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.
Dee says
Used bagged coleslaw mix and beef and ground Italian sausage.. quick easy n tasty.
Teresa says
I made this tonight since I was making spaghetti for my kids. set aside some meat for me and followed the recipe. I did add some sliced mushrooms to it and it was delicious.
Karly Campbell says
Sounds delicious! 🙂
Simone N. says
Hi,
Can I freeze it ?
Karly Campbell says
I’ve never tried freezing this, but I imagine it will freeze fine.
Christine Kleiman-Moore says
I’ve frozen cabbage rolls into serving sized containers many times. It works perfectly
Amanda says
I’ve frozen it before- it does great!
Carr says
Can I use just ground pork and coleslaw cabbage mix instead?
Karly Campbell says
You can, but it’ll have a different result.
Charles says
This is pretty tasty. Not sure what I was expecting but it’s spaghetti with cabbage instead of noodles.
Linda says
Can I cook this in a slow cooker?
Karly Campbell says
I’m sure you could, though I haven’t done it myself.
Susan says
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 ☺️
Karly Campbell says
Thanks, Susan!
Bren says
I added a cup of ground cauliflower this time to “be the rice”. It added a nice addition to this already awesome dish!!!! I make it so much more now that I no longer have to roll and toothpick each cabbage!!!!
Karly Campbell says
Sounds like a great addition!
Bev Bitzegaio says
I made this with a few very minor changes and it was fantastic! Added plus, it got better each day as leftovers. I used grass fed organic burger, one 16oz can tomato sauce and one large can smashed tomatoes, added a little parsley and thyme and used Himalayan pink salt.
Bev Bitzegaio says
Oh I forgot I also added some cauliflower rice and doubled the beef broth.
Cindy Mckinnon says
I made this using tomato juice in place of the marinara. I love this!
Ed says
It is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS with ground lamb!!
Karly Campbell says
Awesome! Thanks for coming back to let us know! 🙂
Kathy L. Carroll says
Absolutely great. We love it!
Karl. It says 6 servings. What size are the servings?
Thanks!
Karly Campbell says
HI Kathy! Glad you enjoy the recipe! I didn’t measure by volume, just divided it out into 6 portions. 🙂
Ed says
Thanks. I’m trying it today. I’ll post an update on how it turned out.
Ed says
Would it work with ground lamb instead of beef? Thanks
Karly Campbell says
I’ve never made it with lamb, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Bec says
I love it with lamb! 🙂
Terri Larimore says
I am wondering if you could use Napa Cabbage (Chinese Cabbage) instead of the regular green cabbage for this?
Karly Campbell says
I’ve never tried, so I’m not sure. I think it’d be fine though.
Brenda Johnson says
Napa might have a little more water in it so you could cut down on a liquid or throw in some tomato paste.
Glenn says
I meal prepped this dish as part of my keto diet plan. One of my favorites for sure. I added bacon and used less sauce with good results.
Makes a large batch that I can get at least 4 good size portions out of.
KD says
This came out great! I dissolved a beef bullion cube in the 1/2 cup of water instead of adding the tsp of salt. I used Prego No Sugar added for tomato sauce.
Christie I says
My household LOVED this! Thank you! I love your quick and easy recipes.
Karly Campbell says
That’s great to hear! Thanks, Christie!
Cheryl says
Just made this for supper tonight. I added celery, sweet peppers and seasonings in addition to the onion & garlic!
Carla Seco says
I just made this for the first time tonight and it was delicious!! Thank you for the recipe!!
Jacque says
LOVE this! Made last night, I could have halved the recipe for myself. Brought some to work for lunch today. Will freeze the rest for next week. Thanks for this great idea!
Karly Campbell says
So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂