Skillet Unstuffed Cabbage

If you like stuffed cabbage rolls, you’ll love this easy-prep unstuffed cabbage. There’s no parboiling, rolling, and stuffing—everything is cooked in a large skillet or Dutch oven. The dish combines all the familiar ingredients and flavors of stuffed cabbage in a skillet. It’s a complete meal with ground beef, rice, cabbage, tomato sauce, and seasonings.

It’s an ideal weeknight dinner that’s filling, easy to customize, and reheats beautifully for leftovers.

What You’ll Like About This Recipe

• All the flavor, less effort. You get the same tomatoey, beef-and-cabbage comfort as classic stuffed cabbage rolls without boiling leaves, rolling, or baking in a separate dish.
• True one-pan meal. The beef, cabbage, tomatoes, and rice all cook together in a single skillet or Dutch oven, so there’s very little cleanup and no extra pots to wash.
• Budget-friendly ingredients. Cabbage, rice, tomato sauce, and ground beef are all economical staples that stretch easily to feed a family or provide leftovers for the next day.
• Hearty and satisfying. The combination of tender cabbage, savory beef, and rice makes a complete, stick-to-your-ribs meal that doesn’t really need much more than a simple side.
• Easy to customize. You can adjust the spices, add more vegetables, or swap the protein to suit different tastes—from extra-herby and aromatic to a slightly spicy version.

Ingredient Notes

• Ground beef – A pound of ground beef makes this a filling main dish. Standard 80/20 works well and adds good flavor, but you can use leaner beef if you prefer; just keep an eye on the pan and add a splash of extra oil if it looks dry.
• Onion – Chopped onion builds a savory base flavor that echoes classic stuffed cabbage. Yellow, white, or sweet onion all work here, so use what you have on hand.
• Green bell pepper – Adds color and a gentle, slightly grassy sweetness that pairs nicely with the tomatoes. You can mix in red or yellow bell pepper for a bit more sweetness and color.
• Cabbage – Half a head of green cabbage, coarsely chopped, softens into the sauce and gives the dish its signature texture. Look for a firm, heavy head and remove any wilted outer leaves. If your half head is large, start with about 3/4 pound and add more as space allows.
• Long-grain rice – Uncooked long-grain white rice cooks right in the skillet, absorbing tomato and beef juices for maximum flavor. Avoid instant or parboiled rice, which cooks differently and can end up mushy or uneven.
• Tomato sauce – A 15-ounce can of tomato sauce gives the dish body and a smooth tomato base. If your sauce is pre-seasoned, taste before adding extra salt.
• Tomato paste – Concentrated tomato paste deepens the color and adds a richer, slightly sweet tomato flavor that makes the skillet taste slow-simmered.
• Thyme – Dried thyme adds an earthy, herbal note that suits both cabbage and tomato. If you have fresh thyme, use about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of leaves and add them with the other seasonings.
• Bay leaf – A single bay leaf brings a subtle, old-fashioned stew flavor. Remember to remove it before serving to avoid an unpleasant bite.

Steps to Make Skillet Unstuffed Cabbage

1. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it is hot and shimmering.
2. Add the ground beef and let it cook undisturbed for several minutes so it browns on the bottom before you break it up with a spoon.
3. Stir in the chopped onion and green bell pepper and continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables have started to soften.
4. Add the chopped cabbage and uncooked rice, stirring for a couple of minutes to coat everything in the pan juices and start the cabbage wilting.
5. Pour in the tomato sauce, add the tomato paste, and stir in the water, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf until everything is well combined.
6. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer until the rice is tender and the cabbage is soft.
7. Stir occasionally during cooking, adding a splash of water if the mixture looks too thick or the rice isn’t quite done.
8. Once the rice is tender and the flavors have blended, remove the bay leaf, taste, and adjust the seasoning before serving hot.

Pro Tips

• Brown the beef long enough at the beginning to develop some color on the bottom of the pan; those browned bits contribute a lot of flavor to the finished dish.
• Chop the cabbage into fairly even pieces so it cooks at the same rate and you get a consistent texture throughout the skillet.
• Nestle the rice down into the liquid after stirring everything together, making sure it is mostly submerged so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stay crunchy.
• Simmer gently over low heat and keep the lid on; a too-high heat can cause the bottom to stick before the rice is fully tender.

Recipe Variations

• Turkey or chicken version. Swap the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken for a lighter skillet meal. Because these meats are milder, you may want to increase the herbs and add extra black pepper or a pinch of paprika.
• Extra-vegetable skillet. Stir in shredded carrots, extra bell peppers, or a handful of sliced mushrooms with the cabbage for more color and nutrition. This is a good way to stretch the dish to feed more people.
• Spicy unstuffed cabbage. Add crushed red pepper flakes, a bit of cayenne, or a chopped jalapeño when you sauté the onions and peppers. This variation is great for those who like a bit of heat in their cabbage dishes.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve the unstuffed cabbage in shallow bowls with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or extra black pepper on top for a simple, comforting main dish.
• Add a slice of crusty bread, cornbread, or buttered rolls on the side to soak up the tomato-rich juices from the skillet.
• Pair with a crisp green salad, cucumber salad, or simple slaw to give a fresh, crunchy contrast to the warm, hearty cabbage and rice.
• Choose to offer a few toppings—such as sour cream, grated Parmesan, or hot sauce—so everyone can customize their bowl to taste.

How to Store

• Refrigerate: Let the skillet mixture cool to room temperature, then transfer it to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. The flavors often deepen as it sits, making leftovers especially tasty.
• Reheat: Warm portions gently in a covered skillet over low to medium heat, adding a splash of water or broth and stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also reheat in the microwave, stopping to stir once or twice so the rice heats evenly.
• Freeze: For longer storage, spoon cooled unstuffed cabbage into freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving a little headspace, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating with a bit of extra liquid to loosen the mixture and restore its texture.

Skillet Unstuffed Cabbage

Diana Rattray

Try this skillet unstuffed cabbage recipe. It’s a hearty one-pot meal that’s easy to make.

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Servings 4 servings

Calories 603

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Course Cabbage

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  

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• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 head cabbage, coarsely chopped, about 3/4 to 1 pound
• 1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
• 1 can tomato sauce, 15-oz
• 1 can tomato paste, 6-oz
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

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• Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet, sauté pan, or Dutch oven. When the oil is shimmering, add the ground beef and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Break up the beef and add the onions and bell peppers. Cook, stirring for 3 minutes longer or until the beef is no longer pink.
• Add the cabbage and rice and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
• Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and seasonings. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary.
• Taste and adjust the seasonings and remove the bay leaf.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 603kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 29gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 1829mgPotassium: 1553mgFiber: 8gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1579IUVitamin C: 80mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 6mg

Disclaimer:

Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.

Keyword unstuffed cabbage

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