Now you can enjoy all the goodness of stuffed cabbage rolls in this easy, one pan – UNstuffed Cabbage Roll recipe – ready in just 30 minutes!
It’s a deconstructed version of the classic with ground beef, tender cabbage and fluffy rice all made in one pan!
The flavors in this stuffed cabbage roll skillet are what I would describe as cozy and comforting. It’s a tomato-based sauce with hints of garlic, oregano and a little tang from Worcestershire sauce, along with a surprise sweetness from golden raisins.
Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls
Gone are the days of boiling cabbage, making a filling, tediously filling that cabbage, rolling it up and baking it…
Now you can enjoy all that goodness in about 30 minutes!
Ingredients for Skillet Cabbage Rolls
Here’s the basic list of ingredients that you’ll need in order to make these unstuffed cabbage rolls. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Ground Beef – use a lean ground beef, but you can also swap for ground pork, chicken or even turkey if desired.
- Aromatics – onion, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and paprika all give this dish it’s signature cabbage roll flavor.
- Long Grain Rice – we’re cooking the rice directly in the skillet with the ground beef so it’ll absorb that flavor and use less dishes in the process. It’s a win-win.
- Cabbage – the star of the show! Use fresh green cabbage that’s chopped up into bite-size pieces.
- Tomatoes – both petite diced tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce give this dish it’s saucy texture. I prefer the petite diced tomatoes over regular diced tomatoes, but both will work fine here.
- Worcestershire Sauce – gives the dish a nice umami flavor, a little tang and deepens the overall taste of the dish – I highly recommend NOT skipping this.
- Golden Raisins – these add a little bit of sweetness to counter the acidity of the tomatoes, and they’re also a signature ingredient in classic cabbage rolls. You can, however swap this out for a tablespoon of brown sugar if desired.
How To Make Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
All the flavor of cabbage rolls in just one pan? Yes please!
Brown Ground Beef
Start by browning the ground beef and onion in a large skillet – make sure it’s pretty big cause this recipe makes a hefty amount. The pan I’m using is a 12″ cast iron skillet (with lid) and it works perfectly.
Season and Toast Rice
Toss in the seasonings and uncooked rice, giving it all a good stir till it’s nice and fragrant.
Toasting the rice in this method will give it more nutty flavor when it cooked, and give it a nice texture when cooked.
Add Sauce and Cabbage
Stir in the remaining ingredients, carefully folding in that cabbage – this is why that large pan was necessary.
Bring the whole mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and let the rice cook for about 15 minutes.
That’s it! The whole dinner is ready to enjoy and oh-so good.
Make Ahead and Storage
This deconstructed cabbage roll skillet is perfect for meal prepping. You can make this ahead of time, store in these handy freezer cubes and enjoy a hearty and nutritious dinner any time.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Stuffed Cabbage rolls can last in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.
More Recipes that Use Cabbage
My kids actually REALLY love cabbage. I’m not sure what I did to earn that parenting badge, but I’ll take it. Here are a few more easy recipes that use cabbage, and are also family favorites.
- Cabbage Soup – nutritious and comforting!
- Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage – my kids go BONKERS for this one.
- Simple Coleslaw Recipe – so cool and refreshing with that perfect crunch!
- Teriyaki Shrimp Taco Bites – these are so fun and unique!
I can’t wait for you to give this Ground Beef Cabbage Roll Skillet a try! I know you’re going to love it as much as my family does.
Ground Beef Cabbage Roll Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 3 tsp garlic, minced
- ½ cup white long grain rice, uncooked
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 15 oz petite diced tomatoes
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth, or water
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp golden raisins, or substitute with 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 6 cups cabbage, chopped
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef with the onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess fat and return skillet to heat. Add in the garlic, rice, salt, pepper, oregano and paprika and stir to combine, cooking until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and raisins and stir till combined. Gently stir in the cabbage and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Let the mixture cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and cabbage is cooked. Enjoy!
Are these ingredients affordable for a weekly meal budget?
Easy to make and tastes really great!
I love one pan meals for the cleanup alone, but I love the way all the flavors “marry”.
I love one pan dinners as it makes the clean up so much easier. As a busy mom, I hate having to clean up LOADS of dishes after dinner. This recipe is simple and quick but packed full of delicious flavor! Definitely a must have in the dinner rotation especially with busty summer quickly approaching.
I love how this recipe has the same ingredients as stuffed cabbage rolls but, easier to make and serve! My rolls seem to break of when serving and make a mess. I love this “I Wash You Dry”unconstructed version.
I love how this recipe has the same ingredients as stuffed cabbage rolls but, easier to make and serve! My rolls seem to break of when serving and make a mess. I love this “I Wash You Dry”unconstructed version. Thank you for making cooking more interesting, easy, and tasty!
Love this one pot meal. Simple and delicious and the best leftovers for lunch the next day! Enjoy making all of your recipes.
I am so looking forward to trying this recipe. I have not added raisins to a savory dish in a long time. My husband loves cabbage rolls, but I never make this because I don’t want to deal with rolling up the filling in cabbage. Thank you for posting.
This looks delicious. I love one pot meals. They are even better if I can prep ahead of time so most of the dishes are done before we sit down to eat!
This looks so good! I love the ease of one pot meals from the simple yet flavorful ingredients, the cooking time and method and especially the cleanup! I grew up with a polish Dad who loved to make cabbage rolls. Now I can make a quick weeknight version.
Love one pot meals and their always delicious. Yummy.
Love one pot meals and their always delicious. Yummy.
I love simple, fast recipes! Being a busy mom, I don’t have time for a ton of prep work or fuss. This is great!
My husband and I were just talking about cabbage ideas earlier tonight, and then I checked my email. Definitely will give this one a go, looks delish!
I love one-pan meals for the easy clean up!
Love one dish meals, especially ones containing rice. They save so much time. A dish like this will give our household 2+meals. They are a real savings for us.
I’ve made a dish similar to this. I always cooked my rice first then when I mixed it together I bajed it at 350 till the cabbage was soft. Used most of the same seasonings.