Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

(from cokerlj’s recipe box)

I finally tried this…it was really good but made a lot. I suggest you make two smaller casseroles and freeze one.

Source: Recipe Thing

Categories: Beef, Casseroles

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided (MORE! or less, depending on your pan)
  • 1 1/4 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 large onion, chopped small
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (We don't like thyme. I used oregano, marjoram and parsley. About 1/2 teaspoon each.)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste (for seasoning meat mixture and cooked cabbage)
  • 1 1/2 heads green cabbage, coarsely chopped (depending on size of cabbage, I used 1 1/4 head)
  • 1 can (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes with juice
  • 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup water (just enough to rinse out each of the cans)
  • 2 cups cooked rice (I used brown rice, measured Minute rice and cooked per directions. I thought it was a little too much rice but husband liked it.)
  • 2 cups cheese ( I used mozzarella.)

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large glass or crockery casserole dish with non-stick spray. (I used a dish that was 13 x9.)

  2. Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan; add ground beef and cook until it’s done and nicely browned, breaking apart as it cooks and season with salt and pepper. Using slotted spoon, remove ground beef to a bowl.

  3. In the same pan, add a little more olive oil if needed, then add chopped onion and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

  4. Add the minced garlic, spices/herbs, and paprika and cook about 2 minutes more.

  5. Then add the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, and ground beef. Rinse each of the cans out with a little water (about 1/4 cup in each can) and add to the pan. Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar.

  6. Let mixture simmer until it’s hot and slightly thickened, about 15-20 minutes.

  7. TIP: I THINK I WOULD START THE CABBAGE BEFORE THE MEAT BECAUSE THIS TOOK A WHILE…YOU CAN ALWAYS PUT THE LID ON THE CABBAGE TO HOLD UNTIL YOU ARE READY FOR IT. And, NO, it does not need any additional water added.

  8. While the meat mixture simmers, cut cabbage in half, cut out the core, and remove any wilted outer leaves, and then chop the cabbage coarsely into pieces. (They don’t have to be all the same size. I chopped it into pieces that varied from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches.) Heat olive oil in a large pot with high sides, add the cabbage and cook over medium-high heat until the cabbage is wilted and almost cooked, turning it over several times so it all wilts and cooks. Season cabbage with salt and black pepper.

  9. When the meat and tomato sauce mixture has cooked 15-20 minutes and thickened a bit, stir in the 2 cups of cooked rice and gently combine.

  10. Spray a large glass casserole dish with non-stick spray and the layer half the cabbage, half the meat mixture, other half of cabbage, and other half of meat mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake 40 minutes, or until the mixture is just starting to bubble on the edges.

  11. Remove foil and sprinkle on cheese. Bake uncovered an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to slightly brown. Serve hot, maybe with some nice sour dough bread.

  12. This freezes well.

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