Cabbage Roll Casserole is Keto friendly and low-carb solution to your cabbage roll cravings. Simple, easy and delicious. This is sure to become a family favorite.
Cabbage Roll Casserole, otherwise known as unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole is one of those dishes that is just too easy and packs a flavorful punch without all the carbs. It easily has become a weekly staple in our household especially as cabbage keeps going on sale in the grocery store! See why it’s loved by everyone for yourself.
Cabbage Roll Casserole 101
How to store your casserole: Like many foods, this casserole is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When propertly stored, this dish will last for 3-5 days.
Can I freeze cabbage roll casserole? Absolutely! If you’re going to have leftovers and want to save for later, portion out and place in a air tight container or wrap with foil/plastic. Then place in a freezer bag. Cooked cabbage has quite a long shelf life in the freezer (up to 12 months) but we recommend eating this casserole within 3 months.
Can I still have rice on low carb/Keto? If you want to go a little more traditional but still stay low carb, we recommend cauliflower rice, which can be added or layered under the casserole serving.
Check out our Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup!
Twist on family traditions
Cabbage rolls are certainly not new to the dinner table my grandmother would make these every family event and we’ve ALWAYS loved them, although the unstuffed cabbage roll casserole is a much easier way to get the flavor without all the extra work. This dish has roots in ancient middle east and across Europe.
So here we are, in modern times, taking this dish to the next level with a little bit of creativity and without excess carbs in mind.
Not being sure how well this would be received with a more traditional family member, we gave it a try. “We’re trying something new tonight at dinner, you’re going to like it” was met with a raised eyebrow. The skepticism continued as we began to whip up this magically dish.
Then the smells took over the kitchen and mom, who is the pickiest of eaters and an avid lover of old school cabbage rolls (but not all the work they required), comes to the table curious.
Spoiler alert, one bite and she was in love. “This tastes like your grandma’s cabbage rolls!” A little explanation of how it was made and she was in disbelief. Too easy, she says. We agree!
And that is how this cabbage roll casserole has become a weekly staple in our household.
Check out air fryer broccoli from Vegetarian Mamma.
What to serve with Unstuffed Cabbage Roll
This classic dish with a twist pairs very well with some other classic dishes with a twist, in keeping with a Keto/Low Carb diet. A few options include:
- Cauliflower mashed potatoes, creamy, dreamy and oh-so-good!
- Oven roasted broccoli to help kick up your veggie count a notch or two.
- Stuffed mushrooms with tomato and feta bring a complimentary nibble worth flavor to the table.
We don’t want to forget about dessert. Our favorite follow up to this dish is our Mock Apple Pie. Yum!
How Many Net Carbs in Cabbage Roll Casserole
6 Net Carbs per serving! The great part about this casserole is how filling it is, so keep this in mind. The recipe makes around 8 servings total, but sometimes we end up eating a smaller portion.
If you are new to this Low Carb/Keto lifestyle and are unsure what we are talking about please feel free to read up more on Net Carbs. Or start at our Low Carb & Keto 101 Starter Page.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 8-9 cups green cabbage 1 small head, cored and chopped
- .5 tbsp smoked paprika
- .5 tsp garlic powder
- .5 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
- 1.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium high heat brown beef. ( If there is excess beef fat of a couple Tablespoons remove excess fat).
- Add onion, garlic, bell pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until onions being to get tender.
- Add diced tomatoes, cabbage, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir together. Cover pan with a lid and cook for 18-25 minutes, or until cabbage and peppers are tender. Season with additional salt and pepper here, if needed)
- Top with shredded cheese and cover again until cheese is melted.
- Spoon into a bowl, garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
This is my favorite keto meal!!
Me too! Thanks Amber
I added 1 teaspoon chilli flakes & 2 cups of sliced mushrooms.
This dish was amaaaazing, added some chilies and place spinach to the bottom of the bowl. Even picky eater (10 yo) aid was her favorite. Thank you for coming up with this recipe!
what can be used instead of the tomato. can you use paste or sauce instead?
Yes I don’t see why not! You can play around with this recipe, it’s very forgiving.
Recipe calls for cheddar cheese but in the video it looks white did you use a different cheese
Cheese type really isn’t going to alter your recipe turning out. We use whatever cheese we’ve got in the fridge at the time when making it. I prefer cheddar cheese but you can use colby jack or really anything you’ve got!
Do you think I can add cauliflower rice or too much veggies?
I definitely do not see why not! I would for sure think so 🙂
This recipe for cabbage casserole was amazing! My husband loved it! I’ve been trying to be adventurous in my recipes so we don’t get bored with our weight loss program with the same things every week. This is a keeper for sure. I fixed exactly per the recipe except for the cheese. We don’t like cheddar cheese so I used Colby/jack instead and it was perfect. Thank you.
Yum. I hate cabbage but can eat it in this dish. Thanks so much for the recipe.
My husband is the same way ?
This was extremely easy to prepare and very well seasoned. I planned to serve it over mashed cauliflower but decided it was delicious all on its own. Thank you so much for posting this one!!!
I saw your pin on cabbage roll casserole it all looks amazing.