Unstuffed Cabbage Bowls with ground beef, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, and green cabbage are deconstructed cabbage rolls…in a bowl! A simple yet flavorful and satisfying healthy dinner made in one pot in under an hour and is perfect for meal prep!
Nourishing, wholesome unstuffed cabbage bowls are that healthy dinner recipe that really hits the spot when we’re craving a big volume of food, but not necessarily a ginormous amount of calories.
Also amazing for those times we’re craving tomato sauce (pasta lovers, you may just find this to be an appropriate substitute) or just…BEEF!
These “Unstuffed” Cabbage Bowls are so easy to put together any night of the week and creates a substantial amount of food.
The way I see it, this is the perfect recipe to meal prep for work lunches or dinners!
But let’s back up just a bit.
What is “Unstuffed Cabbage?”
Unstuffed Cabbage is simply a deconstructed version of stuffed cabbage rolls (or leaves). Stuffed cabbage rolls are filled with a mixture of ground beef, rice, onion, and a tangy tomato sauce. It is typically served as an appetizer or finger food.
We’re taking that concept and simply making it easier. Everything gets chopped up and cooked in one big pot for a delicious, satisfying one-pot meal.
Bonus: The whole thing comes together in less than 40 minutes!!
Let’s make it!
How to Make Unstuffed Cabbage Bowls:
Add the avocado oil to a large thick-bottomed pot (I use my Dutch oven) and heat to medium-high.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and stir well. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and celery are very fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Move the vegetables off to one side of the pot and add the ground beef. Allow it to brown for 3 minutes before flipping it to the other side to brown for another 2 to 3 minutes. Break the meat up into smaller chunks and mix it in with the vegetables.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot (tomato sauce, chicken broth, nutmeg, black pepper, sea salt, and cabbage).
Cover the pot without stirring and cook for a few minutes to allow the cabbage to wilt slightly so that it is easier to stir.
Stir the pot well, cover, and cook at a gentle boil for 30 to 40 minutes, or longer if you have the time (the longer it cooks, the more flavorful it will be). Be sure to stir every once in a while.
Serve the unstuffed cabbage in big bowls and enjoy!
Tip For Making this Recipe:
The cabbage will be difficult to stir in the pot when you first put it in. Simply keep the pot covered and stir from time to time until the cabbage wilts and becomes easier to incorporate into the meat mixture.
Recipe Adaptations:
Add 1 to 1.5 cups of cooked brown rice or white rice for a more traditional approach to stuffed cabbage. Leave it rice-less for a low-carb, whole30, paleo, keto version.
Swap ground turkey for the ground beef.
As the recipe is written, there is a generous amount of cabbage. For a higher ratio of meat to cabbage, add another pound of ground beef and an additional 6 to 8 ounces of tomato sauce.
More Easy Healthy Dinner Recipes:
- 30-Minute Teriyaki Beef Skillet
- One-Pot Indian Chicken Biryani
- Instant Pot Spanish Rice with Chicken
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- One-Skillet Ground Turkey Thai Curry with Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore
- Mediterranean Shrimp Skillet
Stuff those Unstuffed Cabbage Bowls!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 2/3 cup chicken broth or beef broth
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg, optional
- ¼ tsp black pepper, to taste
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 large green cabbage, chopped
Instructions
- Add the avocado oil to a large thick-bottomed pot (I use my Dutch oven) and heat to medium-high.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and stir well. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and celery are very fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Move the vegetables off to one side of the pot and add the ground beef. Allow it to brown for 3 minutes before flipping it to the other side to brown for another 2 to 3 minutes. Break the meat up into smaller chunks and mix it in with the vegetables.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot (tomato sauce, chicken broth, nutmeg, black pepper, sea salt, and cabbage).
- Cover the pot without stirring and cook for a few minutes to allow the cabbage to wilt slightly so that it is easier to stir.
- Stir the pot well, cover, and cook at a gentle boil for 30 to 40 minutes, or longer if you have the time (the longer it cooks, the more flavorful it will be). Be sure to stir every once in a while.
- Serve the unstuffed cabbage in big bowls and enjoy!
Nutrition
Ana
Monday 9th of October 2023
Such a yummy fall/winter recipe. I’ve made it a few times now, and my husband and I love it every time. Tonight I added some fresh dill I happened to have on hand and it goes well with cabbage. It’s easy ,and a one pot type of meal, plus my kind of comfort food😋🙏 Thanks Julia!
Julia
Wednesday 11th of October 2023
Aww I'm so thrilled to hear you and your husband enjoy this recipe! I love the idea of adding fresh dill - sounds so tasty! Thank you for sharing! xo
Jean
Friday 24th of September 2021
This is delicious. I used ground lamb instead of the beef that I did not have. Sauted the lamb and drained the excess fat. I also used a can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes with chili peppers in place of the sauce. I was a bit leery of cooking cabbage that long, but it worked beautifully. Will make it again.
Julia
Sunday 26th of September 2021
Ooh, I love the idea of using ground lamb! Brilliant. Thanks so much for sharing, Jean! xo
Susan
Saturday 31st of July 2021
In the Hungarian cuisine, which I grew up on, stuffed cabbage is a main dish. I haven't eaten it in years, so I might try this. I will, however, tell you that I NEVER crave tomato sauce. I got really sick of it a few years ago and would be really happy never eating it.
Julia
Sunday 1st of August 2021
I bet the recipe will still be tasty without the tomato sauce if you can add some other flavorful ingredients like chicken broth to replace the liquid and use more onion, garlic, or even artichoke hearts or olives. Hope you enjoy!