it when reviewers significantly modify a recipe and then rate it based on the modifications. I do enjoy reading what other cooks did to improve upon a recipe. These are the changes I made and ideas I have for when I make it next time. I did not want all the calories of the bacon fat, so I precooked the diced bacon and drained on paper towel and tossed with the cabbage. I thought shredded cabbage would have made the dish too runny so I coarsely chopped the cabbage. To the meat tomato mixture I doubled the garlic and added a little cayenne pepper and thyme. I baked for 90 min, but the rice was not all the way cooked so I left it sit on the counter, covered for 15 min and that finished cooking it. The next time I make this I will try the following changes. The layering of cabbage, meat sauce, cabbage, meat sauce made no difference to the final appearance. I think the same results could be achieved by mixing the cabbage, rice and meat sauce together in a large pot and simmering, covered on the stove top until the rice and cabbage are cooked. Other ideas I had were to use ground lamb instead of beef (or any combination of ground meats). I also
I can't believe how dumb I was to never think of this before. It's really like an eastern European version of lasagne. Since seeing Tracy's recipe, I've made this dish at least four times. If I'd made the old-fashioned halupki, I would have never made cabbage with meat and rice at all. Thanks so much!
I read reviews before making this. Followed other suggestions. First, cooked bacon in oven first. Used a can of Italian sauce for flavor. Then added 2 cups diced tomatoes for moisture & texture. Added a teaspoon of sugar (didn’t have Campbell’s tomato soup but several people said that adds a little bit of sweetness). Cooked meat with onions & garlic, drained grease. Topped with bacon & cheddar cheese the last 5 minutes. Didn’t hold out much hope because it didn’t look great or smell great—but it was FABULOUS!! Tasted JUST LIKE stuffed cabbage!!!! One of the best casserole recipes you will ever try!
This is a very easy recipe with a big taste! I cooked the bacon and crumbled it in (to avoid lots of grease), added a 14oz can of chopped tomatoes, one green pepper and a bit of sauerkraut! Absolutely yummy!
The rice didn't cook--and trust me, I COOKED it a LONG time. It tasted great but, the rice was still crunchy. I will make again, but will cook the rice in my rice cooker and then add it to the sauce close to the end of the cooking time. I added a can of tomato sauce as suggested by others--it had the perfect amount of sweetness, but did not add the bacon--I've never had cabbage rolls with bacon and we seriously don't need the extra fat in our diets!
This was delicious! I made the recipe as written with the exception I scaled down the ingredients by approximately a third (except for tomato sauce) to make it in a 9x9. Turned out great. It really does taste like a cabbage roll with a fraction of the work. Next time I think I'll use the coleslaw mix to simplify even a little further.
This was quite tasty, but I did omit the bacon because I wanted a more traditional cabbage roll flavor. I will make it again.
We really liked the way this came out. We had it for two nights and on the second night we added some shredded cheese to the top. We will definitely make it again.
I wasn't very impressed with this recipe. All the grease from the bacon made this dish too greasy for my tastes.
This was fantastic! I'm a huge fan of cabbage rolls but hate assembling them. This was perfect!
I am very fond of this recipe and making it again right now. I am used to making the traditional way of stuffing cabbage that I learned from my Polish mother. THIS recipe nails it! My Father even loves it. The only adjustments Ive implemented is more garlic and cubing my cabbage instead of shredding it. Also, I partially cooked my rice before adding it to the recipe. Enjoy!
My changes is to use either tomato juice or V8 juice as the liquid. I use pre-cooked brown rice too instead plain white. I use more liquid than its called for because the oven can dry it out. Absolutely never use tomato soup as some call for.
I followed the recipe as is but used tomato soup for the tomato sauce; the ready-to-serve kind from a carton, not condensed. We loved it! I will probably never make cabbage rolls again.
Awesome ! Tastes just as delicious but no hours of long rolling. I used tomato condensed soup not tomato sauce, this isn't an Italian dish. Simply perfect !!!!
I used red quinoa instead of white rice, added a sprinkling of grated Parmesan over the first layer of meat, used a pasta sauce with cheese in it instead of plain tomato sauce, and a healthy half teaspoon of minced garlic in olive oil. Result was delicious, but the bacon wasn't crisp and I decided not to wait more than the hour and a half.
My husband asked for stuffed cabbage, something i’d nrvrr made. This was a simple alternative, and hubby loved it. I did, too. Great meal for a cold winter’s night.
Better and easier way to make this meal! Never going back to rolling up the cabbage Family loved this meal!
I used one box of Trader Joe's creamy tomato soup plus 1 cup water. Used red cabbage. Added splash of balsamic vinegar and splash of worcestershire sauce and pinch each of thyme and caraway seeds. Didn't have any bacon so just left it out. Pantry dinner.
I am giving this 5 stars due to the ease of making it. I made a lot of changes suggested by all the reviewers. Never again will I roll cabbage. Shredded is the way to go!
This probably would have rated higher except I'm not a big lover of cabbage rolls at the best of times. It was a good recipe for using up cabbage, and my husband (the cabbage roll lover) thought it was quite delicious. I found my bacon still wasn't crispy even after 1.5 hours, so maybe leave time in case you have the same issue.
this is a fantastic yummy recipe that I plan to make again and again. I didn't put in the rice, mainly because I failed to read the directions carefully enough.. I didn't use the same quantities listed in the recipe because I wanted to make sure I liked it first. Now I wish I'd used the full amounts. I used half a jar of pasta sauce instead of tomato sauce and added a splash of worcestershire sauce, as suggested in another review. Next time I will add a can of mushrooms because my partner and I love mushrooms.
My guy liked it. Did not feel bacon really added anything, so can be omitted and would mix it all together rather than layer. otherwise, good flavor.
I made some modifications but it was amazing. I used some shallots because I adore them and I added more sauce and a can of chunky Italian tomatoes. I also broiled it at the end to crisp the bacon. Definitely going to make this again.
Loved this recipe. I used a whole jar of spaghetti sauce, added a few dashes of Worsheshire, and upped the garlic cloves to 3. Lots of flavor, super yummy!
I fried the bacon first, then browned the ground beef with a bit of the bacon grease. Mixed the sliced onion with the shredded cabbage. This tastes way better than actual cabbage rolls.
Made it per recipe. Will add hot sauce next time to liven it up a bit.
I did not have white rice so substituted barley and added a small diced bell pepper and thyme. I could not resist going back for seconds, it was that good. I also sliced the cabbage into strips rather than shred it.
I had 2 pounds of hamburger and was thinking maybe 1/2 pork might spice it up. Didn't have tomato sauce so I used spaghetti sauce and it was good....hubby a big eater, so 1/2 was eaten and 1/2 is for dinner tomorrow night.....I would make it again!
My family really enjoyed this recipe and it beats making rolls (which I would never do because of the time involved!). I did add the can or tomato soup as suggested by other reviewers, and therefore increased the water - I used 1 can or water total (using the soup can). I also seasoned as I layered the items in addition to when preparing the meat sauce. For the bacon, I noticed other reviewers' comments about it not crisping up but I left it as the recipe described because I wanted the bacon flavor throughout. However, I do not like floppy bacon and tried crisping it afterwards, but it was not successful. That may have been because I was rushing, though. TBH, I am not sure the bacon is needed after cooking anyway. I will definitely make this again!
made as written but without the bacon, sounded good just didn't have the bacon, i grow most everything here so using fresh cabbage, garlic and onions from the garden in the same dish was nice. I think it tasted great and will make again, thank you
I made this yesterday and all I can say is amazing! Tastes just like stuffed cabbage without all the work! I added some sauerkraut to it, added bacon to the mixture and also on top and used tomato soup also.! Will definitely make again and again and again!
My husband has talked about cabbage rolls forever. Not being big on cooking I never tried it. Saw this recipe and surprised him with it and he LOVED it! We will definitely have this again and again. And it's so easy to prepare. I chopped my cabbage, used tomato purée rather than sauce other than that followed the recipe.
Really delicious, and easier & more plentiful than traditional rolls. I added a full cup of rice and increased the tomato sauce and water, as we like saucy dishes. I also increased the temp to 350 and prepared the bacon separately. This decreased the time in the oven by about 30 minutes. We will make it again!
Very good, served to a group and they loved it. I made suggested changes and included dice tomatoes, worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar. I broiled it briefly at the end to brown the bacon and while the bacon was good, it really wasn't necessary as the casserole was delicious without out.
I cooked the bacon and chopped it up, then added it to the meat mixture. I sautéd the onions and garlic in the bacon grease. I added a can of diced tomatoes and a healthy squirt of yellow mustard (a little over a tablespoon) when adding the ingredients to the browned ground beef. I would also recommend chopping the cabbage chunky instead of shredded (I personally missed some of texture of the cabbage when it was shredded). I served mashed potatoes as a side dish.
This was filling and tasty. I used ground chicken instead of beef. I had to remove the foil in the end to crisp the bacon.
I love cabbage rolls, and this recipe looked really good to me. I made a half recipe, exactly as written, and it lacked flavor. I even added more cabbage than called for, because I like lots of cabbage in my rolls. It just was not good enough to bother eating. I cooked it less than called for, and believe that the cooking time is too long.
Love this recipe! However, to make it a little lower in carbs (for my diabetic husband) I increased the cabbage to six cups, and the ground beef to two pounds, then omitted the rice and kept everything else the same. It turned out absolutely yummy! ??
I have to admit that I made regular cabbage rolls from this recipe. Turned out terrific and was not really much work.
I love this recipe! I did make a few changes, some as suggested by others... I used crushed tomatoes instead of tomato sauce, added Italian seasoning and ground cayenne pepper. I also left the bacon off... covered with tinfoil and cooked for 1 hr 15 min. Meanwhile I cooked bacon on the stove. When time was up, I uncovered the dish, sprinkled on cooked chopped bacon and cojack cheese. Put back in the oven for 5 minutes... perfect!! Very good!!
I'm not a big fan of stuffed cabbage, but my husband is, so I gave this a try - we both loved it! Super easy, and surprisingly tasty and satisfying. Only change is that I added a bit of ketchup for some tang.
Listen. I'm rating this 5 stars easily because of how simple this recipe is to execute. It's nothing like traditional "stuffed cabbage rolls" but has all the flavor. I doctored the recipe by adding garlic and (the) onions to the beef while the beef was cooking. I also found this recipe needed more than the recommended time (1:30min) to cook in order to get the cabbage AND rice to my desired consistency.
I used the seasonings that I normally use when making my cabbage rolls, but didn't quite know how to gauge the amounts, extra liquid based on other reviews and - ultimately - felt like I still spent the same amount of time prepping as if I had made traditional cabbage rolls. And my traditional cabbage rolls are excellent. This casserole was 'so-so'. I'll stick with the old fashioned way of rolling them up.
Just wanted to mention, that Mashed Potatoes goes great with stuffed/unstuffed cabbage.. My mother, made her mashed potatoes with diced fried salt pork, she would dice the salt pork, then fry till crispy and lay out on paper towels then spoon into mashed potatoes. Yum, those little bits fried, well you can have just one.
I used Napa cabbage (store was out of regular); half mild Italian sausage instead of all hamburger; and brown rice instead of white. No added salt and added extra water for the brown rice. I'll definitely make it again!
LOW CARB eater, ALDI shopper. I'm eating low-carb so here's what I did. Used one pound of ground beef, 1 1/2 onion, two 8 ounce cans of tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of beef broth instead of water, about three cups of cabbage, and omitted the bacon and the rice. Also used a round casserole between a 9x9 square and a 9x13 since my proportions were smaller. Sprinkled Parmesan cheese on top. I seasoned the ground beef while it was cooking and added Italian seasoning to the whole thing. Turned out great after an hour at 350.
We made this without the bacon and it was amazing....no need to spend the time rolling rolls with this one
I will make this again. I did add cheese and used broth instead of water. My Husband loved it.
Spectacular! I had stuffed cabbage rolls about 20 years ago at a Polish-American Club dinner and have yearned for one ever since! Every time I looked at the recipes to make them I was exhausted just reading the step, until I found this recipe. I followed the suggestions of other cooks and added a can of cream of tomato soup and some fire roasted diced tomatoes. My husband and I enjoyed it very much and I will be making it again. Thanks for sharing!
Cooked the rice before hand and added a cup of it, cooked the bacon before crumbling on top, cooked 1 hr
Instead of the tomato sauce, I used a can of Rotel Original, spiced it up just right.
The bacon need to be cooked first or it's way too greasy for my tastes. Also, why are these recipes called cabbage roll casserole. They are not rolled, this is a cabbage and beef casserole at best. Name it what you want except rolls! People use the English language appallingly!
This was easy to make. I used venison and pork sausage mixed. I added more water, as suggested, but used Jasmine rice. I also didn't use tomato sauce. I pureed canned tomatoes from this fall and added basil and oregano. My husband had 3 helpings and he comes from a traditional Polish family.
I love cabbage rolls, and this recipe looked really good to me. I made a half recipe, exactly as written, and it lacked flavor. I even added more cabbage than called for, because I like lots of cabbage in my rolls. It just was not good enough to bother eating. I cooked it less than called for, and believe that the cooking time is too long.
I left off the bacon, but browned it w cheese at the end, used half green and half purple cabbage, added a layer of kale, Chili garlic paste, Italian seasoning,,,,, we loved it
This was awesome ! I added extra bacon, cause we love bacon. My husband says the only thing wrong with this recipe is, that there wasn't enough of it. So I guess I will have to double it. THIS ONE IS A KEEPER ! ! ! 5 BIG STARS !!!!!!
This is a wonderful addition to the collection. The entire family loved it. I only changed a couple of things. I used 1 lbs ground beef, 1 lbs ground sausage, 2 cans rotel, 2 cans tomato sauce & no water. Other than that went with the recipe. ?? We love it and sure it will become a family favorite.
I made this recipe to the letter and it is out of this world delicious. Today I’m making it again for the second time. This recipe is a keeper. At the top of my favorites list.
I added a package of drained sauerkraut (in the refrigerated section of the grocery store) and this meal was absolutely amazing. I spread it over the top. Next time I will make a figure-friendly version with ground turkey instead of beef and I’ll omit the bacon. I’m sure it will be just as delicious!
Made this recipe just as written. Came out very tasty and it's easy. Why stuff and roll cabbage leaves? Same taste, less work. Some of you might want to add a little cayenne to the sauce to spice it up a little.
I made the casserole preferring to try mozzarella cheese on top rather than bacon. It was okay, a little bland. Next time I make it I will go with the bacon to see if it improves the flavor. . Otherwise, easy solid meal. Thanks!
I have made this at least 3 times and we really enjoyed it. Makes plenty for my husband and me to have 2 meals.
Yumm. This was an easy and quick recipe. I made a half recipe and it was more than enough. I didnt change anything
I generally "doctor" recipes, but this is not a recipe to play with, it's perfect as-is! I made it two years ago, and I've searched for it ever since. Luckily, it popped up in my Facebook memories this morning! I'm definitely saving it, now that we've been reacquainted! None of the other cabbage roll casseroles I've tried have lived up to this one.
Excellent comfort food dinner! I did read a bunch of reviews to see about some tweaking! I did add a can of tomato soup, and garlic sriracha seasoning. I also pre cooked the rice and added it to the moisture right before going into the oven. Also cooked the bacon and added that and a little cheddar cheese at the end!
I added crushed red pepper and diced tomatoes and cut the bacon all together. Great weeknight meal!
LOW CARB eater, ALDI shopper. I'm eating low-carb so here's what I did. Used one pound of ground beef, 1 1/2 onion, two 8 ounce cans of tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of beef broth instead of water, about three cups of cabbage, and omitted the bacon and the rice. Also used a round casserole between a 9x9 square and a 9x13 since my proportions were smaller. Sprinkled Parmesan cheese on top. I seasoned the ground beef while it was cooking and added Italian seasoning to the whole thing. Turned out great after an hour at 350.
Skipped Bacon. Added 1/4 Cup Tomato Sauce. Added 1/4 Cup Water. Needed some spices.
It was so delicious! I loved serving a spoonful instead of trying to keep the traditional rolls all wrapped up nicely.
Fantastic and much easier than making actual cabbage rolls. I did what another reviewer suggested and added sauerkraut in addition to a bag of Dole pre-shredded cabbage/carrot. I used the Kruner country sauerkraut that comes in a glass jar. Be sure to drain the juice so that your casserole does not get soggy/soupy. For the tomato sauce, I used one 24oz can organic fire roasted crushed tomatoes as well as one 12oz can organic tomato sauce. No need to add any water since you'll be adding extra tomato sauce, which is needed per other reviewers as well. There is no need to add any Italian herbs or anything extra for seasoning aside from salt and pepper. I did not add any bacon on top because it seemed strange to me. Also, I diced almost a full head of garlic with the 2 onions and cooked that with super lean ground beef. I did not do multiple layers when putting together the casserole because I don't feel it's needed. Just do the bag of shredded cabbage at bottom followed by the sauerkraut layer, and finally the meat/tomato mixture on top. I covered with foil and cooked for 1 1/2 hours at 325 like the recipe called for. I recommend serving this on top of homemade cream cheese mashed potatoes. The tartness of the casserole with sauerkraut mixed with the cream cheese in the mashed potatoes is a fantastic combination. If you love cabbage rolls like me then you have to try this!
I use spaghetti sauce instead of the tomato sauce, I cook the cabbage so it gets done quicker
