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Italian Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

Italian Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

A flavorful Italian unstuffed cabbage roll casserole recipe that delivers the taste of traditional cabbage rolls without the hassle.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 9 servings
Calories 452 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • large skillet
  • Baking dish

Ingredients
  

Cabbage and Vegetables

  • 10 cups savoy cabbage, chopped about ¾ of a large head of cabbage
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 teaspoon salt or more, to taste
  • pepper to taste

Meat and Sauce

  • 1.5 lbs ground beef medium lean ground beef
  • 960 ml tomato juice preferably low sodium (such as V8), divided
  • 1 cup parboiled rice
  • 0.25 cups parsley, freshly chopped divided
  • 0.5 cups grated Parmigiano cheese or Pecorino Romano
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded divided

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Chop the cabbage, removing the core and slicing it into 1-inch wide pieces.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the cabbage for 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
  • In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Stir in the diced onion, carrot, celery, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Pour in 3 cups of the tomato juice and rice. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the grated Parmigiano cheese and half the chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning as needed.
  • Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Layer ⅓ of the cabbage in the dish, then half the beef mixture, and sprinkle with ⅓ of the mozzarella.
  • Layer half of the remaining cabbage, the rest of the beef mixture, and half of the remaining mozzarella.
  • Spread the rest of the cabbage, pour the remaining tomato juice over, and top with the last of the mozzarella.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, then uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
  • Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 452kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 25gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 800mgPotassium: 800mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 300mgIron: 3mg
Keyword cabbage rolls, casserole, comfort food, easy dinner, Italian casserole, one-pot meal
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