Cabbage Roll Casserole

Cabbage Roll Casserole with a spoon

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound lean ground beef or pork (or ½ pound of each)
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 28oz can diced tomatoes, do not drain
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon salt & pepper each
  • 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown), about ⅔ cup uncooked
  • 1 large head cabbage (12-14 cups), chopped into 1" squares, rinsed and dried
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon dill, optional
    *For the Topping
  • 2 cups Gruyere or Monterey jack cheese, shredded
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup milk

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Brown meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
  • Stir in diced tomatoes (including juice), tomato sauce, tomato paste, & seasonings. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and add cooked rice.
  • Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and add ½ of the cabbage and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook just until softened (about 10 minutes). Repeat with remaining cabbage.
  • Place half of the cabbage in a 9x13 casserole dish. Top with half of the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
  • In a small bowl combine cheese, egg, and milk. Remove foil, top casserole with cheese mixture, and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes.

*The cheese topping is optional, though if you skip the cheese topping, bake covered for the last 20 minutes so the top doesn't dry out

 

This recipe is courtesy of spendwithpennies.com