This cabbage roll casserole has everything I love about my great grandmother’s Polish stuffed cabbage rolls, including the ground beef, rice, tomato soup, and crispy bacon. The difference is that nothing gets rolled or stuffed. It all goes into one dish and bakes in about 25 minutes!
Other Ways to Make Cabbage Rolls:
Before You Get Started
There’s not much that can go wrong with this casserole, but three things make a real difference in how it turns out:
- Slice the cabbage thin first. Core the head and cut it into shreds before boiling. Thick wedges stay tough in the middle even when they look done.
- Use fully cooked rice. Everything goes into the dish already cooked. Raw rice won’t soften in a 25 minute bake.
- Bake just until bubbly. Twenty to twenty five minutes is plenty. Any longer and the rice turns mushy and the casserole dries out.
Choosing Your Tomato Base
Condensed tomato soup is what makes this taste like my great grandmother’s cabbage rolls. It’s thick, slightly sweet, and already seasoned, so the sauce clings to the cabbage instead of pooling at the bottom of the dish. If you’d rather use something else, here’s what to expect:
- Tomato sauce: Thinner and more acidic, so use a little less. Add a teaspoon or two of brown sugar along with extra salt and pepper, and simmer it for a few minutes first to thicken it up.
- Jarred spaghetti sauce: The closest match in both flavor and texture. It’s already seasoned with Italian herbs and spices, so taste it before adding anything else.
- Diced tomatoes: These will work in a pinch, but the casserole won’t be nearly as saucy. Drain them well first.
How to Make Cabbage Roll Casserole
Everything in this casserole is cooked on the stovetop first, so the oven is really just bringing it all together and melting the cheese.
Step 1: Boil the Cabbage
Core a medium head of green cabbage and slice it thin, then boil it in a large pot of water until tender, about 5 minutes.
Drain it well and let it sit in the colander while you work on the filling. Wet cabbage is the main reason this casserole turns out soupy, so give it a minute to release its liquid.
If you’d rather skip the stovetop, you can steam the cabbage in the microwave or cook it down in butter in a large skillet.
Step 2: Cook the Bacon and Beef
Fry the chopped bacon in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes. Move it to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon, but leave the drippings in the pan. That bacon fat is where a lot of the flavor comes from.
Add the ground meat and diced onion to the drippings and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onion is soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, just until you can smell it. Drain off the excess grease.
⇢ Use whatever ground meat you have. I like a meatloaf mix of beef, pork, and veal, but plain ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken all work here.
Step 3: Stir Together the Filling
Add the tomato soup, beef broth, cooked rice, and crumbled bacon to the pan and stir it all together.
Then fold in the drained cabbage. Taste it and season with salt and pepper.
⇢ Swapping in cauliflower rice? Use the same amount. It releases more liquid as it bakes, so the sauce will be a little thinner than usual.
Step 4: Transfer and Top With Cheese
Spread the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish and sprinkle the grated cheddar evenly over the top.
⇢ Cheese Optional: Classic cabbage rolls don’t have any, so leave it off if you’d rather keep this closer to the original.
Step 5: Bake and Garnish
Bake uncovered at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted.
Every ingredient is already cooked, so you’re only warming it through. Pull it as soon as it’s bubbly. A longer bake dries out the top and softens the rice past where you want it.
Finish with chopped fresh parsley or chives for a little color.
Slow Cooker Option
You can finish this in the slow cooker instead of the oven. Cook the cabbage and prepare the filling exactly as written, then combine everything in the slow cooker, sprinkle the cheese over top, and cook on LOW for 1 to 2 hours, just until it’s heated through and the cheese melts.
What to Serve Alongside
This is a full meal in one dish, so it doesn’t need much alongside it. Crusty bread is the first thing I’d add, since you’ll want something for the tomato sauce at the bottom of the pan. My No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread is perfect for that, and a pan of 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits works just as well if you’re short on time.
A few other sides that round out the plate:
Storage
To Store: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can also assemble the whole casserole up to 24 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate it unbaked, then let it sit on the counter for 30 to 60 minutes before it goes in the oven.
To Freeze: Freeze the baked casserole in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. This one freezes really well, so a double batch is never a bad idea.
To Reheat: Cover the dish loosely with foil so the top doesn’t brown any further, then warm it in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes. Individual portions reheat in the microwave in about a minute.
Hubby grew 12 heads of cabbage for us to use this summer/fall. I’m so glad this receipt calls for a lot of cabbage! I’ve made a double batch, twice now, freezing 1 each time. SO GOOD. I didn’t buy soup, but made some thick tomato goop-like slush from fresh garden tomatoes and some corn starch and a tiny bit of salt and sugar, worked super well! My husband is so excited about this dish! Fantastic recipe!
– Hiltje
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my cabbage turn out tough?
It usually comes down to how it was cut and how long it boiled. Cabbage needs to be cored and sliced thin, since thick wedges stay firm in the center. Boil it until a piece is tender when you bite into it, not just wilted. The oven won’t soften it much further, so however tender it is going into the dish is how tender it will be on the plate.
Why is my cabbage roll casserole watery?
Undrained cabbage is almost always the reason. It holds a lot of water after boiling, and that liquid ends up in the bottom of the pan. Let it drain in a colander for a few minutes and give it a gentle shake before it goes into the filling. Using tomato sauce instead of condensed soup can also thin things out, since the soup is much thicker to begin with.
Can I use a bag of shredded cabbage instead of a whole head?
Yes, and it’s a great shortcut if you don’t want to break down a whole cabbage. Just make sure you’re grabbing plain shredded cabbage or a dry coleslaw mix from the produce section, not the kind that comes with dressing. The bagged shreds are finer than what you’d cut yourself, so start checking them after 3 minutes in the boiling water. If they’re really fine, they might not need boiling at all!
Can I use uncooked rice instead of cooked rice?
Not in this recipe. There isn’t enough liquid or bake time for raw rice to soften, so it would stay crunchy. If you only have uncooked rice on hand, make a batch first, or use a pouch of 90-second microwaveable rice. Leftover rice from another meal works perfectly here too.
More Cabbage Dinners to Try
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 medium head green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced (about 12 cups)
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 lb. meatloaf mix (a combination of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal) or sub with ground beef
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or sub with ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
- ½ cup beef broth (or sub with chicken broth, milk, or water)
- 1 ½ cups cooked rice
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (or other grated cheese of choice)
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
- Boil the cabbage: Cook the sliced cabbage in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside in the colander.
- Cook the bacon: Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon, reserving the drippings in the pan.
- Brown the meat: Add the ground meat and onion to the drippings. Sauté until the meat is no longer pink and the onion is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, until fragrant. Drain off the excess grease.
- Stir in the sauce: Add the tomato soup, beef broth, cooked rice, and cooked bacon to the pan and stir to combine.
- Add the cabbage: Fold in the drained cabbage. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Assemble: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the cheese evenly over top.
- Bake: Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives.
Notes
- Rice options: Long grain white rice, basmati, brown rice, or wild rice all work. A pouch of 90-second microwaveable rice is a good shortcut, and leftover rice from another meal is perfect. Just be sure it’s fully cooked before it goes in.
- Tomato base: Condensed tomato soup is thicker and sweeter than tomato sauce, which is what gives this its cabbage roll flavor. If you use plain tomato sauce, add a teaspoon or two of brown sugar plus extra salt and pepper, and simmer it first to thicken.
- Cabbage shortcut: A bag of plain shredded cabbage or dry coleslaw mix works in place of a whole head. It’s cut finer, so check it after about 3 minutes of boiling.
- Drain well: Wet cabbage is the most common reason this casserole turns out soupy. Let it sit in the colander for a few minutes before adding it to the filling.
- Smaller batch: Cut all the ingredients in half and bake in an 8-inch or 9-inch square dish. The temperature and bake time stay the same.
- Slow cooker: Prepare everything on the stovetop as directed, then combine in the slow cooker, top with cheese, and cook on LOW for 1 to 2 hours.
- Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before baking.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat covered in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Originally published in February, 2019, this post was updated in October, 2026.
We dislike tomato soup. what else could I use please? Thank you. xx
Hi, Julie! If you like the cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, or cream of celery condensed soups, then you could try any of those flavors for a creamy base to your casserole. If you want more of a tomato base, then you could use canned tomato sauce. The tomato sauce isn’t as thick as the condensed tomato soup, though, so you’ll likely need less of it. Also, the tomato soup is slightly sweet and has some seasoning in it. If you’re using canned tomato sauce, I would suggest adding some sugar, salt and pepper (and any other seasonings that you like). Hope that helps!
I use tomato sauce, no soup, ever, and you are right on! A bit of sugar reduces the raw tasting acidity and of course salt and pepper. You can also add some garlic powder or minced garlic, which my husband likes, but not me! The spice cabinet is always open for additions to Any casserole, Yum.
I use a can of tomatoes in my recipee. I brown my ground beef, seasoning & onions. Add can of tomatoes & add raw cabbage
& uncooked rice with a little water. Cook all together in one pot or skillet.
Brenda, that is the way I’ve cooked the dish as well. I like to use wild rice for a little added flavor. It’s really good.
I only have cans of diced tomatoes on hand. Do you think I could substitute these for the cans of tomato soup? Thanks!
Hey, Kristin! The tomatoes won’t be a great substitute for a few reasons. The soup is thick (since it’s condensed), so you don’t end up with a watery casserole. The soup is also sweet, seasoned, and has a smooth texture (unlike the diced tomatoes). If you’re looking for a substitute, a jar of spaghetti sauce would be a better bet. Do you have any of that in your pantry? It still won’t be as thick as the tomato soup, but it would be closer in flavor and texture. Hope that helps!
Can you buy cole slaw instead of a whole cabbage?
Yes, that will work too, Courtney! 🙂
You can’t use COLESLAW, as it is mixed with other ingredients, like mayo. You can use the cabbage mix sold in a bag , raw chopped, sold in the vegetable section of the grocery store in a pinch, but I do not like smell it emits when the bag is opened so I still buy the head. Extra leftover cabbage I just steam/fry and eat as a dinner side dish!
They meant cole slaw mix in a bag from the produce department. It has no sauce.
That’s correct!
Would a can of tomato soup and a can of drained diced tomatoes work? Also what about adding saute onions, diced bacon and diced carrots, cooked in the bacon fat?
Hey, Molly! I think using the diced tomatoes would work — it just won’t be as “saucy” as it would with the extra can of soup. If that’s what you’ve got, though, I say go for it! Adding the onion, bacon and carrots sounds absolutely delicious. Enjoy!
I am a single , Male , Senior , always trying to reduce the size of these dishes .
Could you offer a system for the change of serving sizes down to 2 – 3 ?
I enjoy cooking , eating , even clean-up , but alone , with no hungry neighbors,
strains my storage capacity.
Any recipes that can be reduced , in any way , or tips ,would be a huge help .
Hi, Jim! Yes, you can do that in the recipe card itself on my site. If you’re looking at the recipe box, there is a place where it lists the number of servings. You can change the serving size for the amount that you’d like to prepare, and then the program will automatically re-calculate the measurements for each of the ingredients accordingly. For instance, if you click on the “10” in this recipe and change it to “5,” the recipe will adjust by cutting all of the ingredients in half. I hope that makes sense!
Also, this is a great meal to freeze, so if you cut it in half and still have extras, you can save them for another meal and then just reheat them later. Enjoy!
Hi Jim, cooking for one person can be hard. Have you seen the website called onedishkitchen? Single serving recipes. You might want to check it out if you haven’t already. This cabbage casserole recipe sounds really yummy. I can’t wait to try it. Hope it works out for you.
Hi! So happy this came into my email this morning. I happen to have a head of cabbage that needs cooked. Do I core and slice the head before I boil it? A great big thank you!
Hi, Kris! Yes, ma’am! I find that it’s easiest to core and thinly slice the cabbage before boiling. Hope you enjoy the meal! 🙂
Hubby grew 12 heads of cabbage for us to use this summer/fall. I’m so glad this receipt calls for a lot of cabbage! I’ve made a double batch, twice now, freezing 1 each time. SO GOOD. I didn’t buy soup, but made some thick tomato goop-like slush from fresh garden tomatoes and some corn starch and a tiny bit of salt and sugar, worked super well! My husband is so excited about this dish! Fantastic recipe!
Great!!!!!!
Thank you, Katrina!
Why on earth would you put cheese(of any kind) on this? A cabbage roll would never have cheese in it or on top of it. Leave it off and save yourselves the grief(calories).
We love cheese on top of a casserole, but you’re right — you can certainly omit that ingredient if you prefer. Hope you enjoy the recipe, Kay!
As my gram used to say “to each their own” . Instead of bad-mouthing the contributor, just leave it off. I don’t like the crumbly tops like crackers or chips so I replace them with plain cheese! FYI, those crumbly toppings have a lot of carbohydrates and fat (if they are sauteed in butter) whereas the cheese only really has fat, which the cook can control the amount anyways.
No need for the cheese. Just adds to the fat and gives a greasy taste. Not a really healthy meal unless you drain the fat. Freezes well though.
I second the “no cheese” recommendation.
Thank you for the feedback, Cindy!
We like ours with more soup, so we use 3 cans instead of 2. This recipe is the closest flavor to what my Polish grandmother used to make (she passed in the 1990s), so I call it 10 stars!!
Thank you so much, Cindy! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.