If you enjoy cabbage rolls but don’t want all the hassle of filling and rolling cabbage leaves, this is the recipe for you! Enjoy all the flavors of traditional cabbage rolls with an Italian twist and much less effort involved, with this Italian unstuffed cabbage roll casserole recipe.
I do enjoy traditional cabbage rolls but quite honestly dislike all the time it takes to stuff and roll the individual cabbage leaves. Perhaps this is the reason my mom hasn’t made her cabbage rolls in years!
That is why I decided to transform her cabbage roll recipe with meat and rice into these easy deconstructed cabbage rolls. I love this casserole because it takes much less time and effort to create without sacrificing any flavor.
My Italian unstuffed cabbage roll casserole recipe is made up of layers of chopped cabbage, a beef/rice/vegetable mixture and of course it wouldn’t be an Italian casserole without melted cheese between each layer. It’s like a cabbage lasagna!
The secret ingredient is…
But there’s a secret ingredient in this casserole which adds lots of flavor. One I have never seen in any other cabbage roll recipe. And that is tomato juice!
Yes I do mean commercially sold bottles of tomato juice. I usually purchase V8 tomato juice for this recipe (not sponsored).
Interstingly enough, my mother can not recall where or from whom she got this idea from, but it certainly works well in this recipe!
We all know that tomato juice is marketed as a beverage, however it is also great for cooking with. Tomato juice offers lots of flavor, as it is made with a blend of other vegetables. It is also the liquid required to cook the rice in this casserole.
Benefits of tomato juice:
Tomato juice also offers extra nutritional value as it is rich in vitamins C, B, potassium as well as an excellent source of antioxidants.
It is made with a blend of vegetables including carrots, beets, celery, parsley, lettuce, watercress and spinach and one serving of tomato juice (8 oz.) counts as two vegetable servings! So it’s a great way of sneaking in extra vegetables in your meal.
On the down side, tomato juice can be high in sodium however a low sodium option is available so be sure to look out for it.
Why this recipe works
- This is the easiest way to enjoy cabbage rolls without any rolling required! Simply layer the ingredients in a casserole dish and bake.
- This casserole is hearty and filling enough to enjoy on it’s own for dinner. However, you may also serve it with a salad, some crusty bread or go extra hearty (as my family enjoys) with mashed potatoes!
- It’s the perfect prepare ahead dish. In my opinion it’s even better reheated the following day when the flavors have had a chance to mingle and it holds together much easier when serving, just like a lasagna does!
- I added my mother’s secret ingredient, tomato juice instead of canned tomatoes, which adds lots of flavor as well as nutritional value.
Ingredients list
- Savoy cabbage: approximately 3/4 of a head of cabbage, cut into strips. Can be replaced with regular green cabbage.
- Ground beef: I use medium lean ground beef
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Garlic
- Red pepper flakes, optional
- V8 tomato juice: choose low sodium if available
- Parboiled rice
- Parsley
- Mozzarella, shredded
- Grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano Cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- Begin by chopping the cabbage. Cut the cabbage in half, use a sharp knife to remove the core. Slice the cabbage into roughly 1-inch wide pieces. You will need 10 cups of cabbage in all, approximately 3/4 of a large head of cabbage.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the cabbage for 2 minutes. Cook in batches if it does not fit all at once in the pot. Drain well and set aside in a bowl to cool.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. I do not add any oil to the pan, the vegetables will cook in the fat released by the meat. When it is no longer pink, stir in the diced onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour in 3 cups of the tomato juice and rice. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the grated Parmigiano cheese and chopped parsley.
Assemble and bake the cabbage roll casserole:
- Grease a baking dish, 9 x 13 inch, with olive oil. Evenly spread 1/3 of the chopped cabbage over the bottom of the dish. Ladle half the beef mixture over the cabbage. Sprinkle evenly with 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella.
- Continue layering the cabbage, beef mixture and mozzarella as follows:
- Layer 1/2 of the remaining cabbage over the mozzarella and the rest of the beef mixture over it. Cover with 1/2 of the mozzarella.
- Spread the last of the cabbage over the mozzarella. Pour the remaining tomato juice evenly over the entire surface and sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella over the cabbage.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake in a 350 degrees F preheated oven for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
-Use other types of ground meat in place of beef such as veal, pork, chicken or turkey.
-Regular green cabbage may be used in place of savoy cabbage.
-I did in fact test the recipe without boiling the cabbage first. It can be done, however I prefer the more tender texture of the cabbage when it is briefly cooked.
-Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days.
-Prepare the casserole and freeze, for up to 3 months, prior to baking. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator then bake as directed in the recipe.
Did you try this recipe?
Please let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
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Check out more casserole recipes!
- Sicilian Lasagna
- Mom’s Eggplant Parmigiana
- Sicilian Rice Casserole
- Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Onions and Raisins
- Sicilian Pasta al Forno
Ingredients
- 10 cups savoy cabbage chopped (about 3/4 of a large head of cabbage)
- 1½ lbs ground beef I use medium lean ground beef
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- pinch red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tsp. salt or more, to taste
- 960 ml tomato juice, preferably low sodium (such as V8) divided
- 1 cup parboiled rice
- ¼ cup parsley freshly chopped, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano cheese or Pecorino Romano
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by chopping the cabbage. Cut the cabbage in half, use a sharp knife to remove the core. Slice the cabbage into roughly 1-inch wide pieces. You will need 10 cups of cabbage in all, approximately 3/4 of a large head of cabbage.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the cabbage for 2 minutes. Cook in batches if it does not fit all at once in the pot. Drain well and set aside in a bowl.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. When it is no longer pink, stir in the diced onion, carrot, celery, garlic; red pepper flakes, if using, and salt. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
- Pour in 3 cups of the tomato juice and rice. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the grated grated Parmigiano cheese and half the chopped parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning, as needed.
- Grease a baking dish, 9 x 13 inch, with oil and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Evenly spread 1/3 of the chopped cabbage over the bottom of the dish. Ladle half the beef mixture over the cabbage. Sprinkle evenly with 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella.
- Layer 1/2 of the remaining cabbage over the mozzarella and the rest of the beef mixture over it. Cover with 1/2 of the remaining mozzarella.
- Spread the rest of the cabbage over the mozzarella. Pour the remaining tomato juice evenly over the entire surface and sprinkle the last of the mozzarella over the cabbage.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve hot.
Notes
-Regular green cabbage may be used in place of savoy cabbage. Can the chopped cabbage be added to the casserole raw? -I did in fact test the recipe without boiling the cabbage first. It can be done, however I prefer the more tender texture of the cabbage when it is briefly cooked How long do leftovers keep for? -Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days. Can cabbage roll casserole be frozen? Prepare the casserole and freeze, for up to 3 months, prior to baking. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator then bake as directed in the recipe. Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Will definitely be making it again.
Hello Sarah, thank you for your comment, so glad you enjoyed this tasty casserole!
This does sound yummy, Nadia! I love cabbage rolls but yes they certainly are quite a hassle to assemble. This sounds like a clever way to cut down on the effort involved.
It was enjoyed by all, despite the initial protests by my children! But I think it is the cheese that makes all the difference in this Italianized cabbage roll casserole, in fact it’s just like a lasagna in my opinion. A keeper for sure!
This is just wonderful! I too like cabbage rolls but standing by the counter to make them up is just too much for me these days so your idea to turn them into this casserole is perfect. I also prefer Savoy to other cabbages as it seems to me to have a sweeter and less aggressive flavor. I plan to try this for the weekend coming up when I will be visited by my children … I know for sure they will like it as much as I know I will. Thank you Nadia – another winner!
Hi Anna, I’m glad you like this idea, it’s definitely a game changer. In fact I think I prefer this method as it resembles a lasagna. Hope you enjoy it!