Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

These easy unstuffed cabbage rolls have all the cozy, comforting flavor of traditional cabbage rolls without any of the fuss. Ground beef, cabbage, and a rich tomato sauce simmer together in one skillet for a simple weeknight dinner that’s ready with just 10 minutes of hands-on prep.

If you love the flavors of cabbage rolls, you’ll also want to try this baked cabbage roll casserole and a bowl of hearty cabbage roll soup. For a completely different take on ground beef and cabbage, this egg roll in a bowl is another family favorite.

Before You Get Started

A few quick tips to make sure your unstuffed cabbage rolls turn out perfectly:

• Use a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. The raw cabbage takes up a lot of room, but it cooks down significantly. A 12-inch skillet or 5-quart Dutch oven gives everything space to simmer evenly.
• Drain the ground beef well before adding the cabbage. Tilt the pan and spoon off the excess grease after browning. Skipping this step will make the sauce oily and heavy.
• Uncover during the last 10 minutes if needed. If there’s too much liquid pooling at the bottom after simmering, take the lid off and let the sauce reduce. You want it thick enough to coat the cabbage, not soupy.

How to Make Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

This is a shortcut twist on my Polish grandmother’s famous stuffed cabbage rolls, and it’s so much easier. Instead of steaming leaves, rolling filling, and simmering for hours, everything goes into one pot. You’ll find the full recipe in the card below, but here’s a closer look at each step:

Step 1: Prep and Chop the Cabbage

Start by cutting a medium head of green cabbage in half. Remove the core, and then roughly chop or shred the cabbage into bite-size pieces. It looks like a lot, but it cooks way down.

⇢ A bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix is a great shortcut. If you don’t want to bother with chopping a whole cabbage, a bag of coleslaw mix works as a great substitute.

Step 2: Brown the Ground Beef

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion, breaking the meat into small crumbles as it cooks. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off the excess grease and return the meat to the pan.

⇢ Don’t skip the draining step. Even with lean ground beef, there’s usually enough rendered fat to make the final dish greasy if you leave it in.

Step 3: Add the Cabbage and Sauce

Stir the chopped cabbage, diced tomatoes, condensed tomato soup, beef broth, salt, garlic powder, and pepper into the skillet with the beef. Toss gently to combine. The pan will be very full at this point, and that’s normal.

The condensed tomato soup is a nod to my grandmother’s original stuffed cabbage rolls recipe. It creates a rich, slightly sweet tomato sauce that coats the cabbage beautifully as it cooks down. There’s no need to dilute it.

Step 4: Simmer Until Tender

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and the flavors have melded together. The cabbage should be soft enough to cut easily with a fork but still have a little body to it.

If the dish looks too liquidy toward the end, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for the last 10 to 15 minutes. This lets the extra moisture cook off and concentrates the tomato sauce into something rich and thick.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper before serving.

⇢ For a deeper, more complex flavor, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce or a pinch of smoked paprika along with the other seasonings. Both add savory depth without changing the character of the dish.

What to Serve With Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

This unstuffed cabbage roll dinner is hearty enough to stand on its own for a lighter, grain-free meal. If you want something more filling, serve it over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice. Egg noodles and pasta are also great for soaking up the tomato sauce.

For bread on the side, a loaf of crusty no-knead Dutch oven bread or a warm French baguette pairs perfectly.

Delicious recipe Blair, thank you for sharing! I would say this is even better than stuffed cabbages, it’s easier to make and isn’t dry, like stuffed cabbages can sometimes be…

– Lisa

Customizations and Variations

One of the best things about this recipe is how flexible it is. Here are a few easy ways to make it your own:

• Swap the protein. Ground turkey is the most popular alternative and keeps things lighter. Ground chicken, ground pork, and ground sausage all work well too. Italian sausage adds a nice herby, savory kick.
• Add extra veggies. Grated carrots, diced red bell pepper, or sliced zucchini are all great additions. Stir them in with the cabbage so they have time to soften.
• Boost the flavor. A splash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce adds savory depth. Crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne bring some heat.
• Make it with rice. While this version is rice-free, you can easily stir in 1 to 2 cups of cooked white rice during the last 5 minutes of simmering for a heartier, more traditional unstuffed cabbage roll.

Storage and Reheating

Make Ahead: Cook this recipe in advance and store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. It actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop. Reheat individual servings for quick lunches or dinners throughout the week.

How to Reheat: Warm individual portions in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through. For a larger batch, reheat in a skillet or saucepan over low heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Freezing: You can freeze the cooked mixture, but the cabbage will be softer and more watery when thawed. If you plan to freeze it, slightly undercook the cabbage so it holds up better after reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between stuffed and unstuffed cabbage rolls?

Traditional stuffed cabbage rolls involve blanching whole cabbage leaves, wrapping them around a meat and rice filling, and simmering for a long time. Unstuffed cabbage rolls (sometimes called “lazy cabbage rolls”) skip all the rolling and wrapping. 

You get the same flavors, with chopped cabbage, ground beef, and tomato sauce cooked together in one pot.

Can I add rice to unstuffed cabbage rolls?

Yes! This recipe is rice-free as written, which keeps it lighter and faster. If you’d like to include rice, stir in 1 to 2 cups of already-cooked white rice during the last 5 minutes of simmering. Don’t add uncooked rice directly to the skillet, as it won’t have enough liquid or time to cook through.

Alternatively, you can just serve the mixture over a bed of rice (as shown here).

How do I keep unstuffed cabbage rolls from being too watery?

Drain the ground beef thoroughly after browning, and make sure to drain the canned diced tomatoes before adding them. If the mixture still looks too liquidy toward the end, remove the lid and simmer uncovered for the last 10 to 15 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken as the extra moisture cooks off.

Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?

Absolutely. Ground turkey is a lighter option that works great here. The flavor will be a little milder, so you may want to add an extra pinch of salt or a splash of Worcestershire sauce to bump up the savory depth.

What spices go well with cabbage?

Beyond the garlic powder, salt, and pepper in this recipe, cabbage pairs nicely with smoked paprika, caraway seeds, dried thyme, and onion powder. A bay leaf added during simmering also brings subtle depth. For a little heat, try crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne.