Easy Unstuffed Cabbage Recipe to Make in One Pot

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This unstuffed cabbage recipe is an easy way to make traditional cabbage rolls without a lot of work. These deconstructed cabbage rolls cook up easily all in one large pot making it the perfect recipe for busy weeknights. 

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Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Ingredients 

To make this easy unstuffed cabbage roll recipe you need a few simple ingredients. The main ingredients for this low-carb recipe will be cabbage and ground beef, but you do have a lot of flexibility when making adjustments if you want to. You will need: 

• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 1 head of green cabbage, (Medium size, 6-8 cups roughly chopped)
• 2 (14oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce
• 1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp ACV (apple cider vinegar)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp paprika
• ​fresh parsley, for garnish

One Pot Unstuffed Cabbage and Ground Beef

First, start with a drizzle of olive oil and two pounds of ground beef in a large pot. We love our Caraway nonstick, non-toxic, ceramic cookware. You can find it online here: Caraway Cookware. Cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until brown and crumbly, approximately 5-7 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up while it cooks. 

Next, add the onion to the pot and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. 

Then add the rest of the ingredients. Pour the diced tomatoes into the pot. 

Add the rich tomato sauce. 

Add the minced garlic to the pot. You can use garlic powder if you do not have fresh garlic cloves. Typically, substitute roughly 1/2 tsp garlic powder per one clove of garlic. 

Then add the spices to the pot. Salt and pepper to taste and increase the spices to suit your personal preference as desired. 

Next, add the apple cider vinegar and broth to the pot. 

Lastly, add the chopped cabbage leaves.

A good measure of cabbage for cups to head of cabbage size is:

small cabbage	5 cups chopped
medium cabbage	6-8 cups chopped
large cabbage	10 cups chopped

Stir the lazy cabbage rolls ingredients together in the pot to combine. 

Bring to a boil on medium heat, then cover, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until the cabbage is tender and the cabbage roll flavors meld together.

Easy Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

This lazy version of classic cabbage rolls is a great recipe for the whole family. It is a total comfort food that cooks up in a fraction of the time and with less work than traditional stuffed cabbage rolls. Win-win! 

Garnish this delicious meal with fresh parsley and serve with white rice, cauliflower rice, or egg noodles for a delicious weeknight meal. 

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, and enjoy this easy one pot meal again the next day as a side dish or complete meal.

FAQs and Recipe Adjustments

You can always adjust a recipe to your own personal preference. Doing this may yield different results.

• Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef? Yes, you can definitely swap out the beef for ground turkey or ground chicken. 
• ​How can I give this recipe a little bit more kick? If you prefer a bit more heat you can add a little hot sauce to your recipe, or other fiery spices. 

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