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A white bowl filled with delicious Slow Cooker Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, featuring tender cabbage, ground meat, and tomato sauce, garnished with fresh herbs.
Daniel

Slow Cooker Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

All the classic, savory flavors of traditional cabbage rolls but made easy in the slow cooker! This hearty, deconstructed cabbage roll casserole is the perfect comforting weeknight meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Eastern European
Calories: 425
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Meat Mixture
  • 1.5 lbs lean ground beef 90/10 lean, or a mix of beef and pork
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice cooked
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the Cabbage & Sauce
  • 1 medium head green cabbage about 2.5 lbs, cored and roughly chopped
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 cup beef broth low-sodium

Equipment

  • 6-quart Slow Cooker
  • Large skillet
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Cutting board

Method
 

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and chopped onion until the beef is browned and the onion has softened, about 7-8 minutes. Drain any excess grease. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  2. Transfer the cooked beef mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked rice, lightly beaten egg, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined.
  3. Spread half of the chopped cabbage into the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Spoon the beef and rice mixture over the cabbage in an even layer. Top with the remaining chopped cabbage.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, packed brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and beef broth.
  5. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the top layer of cabbage in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the cabbage is tender.
  6. Gently stir the mixture to combine all the layers. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Rice Tip: You can use 1 cup of uncooked long-grain white rice instead of pre-cooked. If you do, add an extra 1/2 cup of beef broth to the sauce to ensure the rice cooks properly. Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Serving Suggestion: This dish is delicious served with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.