Both hearty and comforting, classic cabbage rolls get a marvelous makeover with this cool casserole recipe. Moreover, you can modify it to accommodate a variety of dietary needs or taste preferences. This gluten-free Cabbage Roll Casserole recipe feature from Gail is published in Bronner’s 1st Edition staff cookbook and “is a family favorite.” Without a doubt it’s sure to become one of yours, too! Get the recipe. –
“This recipe came to us in a Taste of Home cookbook given to me by my mother-in-law,” Gail said. “And for vegetarians, a meat substitute would work well in place of the hamburger.”
Indeed, this recipe is full of so many spectacular ingredients that you can tailor to your taste. But what’s more – it’s a recipe that you can adapt through almost any culinary blunder, too, as Lori and I learned.😂 Let me explain …
Cabbage Roll Casserole Cook-Day Catastrophes
Lori and I usually make several recipes from Bronner’s Flavorful Favorites cookbooks in a single day to share with you here throughout the year. Understandably, mistakes are bound to happen in the kitchen when juggling half a dozen recipes. But to date, none have been quite so adventurous, we’ll say, as Gail’s cabbage roll casserole!
Our first mistake was missing the tomato sauce from the ingredient list. Thankfully Lori had some marinara sauce on hand that we were able to use as a substitute.
In the second place, it was getting to be afternoon, and with short winter days here in Michigan, we were racing the clock for sunlight! For that reason we made the mistake of mixing ALL the ingredients together, sans cheese and rice. We knew we’d likely be sacrificing the beautiful layered look of this casserole. But regardless, we found it survivable.
Likewise, we realized once the cabbage roll casserole was baking in the oven that it was missing the RICE! And here is where creativity begins … We decided to serve the casserole atop a bed of rice instead and the results were beautiful without sacrificing any flavor!
PRO PLATING TIP: Use a small bowl to pack rice and then invert onto a plate. The domed rice makes an extra fancy way to serve a humble dish with flare, no doubt!
Cabbage Roll Casserole Substitution Ideas
For the hamburger: Choose ground turkey or sausage. Additionally, you can opt to leave out the meat altogether or use a meat substitute to make it vegetarian.
Green Pepper: While green pepper is classic, choose a red, orange or yellow bell pepper for a sweeter variety.
Hot Sauce: Use your favorite hot sauce if you find a little spice extra nice! Lori opted to try a few drops of the Sriracha she bought for her son-in-law, and it added a lovely zing.
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Hamburger or Ground Turkey optional
- 1 Green Bell Pepper chopped
- 1 Medium Onion chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- 10 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies
- 8 oz. Tomato Sauce
- ½ cup White Rice uncooked
- 1 tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Dried Basil
- ½ tsp. Dried Oregano
- ½ tsp. Pepper
- 4-6 drops Hot Sauce or Sriracha optional
- 1 Small Head of Cabbage chopped
- 4 oz. Colby Cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook the hamburger (or turkey) along with green pepper, onion and garlic until the meat is no longer pink.
- Stir in tomatoes and chilies, tomato sauce, rice, herbs and spices and the hot sauce if using.
- Spread cooked mixture in an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Then top with chopped cabbage. And finally, with cheese.
- Cover the pan and bake at 350° for 65-75 minutes.
Recipes For St. Patrick’s Day
Add this delicious and comforting Cabbage Roll Casserole recipe to your menu for St. Patrick’s Day!
Additionally, our warm Reuben Spread crockpot recipe with shamrock bread is sure to have every one feeling LUCKY!
wonderful recipes.
Thank you Faradeth! Bronner’s Flavorful Favorites has so many tried-and-true gems that Lori and I are constantly amazed on recipe days for the Blog!