My Cabbage Roll Casserole recipe is layered with a perfectly seasoned pork and rice mixture, tender cabbage, and topped with cheese. It’s a great meal you can throw together with ease. With instructions included for turning this into a freezer meal, good homemade food will be a cinch any night of the week.
As a Romanian, cabbage rolls are a staple in my kitchen. They’re a guarantee on the table for any special occasion including all the big holidays. I even have a recipe to make them in your Crock Pot! However, these little bundles of joy can be a bit tedious to make.
Cabbage roll casserole to the rescue! This version of a classic family favorite comes together in just a fraction of the time. You’ll get the same delicious taste of cabbage rolls in the form of a fantastic casserole. If you’re like me and feel the cabbage roll cravings creep up every now and then, you need to add this recipe to your repertoire.
Ingredients
Keep scrolling for to the recipe card for the full list of ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!
- Ground pork – Ground beef will work instead if you prefer.
- Onion – White onion is best, but any type will work.
- Garlic – Use more or less as you prefer.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
- Dill – I used dry but fresh will work as well.
- Paprika – Smoked or regular.
- Rice – Uncooked, long grain. Not instant.
- Crushed tomatoes – Tomato passata will work too.
- Chicken broth – Veggie or beef broth can be subbed.
- Olive oil – Sunflower, safflower, canola, or vegetable will work too.
- Cabbage – I used green cabbage. It softens up a bit easier and has a milder flavor. Shred on a mandoline or cut by hand.
- Monterey Jack – Mozzarella, provolone, gouda, or Swiss are all great alternatives.
How to make cabbage roll casserole
- Cook the pork and rice: In a large skillet, add the ground pork and onion over medium heat. Break up the pork well and stir occasionally until the pork is cooked through. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, dill, paprika, and stir, cooking for another 30 seconds. Add the rice, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth. Cook for 15 minutes or until the rice almost cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Soften the cabbage: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large dutch oven. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring often, until softened. About 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375F and spray a 9×13″ casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Assemble the casserole: Layer half of the cabbage on the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with half the pork mixture, then the remaining cabbage, and finally the remaining pork mixture. Cover the casserole dish with foil.
- Bake: For 45 minutes on the middle rack. Remove the foil and sprinkle cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
Can I add anything else to my casserole?
I absolutely love casseroles for this reason! Casseroles were born to be a vessel for the extra ingredients that need to be used up in your kitchen. It’s their true calling. Whether you’re looking to bulk this casserole up or clear out space in the pantry, the options are sky-high.
- Corn
- Peas
- Bell peppers
- Green onion
- Broccoli/ cauliflower
- Canned beans/ chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Mushrooms
- Asparagus
How to serve
Casseroles are a great meal all by themselves. This dinner is filling, delicious, and nutritious packed with cabbage. I served this casserole with a dollop of sour cream to accompany each bite. If you want more veggies on the table, I would suggest roasting some while your casserole is baking or serving a salad. Here are a few recipes for you to try out:
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Skillet Green Beans
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
- Kale and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
- Caprese Salad
- Greek Salad
How to store leftovers
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or keep them right in the casserole dish, covered with plastic wrap. Leftovers will last you 3-4 days in the fridge.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave, or reheat the casserole, covered with foil, in the oven. Preheat to 350F and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
How to freeze cabbage roll casserole
If you’re planning on prepping this casserole for future use, it’s best to freeze before baking. Assemble the casserole, then cover the casserole dish well with both plastic wrap and foil.
Let the casserole thaw for a day or two in the fridge before baking. Remove the plastic wrap before baking but keep the foil. Bake for 50-55 minutes before adding the cheese.
You can, of course, freeze pre-baked leftovers. Allow the leftovers to thaw in the fridge. Once thawed, you can reheat in the microwave, or reheat, covered with foil, in the oven. Preheat to 350F and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
Check out some more delectable casseroles from my collection:
- Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- No Peek Chicken Rice Casserole
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Rice Casserole
- Creamy Cajun Pastalaya
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole
- Chicken Tamale Casserole
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Cabbage Roll Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup rice uncooked
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large cabbage shredded or coarsely chopped
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded
Instructions
- Cook the pork and rice: In a large skillet, add the ground pork and onion over medium heat. Break up the pork well and stir occasionally until the pork is cooked through. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, dill, paprika, and stir, cooking for another 30 seconds. Add the rice, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth. Cook for 15 minutes or until the rice almost cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Soften the cabbage: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large dutch oven. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring often, until softened. About 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375F and spray a 9×13" casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Assemble the casserole: Layer half of the cabbage on the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with half the pork mixture, then the remaining cabbage, and finally the remaining pork mixture. Cover the casserole dish with foil.
- Bake: For 45 minutes on the middle rack. Remove the foil and sprinkle cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Garnish with parsley, if preferred, and serve.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or keep them right in the casserole dish, covered with plastic wrap. Leftovers will last you 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat individual servings in the microwave, or reheat the casserole, covered with foil, in the oven. Preheat to 350F and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
Since there is only 2 of us, can I prepare and put in two containers and freeze one before cooking? Would that work for the cabbage, or would it get soggy?
Yes, just follow the directions in the post under “How to freeze cabbage roll casserole”
This was absolutely delicious? My husband isn’t a big fan of cabbage and he loved it!
I thought it would not be as good as my Cabbage Rolls, but it surprised me and it is delicious and easy. The pork was so tasty and not greasy at all. This recipe is a keeper and one I will pass on to friends.
So glad you liked it!
My husband is keto. Can I replace the rice with cauliflower rice?
Yeah it should be fine, but just make sure it’s dry so it won’t add extra liquid to the casserole.
Hello Jo ,
Thank for all your delicious recipes, I just have a question for this cabbage recipe,I’m on keto Diet can I eliminate the rice ?
Thank you
Hi Rosa,
The rice adds bulkiness to the casserole, I would replace it with riced cauliflower.
Absolutely delicious and easy to make. I substituted ground turkey and used brown rice. Healthy and filling
Hi I’d like to use brown rice as well but it takes longer to cook, how did you make it work if I may ask? Was your rice precooked and you cut down on the broth amount? Thanks!
Hi! What kind of rice did you use? I know certain rice variations take longer to cook than others! Want to make sure I use the right one! Thanks!
I used a long grain rice (basmati). 🙂
Wonderful!! Thank you! I’ve been victim of using the wrong type of rice in recipes before and paying for it by having crunchy rice. 🙂
This recipe was great. My husband’s Polish and he loved it. Reminded him of his mother cabbage rolls, but a lot less work.
Great Recipe, congratulations!
This recipe is easy to fix. I did make a few changes. I used a whole can of diced tomatoes and left the dill out. Instead I added a pinch of nutmeg. Was a winner!!
This was absolutely delicious. I used ground beef & 1 can of stewed tomatoes in lieu of ground pork & crushed tomatoes. I t makes a LOT so I shared with several neighbors (we are seniors who are sheltering in place in our apartment complex during the Coronavirus shutdown). I was told that I must bring this dish when we resume having our monthly pot luck dinners. I surely will be trying more of your recipes. 😊
We enjoyed this dish very much. My husband agreed to help with the preparations and after chopping half an onion, he needed a coffee break!
But he had no problems having THREE helpings. Needless to say, it was a big hit.
Because of the quarantine and emptying pantry, I used tomato soup and rotel in lieu of crushed tomatoes and reduced the stock to three cups. Cheese was a Mexican mix. Fantastic!
Very nice casserole. I watched your video and I’m not sure how you did not have the liquid in the meat, rice, crushed tomatoes and chicken broth that I had. Tried to reduce it as best I could before layering it with the cabbage. Took longer than 15 minutes and it still was a bit soupy.
The rice absorbed it all, same thing should have happened to yours.
Very good, but needed a little more flavor. Could be because I used ground turkey. I added a can of tomato soup (no extra water, just soup), used extra garlic, and a dash of red pepper flakes. Really tasty! Recipe very adaptable. Recommend!
Could i use ground turkey ?
Of course!