| Recipe

Servings: 6–8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 large head cabbage
1 pound (450 g) ground beef or ground turkey
1 cup cooked rice
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz / 410 g) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz / 425 g) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Prepare the cabbage
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove the core from the cabbage and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the cabbage for 3–5 minutes until slightly softened. Drain well.
Cook the meat mixture
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add ground beef or turkey and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in cooked rice, diced tomatoes (with juice), half of the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Assemble the casserole
- Spread half of the cabbage in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Top with half of the meat mixture.
- Repeat layers with remaining cabbage and meat mixture.
- Pour the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the top.
Bake
- Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake for 60 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Serve
- Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Tips

For a lower-carb version, replace the rice with cauliflower rice.
Add 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar during the last 10 minutes of baking for a cheesy version.
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freeze beautifully.

Approximate Nutrition (per serving, based on 8 servings):

Calories: 240
Protein: 18g
Carbohydrates: 15g
Fat: 12g
Fiber: 4g

A comforting, easy casserole that delivers all the flavors of traditional cabbage rolls without the work of rolling them. 🍲🥬