Unstuffed Cabbage Bowls, made on the stove or Instant Pot, are quick and easy deconstructed cabbage rolls without all the work!
Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
I love stuffed cabbage. It reminds me of my childhood (a staple in my home growing up), but they can be a bit time-consuming. I came up with the idea to chop the cabbage and turn them into bowls, and they came out so good! My husband RAVED about dinner, so I knew this Unstuffed Cabbage Bowl recipe was a keeper. You might also like this Beef Cabbage Soup or one of my other ground beef recipes.
Unstuffed Cabbage Ingredients
- Ground Beef: Sprinkle salt over 93% lean ground beef.
- Onion and Garlic seasoned with black pepper
- Marjoram: Swap marjoram with oregano.
- Tomato Sauce: One 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce – not marinara or pasta sauce
- Hungarian Paprika: If you don’t specifically have “Hungarian” paprika, any type of sweet paprika will do.
- Beef Broth: Choose low-sodium beef broth.
- Raisins: I know raisins in cabbage rolls can be controversial, but my dad, who is Czech, always made them this way. If you’re not a fan of sweet and savory together, leave them out!
- Brown Rice: Add a cup of cooked rice towards the end.
- Cabbage: Red or green cabbage will work.
How to Make Unstuffed Cabbage Bowls
I made these beef cabbage bowls in the Instant Pot, but you can easily make them on the stove by doubling the cooking time. Some people commented below that they got the “burn notice” when using the Instant Pot. Newer models have a more sensitive sensor. To prevent your IP from thinking you have food burning on the bottom of the pot, deglaze the pot with one or two tablespoons of water or broth before adding the other ingredients.
- Beef: Season the beef with salt, and brown it in the Instant Pot or Dutch oven for 5 minutes.
- Other Ingredients: Stir in the onion, garlic, marjoram, and pepper and then the tomato sauce, paprika, beef broth, and raisins. If cooking on the stove, add a quarter cup of water.
- Cook: For the Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, and for the stove, cook on medium-low for 25 minutes.
- Instant Pot: Do a quick release, add the cooked rice and cabbage on top, and cook on high for three minutes.
- Stove: Put the cooked rice and cabbage in the pot and cook for about 10 minutes.
How to Freeze Cabbage Bowls
These unstuffed cabbage rolls last for up to four days in the fridge, or you can freeze the leftovers in small, airtight containers for up to three months. Thaw a serving overnight and reheat it in the microwave until warm.
Variations:
- Rice: My parents always make stuffed cabbage with rice, but if you want to keep these bowls low-carb, feel free to leave it out. Or you could serve the cabbage mixture with cooked cauliflower rice.
- Protein: Substitute ground turkey for beef.
More Cabbage Recipes You’ll Love:
- Beef Cabbage Soup
- Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
- Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup
- Quick Cabbage Slaw
- Apple Cider Chicken and Cabbage
Your comments are helpful! If you’ve tried this healthy Unstuffed Cabbage Bowls recipe or any other on Skinnytaste, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. And if you took a photo of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can reshare it on my Stories!
Unstuffed Cabbage Bowls
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
- 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
- black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
- 1 cup less sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 medium head cabbage, cored and chopped (9 cups)
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. Spray with oil then add the beef and salt, cook breaking the meat up until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, marjoram and black pepper and stir. Add the tomato sauce, paprika, beef broth and raisins, cover and cook high pressure 15 minutes.
- Quick release, add the rice and cabbage and cook 3 minutes high pressure. Quick release and serve with additional rice if desired.
Stove Top Method:
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, spray with oil then add the beef and salt, cook breaking the meat up until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, marjoram and black pepper and stir. Add the tomato sauce, 1/4 cup water, paprika, beef broth and raisins, cover and cook medium-low 25 minutes.
- Add the cooked rice and cabbage and cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. Serve with additional rice if desired.
