In one way, this is a quick meal…that is, if you plan ahead. I make this easy cabbage rolls casserole the night before, and cook them when I get home. You can also leave them in a slow cooker, or on a timer. Preparation takes me about 30-45 minutes.
Cabbage Rolls for two:
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 diced onion
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/4 cup salsa
- salt, pepper
- 1 tin (10 oz) tomato soup
- 1 cabbage (the looser the leaves, the better)
I start by putting the ground beef in a pot over medium heat with the lid on, while I dice the onion. Then I add it to the beef, along with salt and pepper (to taste) and stir every few minutes, until the beef has lost it’s pinkness and the onion is transparent. Drain off any fat, then add the tomato and salsa. Set aside.
I cut the stump off the cabbage, and core out as much as I can, then put it in a Dutch oven, with the lid on and bring to a boil.After a few minutes, the outer leaves should start to loosen. I sneak a spoon between the leaves and start wriggling it to get the leaves off. Once the outer leaves are off, I leave the rest of it on the boil, and use the loose leaves to make my cabbage rolls.
Put a spoonful of meat mixture on the leaf, and roll it up, tucking the sides in . Place in a casserole dish. When I’ve used up all the meat mixture, I put the dish in the fridge overnight.
The next day, I pour the can of tomato soup over the cabbage rolls, and half a can of beef broth or water over that. I cook it at 350F for about an hour.
If you would like to omit the rice, a good substitute is raw cauliflower that has been pulverized in the blender. We leave our meat raw and cook everything in the oven once rolled.
Tip: They taste better reheated the next day with additional tomato sauce on top.
That’s an interesting substitution…it would make it even more Weight Watchers friendly than it is already. Thanks. I definitely agree that they are better the next day:)