Hearty Cabbage Delight

🕒 Prep: 15 min
🔥 Cook: 1 hour 20 min
🍽 Serves: 6
★★★★★
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This Hearty Cabbage Delight is a cozy, one-dish wonder perfect for chilly evenings or when you're craving something comforting and filling. With layers of tender cabbage, savory beef, and flavorful rice, this casserole is sure to become a family favorite.

Ingredients for Hearty Cabbage Delight

The foundation of this dish is ground beef, providing a rich, savory flavor and protein boost. Onion and garlic add depth and aroma, creating a flavorful base. Cabbage brings a mild sweetness and hearty texture that pairs perfectly with the beef. White rice absorbs the juices, becoming tender and flavorful. Beef broth ensures the dish stays moist and enhances the meaty taste, while tomato sauce adds a hint of acidity to balance the richness. A touch of salt, black pepper, and paprika rounds out the seasoning, and olive oil is used to sauté the aromatics to perfection.

Tips & Tricks

  • If your beef is very lean, you might want to add a splash more olive oil to keep the dish moist.
  • Use a sharp knife to chop the cabbage finely; this ensures it cooks evenly and blends well with the rice and beef.
  • If you find the casserole too liquidy, let it rest a bit longer after baking. The rice will absorb more of the juices as it cools.

Serving Suggestions

This casserole is hearty enough to stand alone, but if you're looking to round out the meal, a simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette pairs beautifully. For a touch of indulgence, serve with freshly baked bread to soak up any delicious juices left on your plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use brown rice instead of white rice?
Yes, but you'll need to adjust the cooking time and liquid as brown rice takes longer to cook.
What if I don't have beef broth?
You can substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth, though it will slightly alter the flavor.
Can I make this dish vegetarian?
Absolutely! Replace the ground beef with a plant-based alternative and use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.

Hearty Cabbage Delight Recipe Walkthrough

To start, preheat your oven to 350°F. While it heats, grab a large skillet and warm up the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in your diced onion and minced garlic, giving them a good stir until they turn translucent and fragrant.

Next, crumble in the ground beef. Cook it thoroughly until it's nicely browned and no pink remains. Remember to drain off any excess fat to keep your dish from becoming greasy. Season this mixture with salt, pepper, and paprika, stirring well to combine all those delicious flavors.

In a large casserole dish, lay down half of your chopped cabbage as the first layer. Sprinkle half the uncooked rice evenly over the cabbage, creating a foundation for the beef mixture, which you’ll spread next in an even layer.

With the beef in place, add the rest of the cabbage and rice, layering them gently. Combine your beef broth and tomato sauce in a bowl, mixing them together, then pour this liquid evenly over the entire dish.

Cover your casserole tightly with foil and slide it into the oven. Let it bake for an hour, allowing all the flavors to meld and the rice to cook through. After an hour, remove the foil, and bake for another 20 minutes. This step helps the top layer brown slightly, adding a nice texture.

Once done, let it cool for a few minutes before serving. This cooling time helps the layers set, making it easier to serve without falling apart.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Hearty layers offer a satisfying bite in every forkful.
  • Simple ingredients make it budget-friendly without sacrificing flavor.
  • Easy to prepare ahead of time for a stress-free dinner option.
  • Perfect balance of textures and flavors with minimal prep work.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium cabbage, chopped
1 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups beef broth
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and garlic; sauté until translucent.
3. Add ground beef to the skillet; cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
4. Stir in salt, pepper, and paprika.
5. In a large casserole dish, layer half of the chopped cabbage.
6. Spread half of the uncooked rice over the cabbage.
7. Evenly distribute the beef mixture over the rice layer.
8. Add another layer of the remaining cabbage and rice.
9. Mix beef broth and tomato sauce together; pour over the layers in the casserole dish.
10. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes until the top is slightly browned and bubbly.
11. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

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