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Tasty Ground Beef and Cabbage Recipe

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Ground beef and cabbage are a terrific combination of flavors. Add to that a couple of unique spices to really make this recipe special. And, by using lean ground beef, the calories stay low for this healthy casserole dish.

Overhead view of cabbage and ground beef recipe.

 

I was thinking that with St. Patrick’s Day coming up, a recipe with cooked cabbage without corned beef would be fun to try.

Don’t get me wrong but I love corned beef and cabbage. But instead of Corned Beef, I thought lean ground beef would be a good substitute. 

A tomato sauce and beef broth were used for the liquid. It reminded me of tomato soup, so I used my Tomato Bisque Recipe as the inspiration for the spices.

The ground beef and Cabbage dish turned out great. It’s a healthy recipe the whole family will like.

Simple Ingredients for the Cabbage Skillet

  • Lean ground beef
  • Small head of cabbage
  • Medium onion
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Beef broth
  • Butter
  • Dried dill
  • Dried oregano or Italian seasoning
  • Sour cream
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
Head of cabbage being cut up.

 

Preparing the Cabbage

When I got the idea for this cabbage recipe, I wanted the cabbage to be the star of the dish. Therefore, I kept the cabbage pieces fairly large.

Here is how I cut up the head of Cabbage. 

First of all, cut off the stem. That will allow you to pull off 4 or 5 of the large outer leaves. The remaining cabbage should be nice and clean.

Wedges of cabbage being cut up.

 

Then, use a sharp Chef’s Knife to cut the head lengthwise through the core to make 4 pieces. This will expose the tough, solid core and make it easy to chop out.

Wedge of cabbage being cut up.

 

To make a more stable base for cutting the wedge of cabbage, I cut down the point of the wedge.

This might be unnecessary, but no fingers were endangered by a wobbly cabbage wedge.

Wedge of cabbage on a cutting board.

 

Cut the cabbage into 4 or 5 strips then chop those into 1/2″ to 3/4″ pieces. 

The larger veins were also cut off and discarded. (Our city has a composting site, so this waste goes right to them).

Slices of a wedge of cabbage.

 

Next time I make this dish, I think that I’ll just use a Mandoline to shred the cabbage as you would for coleslaw. That’s really easy. Use whatever method you prefer for chopping the cabbage.

Dutch oven on the burner with browned ground beef, diced tomato, and spices.

 

How to Make Ground Beef and Cabbage Recipe

You will need to use a large, high-sided skillet or a Dutch oven that holds at least 4 quarts. And the skillet will need a lid. This is a four-quart Dutch Oven that I’m using.

Start by browning the ground beef on medium heat. Break up the beef with a wooden spoon and cook until most of the beef is browned.

If you have used lean ground beef there shouldn’t be much fat in the skillet. If you have fat, remove it with a spoon.

Next, add the coarsely chopped onion and let the onion cook and soften for 3 or 4 minutes.

Next, add the Beef Broth and can of diced tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any Browned Bits on the bottom of your skillet.

Now add the spices and butter and stir them in and bring to a boil.

Cabbage in the dutch oven ready to be cooked.

 

Add all of the cabbage, lower the heat to a simmer, and put the lid semi-covered or cocked on the pot. This will steam and wilt the cabbage and also allow the liquid to evaporate.

It will take about 20 minutes of cooking time to steam the cabbage until it is tender. Every 5 minutes, use a large spoon or a wide wooden spoon like I have to turn the cabbage and beef mixture. This will ensure that the cabbage gets Cooked evenly.

You should end up with 1 or 2 tablespoons of liquid left in the pan. If you have excess liquid, uncover the pot and simmer for a few more minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. 

Sour cream being added to the cabbage and ground beef.

 

Once the cabbage is thoroughly cooked and tender, add the sour cream and toss it to dissolve. 

Serve the ground beef and cabbage hot.

Close-up view of the hamburger and cabbage dish.

 

Variations to Consider

Meat substitutes: Ground turkey or chicken. Italian sausage. Add some chopped slices of bacon.

Additions: Shredded carrots, green bell pepper, and green onions, top with cheddar cheese, and substitute Rotel for the diced tomatoes. 

Leftovers

Store leftovers in an Airtight Container in your refrigerator. It is easy to reheat the ground beef and cabbage in a microwave oven too.

The flavor of the casserole is just as good the next day.

If your leftovers seem a bit short for your meal, add some cooked egg noodles to the dish. This is quite tasty and will stretch the serving size and still have great flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will cabbage last in the refrigerator?

If the head of cabbage is raw and uncut, it should last for up to two weeks if wrapped in plastic wrap. If the cabbage has been cut, it should be wrapped in plastic wrap and used within 3 day’s time.

What goes with Ground Beef and Cabbage?

A side dish of garden vegetables like green beans, peas, corn, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts would be perfect with this meal. Also consider a fresh garden greens salad on the side.

Cabbage and ground beef in the skillet ready to eat.

Give this flavorful hamburger and cabbage recipe a try. 

Here are some more tasty recipes:

Overhead view of ground beef and cabbage.

Ground Beef and Cabbage Recipe

Healthy recipe that is satisfying but is low in calories and high in nutrition.
4.82 from 33 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef and cabbage, ground beef and cabbage
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 249kcal
Author: Joe Boyle

Ingredients

  • 1 head cabbage, 2 to 2.5 pounds
  • 1 lbs. lean ground beef, 92%
  • 1 med. yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup beef broth, I used Better Than Bouillon beef base
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 1 tbsp. dried dill
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano or Italian seasoning
  • 1.5 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions

  • Section the head of cabbage and remove the outer leaves and the core. Chop into bite-sized pieces or use a mandoline to shred the cabbage. You should end up with 1 1/2 to 2-pounds of cabbage.
  • Using a 4 quart dutch oven or other pot with a lid, brown the ground beef and break it up into small pieces. Once the meat is browned, remove any fat that might have rendered using a spoon. Then add the chopped onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Next, add the beef broth and diced tomatoes and the liquid in the can. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Then stir in the spices and butter. Bring the pot to a boil.
  • Place all of the chopped cabbage into the pot, lower the heat to a simmer and cover with a cocked lid. This will allow the liquids to evaporate. Steam the cabbage for 20 minutes until it is soft, stirring the cabbage and turning every 5 minutes to ensure it is cooked evenly throughout the pot.
  • Once the cabbage is tender, add the sour cream and stir it in until fully dissolved into the dish. Serve the ground beef and cabbage hot.

Notes

  1. Substitute ground beef with ground chicken or turkey. Also Italian sausage could be used.
  2. Additional vegetables could also be added. Green bell pepper, shredded carrot, green onions, or chopped fennel.
  3. Make a spicy dish by substituting Rotel for the diced tomatoes. 
  4. Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Reheat in a microwave oven. Leftovers can also be frozen in an airtight container for 4 to 6 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 249kcal
 

Ground beef and cabbage collage for Pinterest.
 
Ground beef and cabbage recipe collage for Pinterest.
 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. teresa kohan

    5 stars
    This was so yummy, simple to make and I was asked for recipe. I froze some left-overs (we were going on a trip).

    Reply

  2. Nicole

    This is one of my husband’s and my favorite meals!! We make this so often and never get tired of it! It is so good! Just finished making it again for dinner tonight. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!

    Reply

  3. Sibly

    5 stars
    This was great! I added two shredded carrots and a few chopped mushrooms but other than that followed the recipe. Delicious!

    Reply

  4. Jan

    5 stars
    I made it for dinner tonight. My wife say’s it’s the best that I’ve made in 21 years of marriage, so far. This was a winner! I used a whole head of Cabbage, 2 lbs ground burger, 2 green peppers, one onion, I had a pint of home made turkey stock, that I added and a can of diced tomatoes with the juice. Seasoning was spot on. It was very juicy, so I took out about 2 cups of liquid and let the rest evaporate off. I think there was about a cup of juice left, but it was very tasty. I will diffidently be making this again.

    Reply

  5. Valerie

    5 stars
    Another winner! Perfect for a cold autumn day and the flavor profile with the dill and sour cream knocks it out of the park. My husband has asked for this to be on our regular meal rotation (and, since this is the third winner recipe we’ve had from this website, started asking, “Who is this Joe? Are all of his recipes this good?”). lol!

    Reply

    • Joe

      Hi Martie,

      Sorry to hear that. It would be watery if the broth and tomatoes are not boiled down enough. I let it cook for about 20 minutes before adding the sour cream. I should mention in the recipe that the liquid should be reduced to about 2 tablespoons or less before adding the sour cream. Yes, watery dill soup does not sound appealing. Thank you for bringing this up.

      Joe

      Reply

  7. Bonnie

    4 stars
    Ok, I made this today. Has a good taste with plenty to share. The only thing I found was that it was a little to watery. I think I’ll for go the extra cup of water next time.

    Reply

  8. Sherry

    5 stars
    Oh my! This was the best cabbage dish I have ever made and I have made alot of them! The sour cream and dill were what put it over the top. Good job Joe!

    Reply

  10. Diane

    This is such a great recip!. I’ve made it 5 times already. And like American Chop suey it’s much better the next day. Which is why I double the recipe. Don’t have to change anything it’s perfect as written.,

    Reply

  11. Marty

    WOW!!! This is great, Joe!!! I added 1 red bell pepper, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1 shredded carrot, 8 oz. of cremini mushrooms, and sprinkled cilantro on top.

    Marty

    Reply

  12. Deb

    5 stars
    Great for today- a cold snowy day in Colorado. I only had about 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes left from a different recipe so I added a little canned pizza sauce. Then decided shredded white Italian blend cheese with spices would taste good before adding the sour cream. Yes to good fat and that is a myth anyway about saturated fat and been disproved by research – just look up The Big Fat Surprise book by Nina Teicholz! This recipe was so simple and delicious! Reminds me of making a deconstructed stuffed pepper dish. Thank for the small touches that make this yummy (like the dill!)

    Reply

    • Joe

      Hi Deb,
      Thank you for the thoughtful comment. I’m glad that you made this simple recipe work with what you have. And I agree. The dill makes the dish yummy. Thank you.
      Joe

      Reply

    • Joe

      Hi Dojo,
      This may not be healthy for your diet, and that’s okay. I think that a serving that totals 249 calories with 42% daily value of protein and 18% of fiber and 127% of vitamin C can’t be all bad. And it tastes like comfort food. That’s a win for me.
      Joe

      Reply

  15. Michelle

    5 stars
    This was simple and delicious. I made it exactly as written and we all loved it. Thank you for an easy weeknight meal idea!

    Reply

  16. Phyllis

    4 stars
    Good recipe and will likely repeat, but will leave out sour cream next time. For some reason, the cabbage and sour cream didn’t work for me.

    Reply

    • Joe

      Hi Janet,

      Yes, this would be fine to freeze. Make the dish up to the point of adding the sour cream. Let it cool, then place it into a greased casserole dish. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or other semi-airtight plastic. Reheat it, covered to retain moisture. I would use 375° for 15 to 25 minutes. Finally, stir in the sour cream. I hope this answers your question.

      Joe

      Reply

  23. mol

    Loved it. Made a couple modifications because didn’t have everything. Omitted the dill because my guy doesn’t like dill. Didn’t have sour cream and used leftover cream cheese. Used leftover spaghetti sauce instead of tomato sauce. 1st time cooking with cabbage, TY! TY! TY!

    Reply

  24. Emily Ipsen

    5 stars
    This was delicious AND EASY!! I added carrots and could have added some zucchini
    and potatoes. It’s great…my husband loved it as well. It could be served to a group
    on a cold winter day. I served it in soup bowls and found that the recipe served 5
    generously.

    Reply

  26. Candy

    5 stars
    The dill weed and sour cream MAKE this recipe! Do not leave them out! I thought they both sounded a little strange, and I thought about leaving the sour cream out. I tasted it without and it was good. I put a little in a bowl and added a dab of sour cream and then it was GREAT! So in went a heaping half cup since I had added quite a few grated carrots and some rice I’d cooked in a cup of beef bullion water. I didn’t use the oregano because I wasn’t in the mood for Italian flavor. Sooo good! Thank you. Gonna serve with crescent rolls. Oh, and I tried a little with cheese because I like cheese on everything, but I actually liked it better without! I’ll let people add their own if they want it.

    Reply

  27. Tiffany

    5 stars
    I didn’t have dill but so glad I made this anyways! Absolutely love it, perfect and easy comfort food. Thanks for the recipe Joe❤️

    Reply

  30. Amy

    5 stars
    Anything with cabbage is good for me! And easy and delicious to make meat free with veggie stock and a can or two of beans in place of beef. Cheap and delicious comfort food!

    Reply

  31. MaryJo

    5 stars
    It may not look super fancy, but this is a tasty dish, with lots of flavor. And leftovers are great for lunch the next day.

    Reply

    • Deborah Hamilton

      I added mushrooms and substituted greek yogurt and cream cheese for the sour cream. Everyone loved it. So good and keto too!

      Reply

  32. Josie

    5 stars
    This is so good! Kind of like stuffed cabbage but way easier and the herbs make it so much better! Total comfort food.

    Reply
4.82 from 33 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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