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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
Once the cabbage is thoroughly cooked and tender, add the sour cream and toss it to dissolve.
Serve the ground beef and cabbage hot.
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.
Here are some more tasty recipes to try:
- Crepes St. Jacques
- Dinner ideas with Hamburger and potatoes
- Green beans with bacon and onions
- Homemade Italian sausage recipe
- Wicked good fish tacos
- Shrimp and sausage stew
Ground Beef and Cabbage Recipe
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
- Substitute ground beef with ground chicken or turkey. Also Italian sausage could be used.
- Additional vegetables could also be added. Green bell pepper, shredded carrot, green onions, or chopped fennel.
- Make a spicy dish by substituting Rotel for the diced tomatoes.
- 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.
teresa kohan
This was so yummy, simple to make and I was asked for recipe. I froze some left-overs (we were going on a trip).
Joe Boyle
Thank you for the nice comment Teresa.
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!
Joe Boyle
Thank you Nicole. Glad you like it!
Sibly
This was great! I added two shredded carrots and a few chopped mushrooms but other than that followed the recipe. Delicious!
Joe Boyle
Thank you for the nice comment Sibly.
Jan
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.
Joe
Hi Jan,
Thank you for the nice comment. Glad that you liked the recipe.
Joe
Valerie
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!
Joe
Hi Valerie,
Thank you for the great comment. Just keep trying recipes!
Joe
Martie
For me, this was like a watery dill soup. I did not like this at all.
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
Bonnie
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.
Sherry
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!
Joe
Thank you Sherry and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Joe
Ally
This is one of the best cabbage dishes I’ve ever had!
Joe
Thank you Ally!
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.,
Joe
Thank you Diane…glad you like it! Joe
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
Joe
Thanks Marty. Nice additions.
Deb
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!)
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