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. 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 a 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 like 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 good-fitting 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 and lower the heat to a simmer and put the lid on the pot. This will steam and wilt the cabbage.
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.
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, green onions, top with cheddar cheese, 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 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 lid. 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.
Nutrition
Delicious! And yet so simple to make which is even better.
Thanks Jennifer, I’m glad that you tried and liked my recipe.
Joe
Healthy? Ground Beef AND Butter?
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
This was simple and delicious. I made it exactly as written and we all loved it. Thank you for an easy weeknight meal idea!
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for the comment and glad that you liked it.
Joe
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.
This is delicious. Make it every couple months. Family loves it! I use green and red cabbage.
Hi Gloria. Thank you for the nice comment.
I am LOVING this! I have leftovers for lunch a couple of times already. It is so yummy!
Hi Daray,
I’m glad that you like the recipe. Thanks for the nice comment.
Joe
Can this be frozen & baked later?
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
Thank you so much for this recipe Joe, it was amazing! I really loved the notes at the end as well.
Hi Aurora,
Thank you for the nice comment. Glad you liked the recipe.
Joe
Delish
Thanks Darleen. I’m so glad you liked it!
I just made this it is delicious amazing and easy too Thanks
Thank you Dawn, I’m glad you liked my recipe.
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!
Thanks for the comment. Glad that you made it work for you.
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.
Hi Emily,
I’m so glad that you liked my recipe. And thank you for taking the time to make a nice comment.
Joe
Excellent!
Thank you Pat.
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.
Hi Candy,
Thanks for trying my recipe and for the nice comment. The way you altered the recipe sounds great.
Joe
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❤️
Hi Tiffany,
I’m happy that you liked my recipe. Easy comfort food is right.
Joe
Excellent. I will definitely make this over and over. Love the hint of dill..
Hi Kathy,
Thank you for the nice comment. Glad that you liked the recipe.
Joe
I love cooked cabbage! This is perfect comfort food.
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!
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.
I added mushrooms and substituted greek yogurt and cream cheese for the sour cream. Everyone loved it. So good and keto too!
This is so good! Kind of like stuffed cabbage but way easier and the herbs make it so much better! Total comfort food.
Hi Josie,
Thank you for the nice comment. Glad that you liked it.
Joe