Lazy Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Casserole

Name: Lazy Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 495 min
Ingredients: 6 cups cabbage (coarsely chopped); 8 slices bacon (chopped); 2c cups onion (chopped); 1 pound ground beef (turkey, pork, chicken or sausage, or a combination of 2); 2 tablespoons garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon pepper; 1 1/2 cups long grain rice; 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes (with liquid); 2 cups vegetable broth; 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce ( more or less to taste); cooking spray

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My mom made cabbage rolls and they were so much work! Now I make this lazy slow cooker cabbage roll casserole! This one-pot meal takes less effort but delivers the same great taste with lots of bacon flavor!

Bowl of slow cooker cabbage roll casserole on the table.

I make these crockpot unstuffed cabbage rolls whenever I am feeling nostalgic and thinking about my childhood.

When I was young my mother used to make a big batch of cabbage rolls and store a bunch in the freezer and I loved them. What I didn’t love was how much work they were.

A few years ago I was complaining about it to a friend and she suggested making it into a lazy cabbage roll casserole instead! Now, instead of making individual cabbage rolls, I make this recipe whenever the craving strikes!

I still can’t believe how easy this crockpot cabbage casserole is to make! All it takes is a little prep and then the slow cooker does the rest.

If you love using your slow cooker for hands-free cooking, you need to check out this ham and rice casserole or this delightful chicken tator tot casserole.

To any of these one-pot meals, add a simple salad or crusty garlic bread or homemade cornbread and you’re good to go!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Make your entire dinner in one pot.
Prepare a dinner that tastes exactly like a cabbage roll without all of the work!
Cabbage casserole with ground beef works great with just about any ground meat. Choose from ground turkey to chicken, pork, beef, sausage, or a combination of any two.

Ingredients in Lazy Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Casserole

Don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients in this easy to make lazy man’s cabbage rolls. The prep at the start takes only about 15 minutes and then slowly cooks throughout the day.

Ingredients to make slow cooker cabbage casserole.

Cabbage: Green cabbage works best in this recipe. Purple cabbage bleeds its color out turning the dish a vibrant red or purple color that isn’t super appealing.
Bacon: Gives delicious smoky, meaty flavor to the unstuffed cabbage rolls.
Onion and garlic: The foundation of the flavors in this dish.
Ground meat: Use ground beef, pork, chicken, turkey, or sausage.
Long grain rice: Long grain rice cooks up fluffier than other varieties of rice.
Diced tomatoes: Using canned tomatoes saves some time to the prep.
Broth: Boosts the flavor in the dish.
Hot pepper sauce: Just a dash to add a little extra zing.

How to Make Lazy Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Casserole

Here are the step-by-step photos and instructions for making this easy one-pot dish for dinner. For the complete instructions, check the recipe card further down on the page.

Cabbage in the bottom of the slow cooker.

To start, prepare your slow cooker with a light coating of cooking spray. Sprinkle three cups of chopped cabbage on the bottom of your slow cooker spreading it out evenly.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and place it to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set bacon aside for a bit.

Onions and garlic in a skillet with the meat.

Meat and veggies added to the slow cooker.

Partially wipe the skillet you used to cook the bacon with a paper towel so only a few tablespoons of bacon grease remain inside the skillet. Add onion, ground meat, garlic, and pepper. Cook until the onions are tender and the ground meat is evenly browned and no longer pink.
Drain in a colander in the sink to remove as much grease as possible and add on top of the cabbage in your slow cooker.
In a good-sized bowl combine the diced tomatoes with liquid, broth, and hot pepper sauce.

Add the rice to the slow cooker on top of the meat mixture.
Then sprinkle the crisp bacon on top of the rice.

Sprinkle the remaining cabbage on top of the bacon.
Pour the tomato mixture as evenly as possible all over the top of the casserole. Do not stir it at all.

Cabbage roll casserole finished cooking in the slow cooker.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for about 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5. Stir before serving! Enjoy!

Substitutions

Don’t have the correct ingredients on hand? Or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this crockpot unstuffed cabbage rolls.

Bacon: You can swap the bacon for diced ham, Canadian bacon or go fancy with a bit of pancetta. All will add a bit of meaty, smoky flavor to this lazy cabbage rolls recipe.
Broth: In a pinch you can use water but I do find the broth adds a bit more flavor than water alone.
Canned tomatoes: Swap out the canned tomatoes for 4 fresh, peeled Roma tomatoes instead. Add an additional one-half cup of broth or water.

Close up of lazy cabbage roll casserole served up in a bowl.

Variations

Want to personalize this slow cooker cabbage roll casserole? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.

Vegetarian: Cut the ground meat and bacon. Add some veggie meat crumbles instead and a bit of liquid smoke to imitate the flavor of the bacon.
Spicy: Add in some crushed red pepper just before serving to give it a bit more zing.

If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy cabbage and kielbasa recipe.

Equipment

All you need are a handful of basic kitchen tools to cook up slow cooker lazy cabbage rolls

Slow cooker
Cutting board and knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Skillet
Wooden spoon
Plate and paper towel

Storage

Refrigerator: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Freezer: To make leftovers last longer you can store them in the freezer for up to three months. If making a big batch for meal prep, separate it out into individual servings to freeze for an easy meal in the future.
Reheat: If frozen, thaw out in the refrigerator overnight and then heat on the stove for 5-10 minutes over medium heat until heated through.

Tips

Drain the cooked meat well after browning it in the skillet.
Use green cabbage. Purple cabbage will bleed out into the pot and result in an unappetizing color.
Don’t stir the ingredients before cooking. Everything will cook perfectly in the crockpot similar to a layered casserole.
Cook the veggies and ground beef in the bacon grease before adding to the crockpot. This adds even more flavor to the dish and the browned beef is less greasy than raw.

Bowl of lazy cabbage roll casserole slow cooker on the table with a fork.

FAQ

Do you have questions about Lazy Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Casserole? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this cabbage roll casserole.

Can I make this recipe on the stove top?

Yes, I recommend following the same instructions as listed below for the slow cooker. Instead of layering all the ingredients in the slow cooker, layer them in dutch oven. Then cook on top of the stove on medium-low heat for one hour or in the oven at 350° F for one hour. It’s ready when the cabbage has wilted and everything is heated all the way through.

What is the best type of cabbage for cabbage rolls?

Green works the best for its neutral color. Avoid purple cabbage or napa cabbage which isn’t sturdy enough when cooked to hold all the ingredients together. When making unstuffed cabbage rolls just about any type of cabbage works except for the purple.

More Beef Slow Cooker Recipes

If you specifically want more ground beef slow cooker reicpes try this cheesy taco beef hash!

I am a huge slow cooker fan and this recipe is near the top of my favorites list. This casserole is so good we decided to make a video for you to see. Take a moment to have a look below!