These Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls have all the flavor of a traditional cabbage roll and call for just 5 ingredients! This low carb cabbage rolls recipe is super filling and totally easy for busy nights!
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My family and I went on a cruise around the British Isles a few years ago and it was a seriously amazing trip. We stopped at 11 different ports and I absolutely loved trying the different foods in each port.
But what I loved even more was watching my son get excited seeking out local restaurants to get an authentic taste of each country.
One of our ports had a little Russian restaurant that he insisted on trying.
We were in Scotland at the time, but he’d had enough shepherd’s pie and wasn’t interested in trying haggis, so we got a little taste of Russia. He ordered cabbage rolls and I was super skeptical over whether or not he’d like them.
Y’all, the kid LOVES cabbage. I’ve been making all kinds of low carb cabbage recipes for him since then. This unstuffed cabbage casserole might just be his new favorite.
This is a meal all on it’s own, cooked in one pot, but if you want to add a side, we highly recommend serving these unstuffed cabbage rolls with some cauliflower breadsticks.
Ingredient Notes:
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Cabbage – Obviously you’re going to need some cabbage when making unstuffed cabbage rolls! One large chopped head of cabbage should do the trick. While cabbage does have a fair amount of carbs, it’s also full of fiber, which makes it a good low carb choice in moderation.
Ground Beef – I used lean ground beef in this recipe, but other types of ground meat will work too! Try chicken or turkey, if you’d like.
Marinara Sauce – I really love this Rao’s Marinara Sauce. It tastes great and doesn’t have any added sugars. You can use whichever brand you like, just be sure to check the label.
My family of 10 all gave 2 thumbs up!! I have some cabbage haters here, but they loved this! – Kris W.
How To:
Prepare the Beef – First up you’re going to need to brown some beef. Add it to a Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, crumbling as it cooks. You shouldn’t need to drain the fat unless you are using some extra fatty ground beef. I would recommend using lean ground beef but it should be okay if you don’t have it. Once the meat has partially cooked you can add in the onions and garlic and cook for a couple more minutes, stirring often, before moving to the next step.
Add the Sauce – Next up is the tasty marinara sauce! Start by stirring in the marinara sauce and water. Mix the sauce, beef, and onions up well and then move on to the final step!
Add the Cabbage – Now all that’s left is to chop up a head of cabbage and add that to the pot. Just stuff it all in there and stir carefully! The cabbage will cook down some and the pot won’t be quite so full. Once the cabbage has cooked down until it is nice and tender, you’re all done! It’s so quick and easy and you can enjoy this recipe in just 30 minutes.
What Readers Are Saying:
Made this as is and it is great!! We love it!!
I’ll be making this on a regular basis especially since it’s now getting quite cold here.
Thank You ☺️ – Susan
This was so delicious! I made it exactly to your recipe as I didn’t want to think any further and was pressed for time. It was so easy, tasty and the ratio of cabbage to meat was perfect. I don’t see any need to change anything and will certainly make again. Thank you for developing this recipe to please your followers. – Diana
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made this on Saturday but it was so good I made it again tonight. The only thing I did differently was to add fire roasted tomatoes and a cup of rice. – Sandra
FAQ’s:
Nope! Just about any type of ground meat should work in this. A few readers have suggested that ground lamb works really well in this recipe, and another mentioned using smoked sausage. Ground pork, chicken, and turkey would be great too.
These unstuffed cabbage rolls should store well in the fridge for a few days if you seal it tightly. I have not tried freezing this recipe, but I think it would freeze well and reheat perfectly.
More Keto Cabbage Recipes:
- Cheesy Cabbage Casserole
- Cheesy Keto Cabbage Soup
- Crockpot Cabbage Soup with Beef
- Smoked Sausage and Fried Cabbage
More low carb favorites:
Sausage Egg Roll in a Bowl: The most popular recipe on my other blog!
Avocado Egg Salad: This one is for the avocado lovers out there!
Cauliflower Potato Salad: You won’t miss the potatoes, promise!
Brussel Sprouts and Bacon: Who would have guessed Brussels sprouts cold be so tasty?
Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large head of cabbage chopped
- 24 ounces marinara sauce such as Rao’s
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the beef to a 5 quart dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the meat, crumbling as it cooks.
- When meat is partially cooked, add the onion and garlic to the pan and continue cooking, stirring often.
- Add the cabbage, marinara, water, and salt to the pan and stir to cover the cabbage in the marinara and beef.
- Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the cabbage is as tender as you’d like.
- Serve immediately.
Daryl Graves says
What pepper do you suggest adding to this recipe if they wanted to spice it up?
Karly Campbell says
I’d either sprinkle in some cayenne or add diced jalapeno.
Randy says
We made it just like it says it was very good
Kathy says
I made the unstuffed Cabage roll for dinner tonight ,it was so good ! I just had to let you know. this is a big keeper in my house ,thank you! No leftovers.
Karly Campbell says
Yay! Glad to hear that! 🙂
Marla says
I’m about to cook this now but… Red cabbage, ground turkey w/ white rice (and apples, maybe)
Karly Campbell says
Yum!
Melody Bowen says
You don’t drain the grease off the beef? I can’t wait to make this and thank you for the knowledge of Rao’s marinara sauce. I am diabetic and a lot of tomato products have added sugar.
Karly Campbell says
I don’t for this recipe, but you can if you prefer.
Audrey says
My family loved this recipe, even the pickiest of eaters! The only change I made is that I added about a half teaspoon each of cumin, coriander, paprika, and chili powder.
Kimberly says
Did u list the macros for the 6 servings? Wouldn’t be hard to figure out I suppose I thought I missed it somehiw
Karly Campbell says
Yes, they’re listed in the recipe carb up at the top. 🙂
Tena Godin says
Do you thinknitncan be frozen? Ibam a trucker and want to make it for the road.
Karly Campbell says
I think it would freeze fine, but haven’t tried it.
Jackie Faulkner says
Made the stuffed cabbage for dinner and my family loved it. I’m making the unstuffed cabbage I think we will like it just as well, and a lot les work.
Angie says
Just bought all the ingredients for this. Will be making tonight. I started my low carb journey today.
Keith says
I’ll be trying this one soon. I just found your website when a friend shared a recipe on Facebook, and I’ve marked the website as a favorite. I’ve recently been diagnosed as pre-diabetic, so all of a sudden, it’s all about carbs — especially the white carbs that are such staples of the American diet. I should (just about) throw out my long-built recipe collection, and start over. I see a number of recipes on your site that I will definitely be trying out.
Karly Campbell says
Hope you enjoy the recipes! Good luck on your journey. 🙂
Shannon says
So good! I used a whole onion, more salt and just a tad more water while cooking. Then I put it over cauliflower rice and topped with mozzarella.
Karly Campbell says
I’m going to have to add cheese next time! 🙂
Deborah Sutterlin says
I made this last week love it made a few changes . I used a jar of Priano Four Cheese spaghetti sauce, no water ,and 1 cup cheddar cheese and 1 cup mozzarella. I cooked half way on top of stove just till cabbage was soften a little about 10 minutes, then added my cheese and baked about 45 minutes . My fussy husband LOVED IT! Thank for all these wonderful recipes.
Karly Campbell says
The cheese sounds like a great addition!
Lee says
Instead of marinara sauce use a can of crushed tomatoes and add a pinch of cinnamon…. U wont be disappointed
Linda says
Do you have a similar recipe for unstuffed peppers?
Karly Campbell says
Nope, but I should put that on my list! 😉
Sherry Hurley says
I do unstuffed peppers same way. I slice up green peppers add my cooked hamburger I used the steam fresh cauliflower add tomato soup, shredded cheese and bake in oven for about 30 min add more cheese and cook for another 5 to 10 min
Jeanette says
Do you know about how many cups are in a serving?
Karly Campbell says
No, sorry, I just based the nutrition off this serving 6, I didn’t measure out portions.
Faith says
How much do you consider a serving size?
Karly Campbell says
The recipe serves 6.
Alex says
How grams would that be if your portioning it
Karly Campbell says
I didn’t measure the portions this way.
Cashenna Gibbs says
This was very delicious I tried it with the ground turkey couldn’t find the Rao marinade sauce but I used low sodium diced tomatoes and tomatoe paste wasn’t so sure how it was going to turn out but my picky family gave me 2 thumbs up.
Karly Campbell says
Glad to hear it works well with your swaps!
Chris says
Can leftovers be frozen?
Karly Campbell says
I haven’t froze this one myself, but I think it would work just fine.
Tori says
My friend says, “if it’s edible, it’s feeezable”. That’s what she learned in Home ecs class back in the 60’s
Sam says
Do you drain the meat after it cooks?
Karly Campbell says
You can if you like, but it’s not necessary.