Beef rice cabbage casserole is an easy healthy dish to put together on busy weeknights. Everything is cooked together in one pot, making clean-up easier. Rice is already mixed in so the meal is ready to serve on its own!

Beef Rice Cabbage Casserole
Need a quick, easy dinner idea? This beef rice cabbage casserole is the perfect combination. I’m a big fan of one-pot dinner recipes. Everything is cooked together in one pot or pan making cooking and clean up so much easier!
For this recipe, ground beef is browned in a frying pan and topped with a mixture of green cabbage, rice, tomatoes, and spices. This recipe is great for busy weeknights when you need something simple, inexpensive and delicious! My husband loves this recipe – leftovers also make really great lunches.

Beef Rice Cabbage Casserole Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Ground Beef – You’ll need 1 lb of ground beef for this recipe. You can also use lean ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Rice – I used short grain brown rice, but you can use any kind you want here. You’ll need 1 cup of cooked rice – you can use leftover rice from another meal, or cook the rice earlier in the day in a rice cooker (this is what I did).
- Cabbage – I love using cabbage in meals because it’s healthy and inexpensive. You’ll need 5 cups of cabbage sliced thin.
- Onion – One small onion diced, white onion or yellow onion will work.
- Spices – This recipe uses a few simple spices including Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Tomatoes – You’ll need 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 cup of crushed tomatoes (or spaghetti sauce).
Equipment Used
I used a cast iron brasier which is oven safe. This makes it so easy to cook on the stove first then add the dish straight to the oven for baking.
Any oven-safe dish will work here, including a dutch oven. You could also cook the ingredients in a frying pan on the stove, then pour them into an oven-safe casserole dish or cake pan to finish the job.

How To Make Beef Rice Cabbage Casserole
From start to finish, this recipe can be on your family’s plates in about 45 minutes.
- Cook The Rice: You’ll need 1 cup of cooked rice for this recipe. This can be leftovers from another meal, or rice cooked in advance. I like to use a rice cooker.
- Prep The Vegetables: I like to wash and prep all my vegetables first. For this recipe, you’ll need to dice half of an onion and slice the green cabbage into thin strips.
- Cook Onion: In an oven-safe pot or a frying pan, cook the onion until it turns translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Ground Beef: Add the ground beef and break into smaller pieces. Let it cook until it starts to brown.
- Add Rest Of Ingredients: Add cabbage, cooked rice, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and spices. Mix it all together. Cover and sautee for 3-5 minutes.
- Bake 30 Minutes: Now transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 350F uncovered (If you used a frying pan you can pour the ingredients into a casserole dish to bake). Give a quick stir half way through.
Keep scrolling down for the full recipe card with more details.

More Easy Dinner Recipes
I’m sure you’ll need some more delicious dinner inspiration in your back pocket, so here are a few recipes to save for later:
- Swedish Meatballs (gluten-free, dairy-free) – Made with extra lean ground beef and a gravy sauce that’s full of flavor.
- Mushroom Kale Pasta – Perfect for busy weeknights.
- Chickpea Zucchini Stir Fry Wraps – The base of the wraps is created with a fast stir fry.
- Pineapple Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner – a delicious all-in-one meal without a lot of fuss.
- Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet – Easy, simple and delicious.
Did you love this ground beef cabbage casserole? Be sure to leave a rating below!

Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 small yellow onion - diced
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes - drained
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt and pepper - ½ tsp for each
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes - or spaghetti sauce
- 5 cups green cabbage - finely sliced
Instructions
- In advance: Cook the rice according to package instructions and the way you normally do (I use a rice cooker). You'll need 1 cup of cooked rice.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Slice the cabbage into thin strips. You'll need 5 cups worth.
- Heat a frying pan or oven-safe pot with a bit of cooking oil. Add in the chopped onion. Cook until the onion turns translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef. Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink.
- Add the cabbage, cooked rice, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes (or spaghetti sauce), Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix together.
- Cover with a lid and sautee for 3-5 minutes, stirring occassionally.
- If using a frying pan, transfer to an oven save casserole dish (my dish is oven safe). Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Give a quick stir before dishing on to plates to serve.
Nutrition
Please note these nutritional values provided above are just an estimate. Actual numbers will vary based on brands and ingredients you choose, and your preferred portion sizes.