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My grandmother made cabbage rolls with a head of cabbage and one package of ground beef when money was short, and she never rolled a single one. She said life was too short and the supper tasted the same either way. Her cabbage and ground beef skillet has everything that goes into a pan of cabbage rolls, the browned beef, the onion, the rice and the sweet and sour tomato sauce, all cooked together in one big pan. Six of us ate from that skillet with bread to mop up the sauce, and there was usually enough left for my grandfather’s lunch the next day.
The trouble with cabbage in a skillet supper is that it can go two ways. Cooked right, it turns tender and sweet and soaks up the sauce. Stirred in too early and boiled, it goes gray, soggy and sulfury. My grandmother’s way was to pile the chopped cabbage on top of the simmering rice and let it steam under the lid, then fold it in at the end. Here is how to keep the cabbage sweet and tender instead of soggy, and the rice cooked just right in the same pan.
Why this cabbage and ground beef skillet works
- Beef browned hard. Dark, crumbly browned beef gives the sauce its deep, savory flavor.
- Rice cooked in the sauce. Raw rice simmered in tomatoes and broth soaks up all the flavor and thickens the pan.
- Sweet and sour balance. A little brown sugar and a little vinegar give the taste of real cabbage rolls.
- Cabbage steamed on top. Piled on top under the lid, the cabbage steams tender and sweet instead of boiling soggy.
- One pan. Cheap, quick and only one skillet to wash.
Ingredients
Makes one large skillet, about 6 servings. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the skillet
- 1 pound lean ground beef (450g)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked (140g)
- 1 can (28 ounces, 794g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth (360ml)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 small head green cabbage, cored and chopped into 1 inch pieces (about 8 cups, 700g)
To finish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or dill
- Sour cream, for serving (optional)
Use a large, deep skillet or a wide pot with a tight lid, at least 12 inches across. The raw cabbage looks like far too much but cooks down to a third of its size.
How to make cabbage and ground beef skillet
- Put the ground beef and onion in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking up the beef, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the beef is browned and crumbly and the onion is soft. Spoon off any extra fat.
- Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper and paprika and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute so the grains are coated.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, brown sugar and vinegar. Stir well, scraping the bottom, and bring to a boil.
- Pile all the chopped cabbage on top of the sauce. Do not stir it in.
- Cover tightly, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Lift the lid and fold the cabbage down into the sauce. Cover again and cook for 8 to 12 minutes more, until the rice is tender and the cabbage is soft and sweet. If the pan looks dry before the rice is done, add a splash of broth or water.
- Turn off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt, a little more sugar or a little more vinegar until the sweet and sour taste is right.
- Sprinkle with parsley or dill and serve with a spoon of sour cream on top if you like, and bread for the sauce.
Tips that make the difference
- Do not stir the cabbage in at the start. Steaming it on top keeps it from boiling soggy and gray.
- Keep the lid on for the first 20 minutes. Lifting it lets out the steam the rice and cabbage need.
- Use long-grain white rice. Brown rice needs much longer and more liquid.
- Cut the cabbage in big pieces. Thin shreds cook down to mush.
Variations
- Cooked rice. Leave out the raw rice and half the broth, and stir in 2 cups of cooked rice with the cabbage.
- Cheesy. Scatter shredded mozzarella or cheddar over the top for the last 5 minutes.
- Ground turkey. Use ground turkey instead of beef and add a little more paprika.
- Soup. Add 4 more cups of broth and you have cabbage roll soup.
Storage and make-ahead
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 4 days. Like cabbage rolls, it tastes better the next day.
Reheat on the stove with a splash of broth, or in the microwave.
Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my cabbage soggy?
It was stirred in too early or cooked too long. Pile it on top to steam, fold it in near the end, and stop as soon as it is tender.
Why is my rice still hard?
The lid let out steam or the pan ran dry. Add a splash of broth, cover tightly and cook a few minutes more.
Can I make it low carb?
Leave out the rice and use half the broth. The cabbage alone makes a hearty supper.
What do I serve with it?
A slice of buttered bread or cornbread to mop up the sauce, and a spoon of sour cream on top.
Put the skillet in the middle of the table, cut some bread, and nobody will ever ask where the rolls went.
Cabbage and Ground Beef Skillet (Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, One Pan)
Unstuffed cabbage rolls in one skillet: ground beef, onion, rice and tender cabbage in a sweet and sour tomato sauce. All the taste of cabbage rolls, cheap and easy, without rolling a single one.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 1 can (28 ounces, 794g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 small head green cabbage, cored and chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or dill
- Sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Put the ground beef and onion in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking up the beef, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the beef is browned and crumbly and the onion is soft. Spoon off any extra fat.
- Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper and paprika and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute so the grains are coated.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, brown sugar and vinegar. Stir well, scraping the bottom, and bring to a boil.
- Pile all the chopped cabbage on top of the sauce. Do not stir it in.
- Cover tightly, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Lift the lid and fold the cabbage down into the sauce. Cover again and cook for 8 to 12 minutes more, until the rice is tender and the cabbage is soft and sweet. If the pan looks dry before the rice is done, add a splash of broth or water.
- Turn off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt, a little more sugar or a little more vinegar until the sweet and sour taste is right.
- Sprinkle with parsley or dill and serve with a spoon of sour cream on top if you like, and bread for the sauce.
