Description
Comforting Midwestern cabbage casserole delivers hearty, cheesy goodness straight from family kitchens. Layers of tender cabbage, savory ground beef, and melted cheese create a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 head green cabbage (about 2 lbs), cored and sliced
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Canned Ingredient:
- 1 can (14.5 ounces / 411 grams) diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a baking dish with a light coating of nonstick spray.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook onions until they become soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and ground beef to the onions, breaking meat into crumbles and cooking until fully browned and no pink remains.
- Pour diced tomatoes into the meat mixture, seasoning with salt and pepper, then allow to simmer and develop flavors for 10 minutes.
- Create the first layer in the baking dish by spreading half of the shredded cabbage as a base.
- Distribute half of the seasoned meat mixture evenly over the cabbage layer.
- Sprinkle a generous portion of cheese across the meat layer.
- Repeat the layering process with remaining cabbage, meat mixture, and top with another layer of cheese.
- Carefully cover the casserole with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, maintaining the foil cover.
- Remove the foil during the final 10 minutes of baking to allow the cheese to turn golden and slightly crispy.
Notes
- Enhance meat flavor by using a blend of ground beef and pork for added richness and depth.
- Make the dish gluten-free by substituting regular cheese with a certified gluten-free variety and ensuring all ingredients are gluten-free.
- Boost vegetable nutrition by adding extra vegetables like diced bell peppers or mushrooms to increase fiber and vitamin content.
- Create a vegetarian version by replacing ground beef with plant-based meat alternatives or lentils for protein and texture.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg