If you need an easy way to use a lot of cabbage, try this super tasty cabbage and ground beef recipe. This quick dinner will make an excellent addition to your weekly rotation!
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❤️ Why you'll love it
This easy meal uses just one pot, meaning clean-up is fast and easy. It's the perfect dish for busy weeknights, especially when you're short on time.
This cabbage stir fry recipe also requires minimal ingredients, which makes it budget-friendly. A handful of basic ingredients is all you need to create this mouth-watering recipe.
It is also a perfect choice for those on a keto diet but does not feel like diet food. Your whole family will not be able to get enough of it!
🧾 Ingredients Used
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You only need a few ingredients for this easy ground beef dish.
- Cabbage: I use one small cabbage for this recipe.
- Ground beef: I use lean ground beef, but you can use any ground meat of your choice.
- Vegetables: Diced tomatoes, onions, and garlic cloves. You can also use tomato sauce.
- Spices: Bouillon powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and salt.
🔪 How To Make This Recipe
This easy dinner recipe comes together very quickly.
- Place ground beef in a large pan or large cast-iron skillet on medium heat.
- Break up the ground beef with a wooden spoon, and cook till the meat is browned.
- Move the ground meat to one side and add the chopped onions and garlic.
- When it's done, pour in the diced tomatoes and the rest of the spices.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
- Taste for salt and adjust.
- Add the chopped cabbage, stir, and cook with the pot covered till the cabbage becomes soft.
🥫 Storing and Reheating
You can store this easy cabbage recipe in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will remain fresh this way for up to five days.
You can also preserve it for longer if you want. Ensure you put the leftovers into a freezer-safe airtight container before freezing. It should keep for about two to three months.
To reheat frozen cabbage stir fry, defrost it by thawing it in the fridge overnight. Then warm it in a skillet on medium to high heat.
💭 Tips on making this recipe
- Throw in your favorite fresh herbs and spices for the lip-smacking taste you love.
- You can add a little olive oil if you don't have enough from the ground beef to saute the onions and garlic.
- If the stir fry is getting a little dry and the cabbage is not done yet, add about a quarter cup of beef broth or chicken broth.
- Add some soy sauce or coconut aminos for more complex flavor.
Recipe variations
- For a delicious variation, substitute ground beef with ground turkey, sausages, or chicken.
- You can add some of your favorite fresh veggies like green onions, bell pepper, or broccoli.
- Add some cheddar cheese or sour cream to make it even creamier!
🍽️ What can I eat this recipe with?
This delicious dish goes great with white rice or brown rice. For a low carb option, enjoy it with some shirataki noodles, cauliflower rice, or keto bread.
👩🍳 Frequently asked questions
Cabbage is so versatile; it goes with a host of different meats, from beef to chicken, turkey to pork, or lamb. Get creative and cook up the meat of your choice with some cabbage; you cannot go wrong.
You can season ground beef with salt, pepper, onions, and garlic. However, seasoning ground beef with salt too early might draw out the water from it, leaving it dry. Also, allow it to start to brown before adding salt, or it might prevent the meat from doing so.
Cabbage is a versatile vegetable, so there are so many ways to prepare it. You can cook it, eat it raw, and much more. Eat it riced, raw in a salad, or as a wrap.
📚 Related Recipes
Need more cabbage recipes? Check these out!
📖 Recipe
Cabbage and Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 small cabbage chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 can diced tomatoes 15oz
- 1 cup onions chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon bouillon powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place ground beef in a large pan or large cast-iron skillet on medium heat.
- Break up the ground beef with a wooden spoon, and cook till the meat is browned.
- Move the ground meat to one side and add the chopped onions and garlic.
- When it's done, pour in the diced tomatoes and the rest of the spices.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
- Taste for salt and adjust.
- Add the chopped cabbage, stir, and cook with the pot covered till the cabbage becomes soft.
Notes
- Throw in your favorite fresh herbs and spices for the lip-smacking taste you love.
- You can add a little olive oil if you don't have enough from the ground beef to saute the onions and garlic.
- If the stir fry is getting a little dry and the cabbage is not done yet, add about a quarter cup of beef broth or chicken broth.
- Add some soy sauce or coconut aminos for more complex flavor.
I always make recipes the first time according to recipe. It was good but my husband and I found it a little bland. I’m going to do it again and up the spices.
We made this last night. I don't like cabbage but I was looking for a recipe to mask the cabbage flavor and it worked. This was a hit at my house. I don't eat beef and substituted ground beef for ground turkey. My daughter even asked for us to save her some for lunch the next day.... that's always a good sign!
I'm glad you both enjoyed it!
Made this tonight. Was so delicious! Not a drop left.
Yay!
I'm definitely adding this to my recipe box. I regularly do a similarly themed eggroll in bowl reipce and these are a great way to fill up without a ton of calories. I often sub out half the meat for cooked brown lentils for an even bigger nutrition powerhouse without losing any flavour. Thanks for giving me another tasty option for healthy recipes.
You're welcome and thanks for stopping by!
Tastes as good as it smells
I'm glad you enjoyed the cabbage stew, Roderick!
I have some leftover spaghetti sauce I could cook down a bit and add the cabbage for an even easier version. Hmmmm, thanks for the idea! Happy cooking!
You're welcome, Ginny!
Printed out for myself and a lady that is cooking for a nursing home, I thought it would be a quick and easy meal and easily digested for elderly people.
What exactly is bouillon powder?
It's a concentrated powder mix that gives the dish a lot of flavor. I have a link in the post to the brand I use. Of course, you can omit it and use your favorite spices instead.
Hi, will be trying this recipe tomorrow. I saw that it's 6 servings. What would you say the serving size is?