Cabbage Roll Casserole is my definition of comfort food. I hesitated to use the word “casserole” when deciding what to name this dish. Casserole does evoke the notion of comfort – in my mind’s eye I see steam rising as the casserole is pulled out of the oven, offering a cheesy promise of a warm belly. But when I think “casserole” I don’t think of much else that involves pleasing the senses. I don’t expect it to be tasty or interesting. I don’t expect it to fill the kitchen with tantalizing aromas. I don’t expect it to be something to savor, bite by bite. I do imagine feeling warm and content, yes.
However, this Cabbage Roll Casserole is not what I think of when I think of a casserole. It’s comforting, but it’s so much more. Most people would call this dish unstuffed cabbage rolls, because all of the same ingredients are used, except that the rest of the ingredients aren’t rolled inside the cabbage. I love cabbage rolls, but I don’t like the fussy step of stuffing and rolling them, so I pivoted to this deconstructed approach.
I actually love it because it gives each of the ingredients, which typically get lost in the mélange, a chance to grab your attention. I use green cabbage rather than savoy because it holds its own and doesn’t disappear into a funk. It’s sweet in that way that cabbage gets when it’s roasted. Sweet with a bit of bite remaining. A bit of baking soda raises the ph of the ground beef so that it browns and caramelizes nicely. The tomatoes provide a acidity that welcomes the cheese and the sour cream. And using fresh dill, which you add in at the end so that its fragrance blooms, is really fresh and alive.
Cabbage Roll Casserole
Equipment
- 12" skillet with lid
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1¼ pounds cabbage
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 t baking soda
- 2 t dried dill
- 2 cups beef stock or broth
- 1 15.5 ounces can of tomato sauce
- 1 15.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 1 t crushed red pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup fresh dill
- grated Parmesan cheese, fresh dill sprigs and sour cream for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the veg and the ground beef – Chop the onion. Chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Chop the fresh dill (for garnish). Gently fold the baking soda into the ground beef.
- Sauté the beef and cabbage – Add the oil to a large skillet. Once it's shimmering, add the beef and the onions. Sauté until the beef is browned, then grate the garlic into the pan, stir, and cook for about a minute more. Pour off any excess fat, then add the cabbage, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef stock, dried dill, and crushed red pepper. Cook on medium heat until the cabbage is softened, about 15 minutes.
- Add the rice – Stir in the rice, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the rice is fully cooked, about 15 minutes longer. Then move the skillet off of the heat and let it rest, still covered, for about 10 minutes.
- Garnish and serve – When the casserole has rested, spoon it into individual serving bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh, chopped dill. Serve, with grated Parmesan on the side.
I googled synonyms for casserole and learned a lot. I couldn’t call this Cabbage Roll Casserole a goulash. American Goulash is made with ground beef and noodles, and Hungarian Goulash is more of a soup scented with paprika. I couldn’t call it a hash because there are no potatoes in this dish. I couldn’t call it potage or gallimaufry or golabki or golumpky or pot au feu or cocotte or ragout. It’s none of those. It’s baked in a casserole dish, so I’m back where I started. Cabbage Roll Casserole it is!
