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Easy Stuffed Cabbage Casserole Recipe

ByHani Updated on
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This recipe for layered Stuffed Cabbage Casserole is super easy to make. It’s versatile and can be prepared ahead of time and frozen for later. I usually make loads of it in the summer. Then in the winter, it’s the best thing ever to have on a cold day.

Slice of stuffed cabbage casserole on a metal spatula.

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WHY IS STUFFED CABBAGE CASSEROLE SPECIAL

Cabbage rolls are popular in the Balkans, parts of Europe, Iran, and Northern China. Cabbage Rolls /Golabki are also very popular in Polish cuisine. Traditionally, made from cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling. Filling is made from pork, beef, onions, and cooked rice or barley.

Easy to make

The traditional process of making cabbage rolls is time-consuming, so I simplified it and used a layering method to make this popular dish. The process is straightforward and simple, without the fuss.

Make ahead of freeze for later

It’s one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day.
And what I absolutely love about this dish is that it freezes beautifully for later.
More tips on freezing it are at the bottom of this post.

Familiar and Crowd Pleaser

It’s deeply comforting and filling, without making you feel heavy. Always a crowd pleaser. Make it for family dinners, potlucks, and gatherings.

Cozy and Comforting

It’s deeply comforting and filling, without making you feel heavy.

Versatile

Don’t have pork? Use beef, turkey, or chicken. Or mix it up.
I have also used quinoa instead of rice, and it checks all the boxes. You can use barley too.
Both quinoa and barley are great sources of plant-based protein. Quinoa is a complete protein.

INGREDIENTS

  • Ground Pork
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Olive Oil
  • Tomato Sauce
  • Cooked Rice (white or brown) or Quinoa
  • Green Cabbage
  • Spices: salt, pepper, Hungarian paprika, caraway seeds (ground and whole), marjoram or thyme

GROUND PORK

In a bowl, combine ground pork, salt, pepper, sweet paprika, pressed garlic, and ground caraway seeds. Blend the meat and spices well.

MEAT FILLING

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
  • Add the seasoned ground pork and cook over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until browned. Stir in the tomato sauce or homemade tomato soup and bring it to a simmer.
  • Cook for 20–25 minutes, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Stir in the cooked rice, bring back to a simmer, season with marjoram, then remove from heat and set aside.
  • Tomato Sauce – Use good-quality store-bought or homemade tomato sauce. I preserve loads of tomato soup in jars in the summer and use it in place of tomato sauce in so many dishes. It adds such a nice, complex flavor.
  • Rice | Barley | Quinoa – If you are trying to increase your protein intake, you can easily make this tasty casserole more nutrient-dense by substituting rice for barley or quinoa. I’ve made it with quinoa many times, and it’s fantastic.

CABBAGE

  • Use a large cabbage (6-10 inches in diameter), about 40 oz (1100grams).
  • Finely slice or chop the cabbage using a slicing disk in a food processor.
  • Parcook Cabbage
  • Heat 1 tsp of olive oil, add the sliced cabbage, and cook over high heat for 30 seconds.
  • Season it with whole caraway seeds, salt, and pepper.
  • Add 1/4 cup of water and continue cooking until the cabbage is about 1/2 way cooked. It will reduce in size.
  • Cabbage will continue to cook in the oven.

BAKE

  • Lightly grease the baking dish (10×14-inch casserole dish) with olive oil.
  • Spread the cabbage and meat filling into the casserole dish.
  • Starting with the cabbage layer and finishing with the meat layer.
  • Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 45–50 minutes.
  • Remove the foil, top with shredded mozzarella, and return to the oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
  • Remove from the oven and let rest for 20–30 minutes.
  • Serve warm.
Baked casseroled dish a rectangular glass pan on a granite counter.
Round casserole dish with baked casserole and melted cheese topping.

FREEZE FOR LATER

There were so many moments when I was famished but too tired to cook a decent meal, and stuffed cabbage saved the day! It’s comforting, warming, and so so delicious. Worth the effort to double the batch and freeze it for one of those days.

  • First, let it cool completely.
  • Then cut it up into cubes.
  • Transfer cubes onto a baking sheet/ tray lined with parchment. Cover with a food wrap.
  • Freeze for 4-12 hours.
  • Then wrap the frozen cubes in freezer paper.
  • Freeze them in freezer safe ziploc bag or containers.
  • Wrapped in freezer paper, stuffed cabbage casserole lasts for up to 9 months.
A baking sheet with frozen casserole slices, covered with food wrap.
Frozen casserole slice in a palm of a human hand.
Extended arm, with hand holding a ziploc bag filled with frozen casserole cubes.

TO MAKE STUFFED CABBAGE CASSEROLE YOU NEED

  • Casserole baking dish (10×14 inch) or use 2 smaller round ones.
  • Vegetable Chopping Knife – my favorite
  • Garlic Press
  • Chopping Board
  • Freezer Paper
  • Ziploc Bags or freezer-safe containers

MORE CASSEROLE DISHES

Slice of stuffed cabbage casserole on a metal spatula.
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Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

Easy to make. Freezes well.  This dish can be made ahead, and reheated. I actually find it tasting even better next day.
Course Main Course
Cuisine polish, russian
Keyword layered casserole, stuffed cabbage casserole, stuffed cabbage rolls
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 10 people
Author Hani Bacova

Ingredients

Meat Filling

  • 1 lb ground pork (500 grams) you can also use turkey or beef if you’d like
  • 1 garlic clove pressed
  • 1 1 /2 tsp Hungarian paprika
  • 1/2 tsp caraway seeds ground
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped, using red and yellow together is fine
  • 1 garlic clove chopped
  • 1 quart/liter good tomato sauce, marinara sauce, combination of small dice tomatoes with sauce is fine too. I've used my homemade tomato soup and it was yummy too.
  • 2 cups cooked rice white or brown is fine
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper or to taste
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp thyme or marjoram

Cabbage Filling

  • 1 large fresh head of cabbage or 1 1/2 smaller ones.
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp whole caraway seeds
  • pinch salt to season
  • 1/4 cup water

Topping

  • 1 cup low fat mozzarella cheese (optional)

Instructions

Meat Filling

  • In a bowl, season ground pork (1 pound), with pressed garlic (1clove), sweet hungarian paprika ( 1 and 1/2tsp), ground caraway seeds (1/2tsp), salt and pepper (1/2tsp) and to taste, stir until well combined.
  • In a deep skillet, heat olive oil (1tsp), add chopped onion (1 large onion) and saute until translucent. Add chopped garlic (1 large clove). Cook, stirring constantly for 30 second, up to a minute.
  • Add seasoned ground pork and cook on high for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Meat will gradually turn white.
  • Add tomato sauce (1quart/liter)
    Season with salt and pepper if needed. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until it has thickened slightly. Once thickened, add cooked rice (2 cups), stir well, and bring to a simmer again. Stir in dry marjoram. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cabbage Filling

  • Slice a large cabbage head thinly, either by hand or using a food processor.
  • In a large pot, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Add chopped/sliced cabbage, season with salt and whole caraway seeds (1/2tsp). Add 1/4 cup of water and cook until the cabbage is about halfway cooked.

Layer

  • Spray the casserole dish (I used a 10×14 inch glass dish) with nonstick spray.
  • Layer cabbage and meat filling into the casserole dish. Starting with the cabbage then layer meat filling then cabbage, finishing with meat. Cover dish tightly with an aluminum foil.

Bake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake for 45-50 minutes.
  • If desired, spread 1cup of cheese on the top, return to the oven and continue baking until cheese is melted and top is golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven. Let cool for 20-30 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

  • How to Freeze Stuffed Cabbage Casserole Dish? – Let it cool completely. Cut it into large squares. Put the squares on a baking sheet layered with parchment and freeze for 4-12 hours.  Then take individual frozen cubes and wrap them in freezer paper, either individually or in groups of 4-6. Then place wrapped cubes into freezer-safe ziplock bags or containers. Freeze for up to 9 months.
  • I can’t find caraway seeds. Can I use something else? -Skip it if you can’t find it. Look in Polish stores, they usually carry both ground and whole.
  • I don’t like white rice. Can I use something else? You can use quinoa, barley, or brown rice.
  • I’d like to make homemade tomato soup. Can you share a recipe? Here is the recipe for my favorite Homemade Tomato Soup.

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I updated this post from 2012 with step by step photos, written text and a video.

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