Layered Cabbage Roll Casserole Recipe Easy and Delicious

There’s something ridiculously comforting about cabbage, ground beef, and rice bubbling away in a warm oven. Layered Cabbage Roll Casserole gives you all those cozy flavors without the fussy rollingjust layer everything in a baking dish and walk away. It’s hearty, it’s nostalgic, and it tastes like your grandma made it (even if she didn’t).

I first made this on a freezing January night in 2019 when I was too tired to deal with wrapping individual rolls. My daughter peeked into the oven and said, “Mom, it looks like a lasagna had a baby with stuffed cabbage”and honestly? She wasn’t wrong. After ten years of recipe testing, I’ve learned that deconstructing classics often makes them better, and this one delivers the same tender, savory goodness with half the effort.

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Why You’ll Love This Layered Cabbage Roll Casserole

This is the kind of recipe that makes you feel like you’ve been cooking for hours, even though you basically just assembled layers and walked away. Here’s what makes it so good:

• No rolling required: All the flavor of traditional cabbage rolls without the tedious wrapping and folding. Just layer and bake.
• Freezer-friendly: Make it ahead, stash it in the freezer, and pull it out when you need a cozy dinner without the effort.
• One-dish wonder: Everything cooks together in one pan, so cleanup is ridiculously easy.
• Comfort food at its finest: Tender cabbage, savory ground beef, and that sweet-tangy tomato sauce hit all the nostalgic notes.

What You’ll Need (Ingredients & Tools)

The ingredient list is refreshingly simplemostly pantry staples and a head of cabbage. You’ll need a 9×13 baking dish (or two smaller pans if that’s what you’ve got), a large skillet for browning the ground beef, and some foil to cover everything while it bakes.

The magic happens with the combo of crushed tomatoes in the meat layer and the sweet-tangy sauce made from tomato sauce, light brown sugar, and white wine vinegar. That balance of sweet and savory is what makes this taste like the old-school version grandma used to make.

Ingredient	Easy Swap
Ground beef	Ground turkey, ground pork, or a beef/pork blend
White rice	Brown rice (add 15 min to bake time) or cauliflower rice
White wine vinegar	Apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
Light brown sugar	Regular brown sugar or a touch of honey

How It All Comes Together

Start by slicing your cabbage into half-inch stripsno need to be fancy or precise here. Spread it across the bottom of your baking dish like you’re making a cabbage bed. Brown the ground beef with the chopped onion in a skillet, then drain off any grease.

Stir in the uncooked rice, chili powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed tomatoes right into the skillet with the meat. Spread that whole mixture over the cabbage. In a separate bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, light brown sugar, and white wine vinegar, then pour it over everything.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 90 minutes at 350°F. The rice cooks perfectly in all those flavorful juices, and the cabbage gets melt-in-your-mouth tender. Let it rest uncovered for 5-10 minutes before serving so the layers settle and the sauce thickens up a bit.

Tips for Perfect Results Every Time

Don’t skip the resting time: Those few minutes after you pull it from the oven let the layers firm up and make serving so much easier. If you dig in too early, it’ll be soupy (still delicious, but messier).

Use a tight foil seal: This traps all the steam, which is what cooks the rice and softens the cabbage. If your foil is loose, the rice might stay crunchy.

Make it ahead: You can assemble the whole thing, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Or freeze it completely and thaw in the fridge 1-2 days before you plan to bake.

How to Serve and Store

Serve this straight from the baking dishit’s cozy and casual, which is exactly the vibe. A chunk of crusty bread on the side is perfect for soaking up that sweet-tangy sauce. Leftovers reheat beautifully in the microwave or oven, and the flavors actually deepen after a day in the fridge.

Storage Method	How Long It Lasts
Refrigerator (covered)	3-4 days
Freezer (tightly wrapped)	Up to 3 months
Reheating from frozen	Thaw in fridge 1-2 days, then bake covered at 350°F for 45-60 min

Pro Tip: Portion leftovers into individual containers for grab-and-go lunches. This reheats like a dream and tastes even better the next day when all those flavors have had time to mingle.

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How I Finally Perfected My Layered Cabbage Roll Casserole

This Layered Cabbage Roll Casserole took me forever to get right. The first time, I forgot to cook the cabbage enough and we ended up with crunchy layers. The second time, it was a soupy mess. But after tweaking the timing and adjusting the sauce, I finally landed on this version that actually works.

FAQs ( Layered Cabbage Roll Casserole )

You’ll love how this Layered Cabbage Roll Casserole turns outall those tender layers, that sweet-tangy sauce, and zero fussy rolling. It bakes for 90 minutes and comes out bubbling, comforting, and ridiculously satisfying. Honestly? It tastes like a hug in a 9×13 pan.

Want to switch things up? Toss in a handful of raisins for sweetness (my Polish neighbor swears by it), or add a layer of sour cream halfway through baking for extra richness. Leftovers freeze beautifullyjust thaw, reheat covered, and dinner’s done. A trick I learned from my aunt’s kitchen: let it sit those extra few minutes before serving so the sauce thickens and the flavors really settle in.

I’d love to hear if this reminds you of Sunday dinners at grandma’s house or becomes a new weeknight favorite. Snap a photo when yours comes out of the oventhose bubbly, golden edges are pure comfort food magic. Share it with someone who needs a cozy meal, or save it for the next time you want all the nostalgia without all the work. Happy cooking, friend.