About
Cabbage rolls take on a new delicious form in Cabbage Roll Casserole! With layers of fresh, crispy cabbage cooked to unique sweetness with a rich, savory meat sauce, it has all the flavors you want in a cabbage roll, but now you can enjoy them by the scoop! The topping is a creamy, smoky cheese sauce cooked to a melty, golden brown that saturates every bite. Cabbage Roll Casserole takes an ordinary vegetable and transforms it into something you can't stop eating!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups rice, cooked
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons water, divided
- 1 large head cabbage, chopped into 1-inch squares
- 2 cups gruyere cheese, grated
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 -In a large skillet on the stove-top over medium heat, add the beef and onion.
Step 3 -Sauté until the beef is browned and no pink remains, for about 5-6 minutes.
Step 4 -Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 5 -Stir in the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes (including the juices).
Step 6 -Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Step 7 -Remove the skillet from the heat and add the rice.
Step 8 -In a separate skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Step 9 -Once the oil is shimmering, add 2 tablespoons of water and 1/2 of the cabbage. Sauté until just softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 10 -Transfer the cooked cabbage to a plate and repeat the sautéing process with the remaining olive oil, water, and cabbage.
Step 11 -In a 9x13-inch casserole dish, layer 1/2 of the cabbage.
Step 12 -Layer 1/2 of the meat sauce on top of the cabbage in the casserole dish.
Step 13 -Repeat the layers.
Step 14 -Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Step 15 -In a small bowl, mix together the gruyere cheese, egg, and milk.
Step 16 -Remove the foil and top the casserole with the cheese mixture.
Step 17 -Bake the casserole uncovered for 20 minutes.
Step 18 -Serve hot!
