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I burned my first attempt at traditional cabbage rolls so badly that the smoke alarm woke up my neighbor’s dog. Three hours of rolling, stuffing, and arranging, all for a pan of charred disappointment. That was the day I started looking for an easier way.

This crockpot cabbage roll casserole gives you everything you love about the classic, all that savory, beefy, tomatoey goodness wrapped in tender cabbage, without any of the fussy rolling. You just layer it up, set your slow cooker, and walk away. The whole thing comes together while you’re at work or running errands.

The beauty of this recipe is the slow cooking process. The cabbage gets impossibly tender, the meat soaks up all the tomato flavor, and the rice cooks right in the sauce. Your kitchen smells amazing by dinnertime.

What This Dish Is Perfect For

This is a set-it-and-forget-it meal prep dinner. It feeds a crowd, reheats well, and tastes even better the next day. It’s the kind of recipe busy families actually make twice. Perfect for Sunday dinner, weeknight meal prep, or feeding a potluck without standing at the stove all afternoon.

I make this whenever I need something substantial that doesn’t require babysitting. Throw everything in your slow cooker before work, come home to dinner. Simple as that.

How to Store It

Refrigerator: Keeps for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually improve overnight as everything melds together.

Freezer: Stores well for up to 3 months. I portion mine into meal prep containers before freezing. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water.

The key is waiting until it cools completely before storing. Putting hot food straight into containers creates condensation and makes everything soggy.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
• 1 medium head green cabbage, roughly chopped
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for serving

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain any excess fat if needed. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika while it’s in the pan.
2. Add the diced onion to the beef and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
3. Layer half the chopped cabbage in the bottom of your slow cooker. Spread the uncooked rice evenly over the cabbage.
4. Add the seasoned beef and onion mixture on top of the rice layer. Sprinkle with dried thyme.
5. Cover with the remaining cabbage. Press it down gently so everything fits.
6. Mix the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Pour this mixture evenly over the top of the casserole. The liquid should seep down through all the layers.
7. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. The casserole is ready when the rice is tender and the cabbage is soft.
8. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. This helps everything set up a bit. Garnish with fresh parsley.

A Few Things I’ve Learned

Resist the urge to stir during cooking. The layers are what make this work, and stirring breaks everything up too early. Trust the process.

The rice needs liquid to cook properly. If your slow cooker runs hot and the edges start looking dry around hour 4, add a quarter cup of beef broth along the sides. Every slow cooker is different, so adjust as needed.

Ground beef with a bit of fat, around 80/20, gives you better flavor than super lean meat. The fat renders during cooking and keeps the meat from drying out over those long hours.

Some people add a drizzle of sour cream when serving. I like it plain with crusty bread to soak up the sauce, but your mileage may vary.