Home » Blog » Blog » Paleo Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

Paleo Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

Do you love cabbage rolls but don’t have the time to roll each one before cooking? Well, I have the perfect solution for you.

This recipe for unstuffed cabbage rolls gives you all of the taste without all of the hassle of traditional cabbage rolls. Plus, you can make the entire recipe in one-pot, which makes cleanup a breeze. How great is that?

Recipe Modifications and Substitutions

Of course, the recipe tastes delicious exactly as it’s written. However, here are a few modifications and substitutions you can make depending on the ingredients that are available to you.

• You can use any ground meat that you prefer instead of ground beef. Ground bison and ground pork have a similar taste to ground beef. However, ground chicken or ground turkey would be just as delicious.
• To save time, you can use pre-shredded coleslaw mix instead of shredding or slicing a cabbage by hand. The slicing blade attachment on a food processor is also a great time saver when shredding cabbage.
• You can add one or two shredded carrots for a bit of extra vegetables, and no one will even know they are in there.
• You can use plain paprika instead of smoked paprika, but smoked paprika adds just a bit of an extra depth of flavor.
• You can use about 4 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes.
• If you prefer the sauce to be a bit thicker, add 7 oz (or 200 g) of tomato sauce. You can always add more tomato sauce (or water) if it is too thick.
• Apple cider vinegar can be used instead of red wine vinegar.
• And if you miss the rice like in traditional cabbage rolls, you can always add cauliflower “rice” to the dish. You can either serve the dish over cauliflower “rice” or add it to the pot when you add the cabbage.

Other Ground Beef Recipes

• Of course, you can’t have a ground beef recipe list without burgers and this recipe for Paleo Burgers on Sesame Buns is the perfect recipe to enjoy. And if you want a cheeseburger but without the dairy, be sure to top the burgers with a slice of my Keto Cauliflower Cheese.
• Paleo Bolognese Zoodles Recipe is a great freezer-friendly option that you can batch cook and freeze. Just skip the zucchini “noodles” (aka zoodles) and freeze just the sauce.
• If you love spaghetti and meatballs, then you should definitely try my Paleo Italian Spaghetti Meatball Bake, which can be made with zucchini “noodles” or spaghetti squash.
• Paleo Meat Lover’s Quiche Recipe is one of my favorite recipes to enjoy as leftovers. I like to cook it the day before and refrigerate it to enjoy the next day for an easy lunch or quick dinner.
• But if you have the time to make cabbage rolls, then you should definitely try my Cumin Spiced Beef Wraps Recipe that is a slight twist on traditional cabbage rolls.

And if you are hungry for more cabbage recipes, be sure to check out these 35 Paleo cabbage recipes your grandma would be proud of for more ideas.

Paleo Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

---

• Author: Louise Hendon
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Main
• Cuisine: American

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• Olive oil, for cooking
• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
• 1 medium onion (4 oz or 110 g), thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) smoked paprika
• 1 head cabbage (1.5 lb or 700 g), thinly sliced or shredded
• 2 (14 oz or 400 g) cans diced (or chopped) tomatoes
• 1 (14 oz or 400 g) can tomato sauce
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons (2 g) chopped fresh parsley (for garnish, optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

---

Instructions

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef and saute until just browned, using a wooden spoon, break into small pieces.
2. Add the sliced onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the onion is softened.
3. Add the tomato paste, cinnamon, and paprika to the pan and cook for 3 minutes until the mixture starts to caramelize.
4. Add the sliced cabbage, tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, and red wine vinegar to the pan and increase the heat to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the cabbage is tender. (If desired, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil to further reduce the sauce until desired thickness is reached.) Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Garnish the dish with optional chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

All nutritional data are estimated and based on per serving amounts.

Net Carbs per serving: 23 g

Nutrition

• Serving Size: ¼ recipe
• Calories: 457
• Sugar: 18 g
• Fat: 24 g
• Carbohydrates: 34 g
• Fiber: 11 g
• Protein: 25 g