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When the craving for cabbage rolls hits, it hits hard. Which is why this quick and easy unstuffed cabbage rolls recipe is so darn awesome. In just 30 minutes you can dig in by skipping the tedious hand rolling and oven-baking, and still enjoy the flavors of cabbage rolls you grew up loving.
Table of Contents
As much as I take pride in making the Ukrainian cabbage rolls I grew up on, they’re tedious and you have to set aside an entire afternoon to make them. There’s the hand-rolling and the hours of baking…not exactly ideal when you’ve got a busy schedule! And not at all ideal when the craving for cabbage rolls randomly hits you midweek. That’s why I love this comfort food recipe for unstuffed cabbage rolls so much. It’s an incredibly simple and hearty skillet meal that you can whip up for dinner on any given weeknight, it’s super flavorful, and it’s great leftover.
Looking for more quick skillet dinners? This ground turkey stir fry with cabbage is absolutely delicious. If you love slurping noodles, you’ll love my beef stir fry with Ramen noodles. And though it may look fancy, this lemony chicken piccata is super simple and a family fave!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s quick & easy—This recipe truly simplifies everything about the cabbage roll. Cabbage rolls are a labor of love and always worth the effort, but I do wonder why we bother when you can get the same flavors from a much simpler method.
- It’s healthy—My version uses lean ground turkey to lighten things up a bit. This is great for anyone trying to reduce red meat consumption or is being conscious about heart health. And you get the same great flavor!
Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cabbage—Savoy cabbage has always been my go-to for making cabbage rolls. Any cabbage works, but savoy leaves tend to be looser and more pliable. I also love the texture.
- Tomato juice—A lot of cabbage roll recipes call for tomato sauce, but in my family, our Ukrainian cabbage rolls have always kept it simple with 100% pure tomato juice.
- Onion—I prefer using a sweet onion, but red onion (which is all I could find before making this recipe) will work.
- Rice—I like using arborio rice because it’s fluffy and almost creamy.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Meat—I lightened up this recipe by using ground turkey, but you could use ground beef, ground chicken, or a mixture of ground beef and ground pork (or ground sausage).
- Rice—Both long grain or short grain rice work. You can omit the rice entirely if you’re doing low-carb. For a more nutrient-dense grain, you could use quinoa, but you’d really be straying from the traditional cabbage roll.
Important Tip!
Instead of spending time blanching the cabbage leaves, simply buy the cabbage ahead of time and freeze it. Then, the night before you plan to cook with it, fill your sink with cold water and set the head of cabbage into it overnight. By morning, your cabbage will be thawed and the leaves, perfectly pliable! No need to boil.
How to Make Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
Step 1. Cook the rice a per the package’s instructions. You can cook it in chicken broth to add more flavor if you want.
Step 2. While the rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep pan or skillet. Add the onions, and sauté until tender and fragrant—about 3-5 minutes.
Step 3. Add the ground turkey to the pan along with 1 teaspoon of sea salt and about 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Cook until the turkey is cooked through, breaking it into crumbles with a spatula as you go. Once the turkey is cooked, stir in the garlic and let it simmer for about 30 seconds.
Step 4. Add the chopped cabbage to the skillet and pour in half of the tomato juice. Stir, cover, and let it simmer on low for about 5 minutes.
Step 5. Stir in the rice, add the rest of the tomato juice, and cover again, letting it all simmer for about 10 minutes or until the tomato juice thickens a bit.
Step 6. The end result should be a nice thick mixture. Serve with a dollop of sour cream!
How to Serve Them
For me, this dish is a meal by itself. You’ve got your protein, your veg, and your starch. Add a nice hunk of sour cream or, for more protein, plain Greek yogurt, and you’re set! But if you want options, these air fryer green beans are a great pairing. And you can’t go wrong with oven-roasted broccoli with nutritional yeast.
Storage, Reheating, & Freezing
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, you can transfer your portion to a microwave-safe dish and heat in the microwave in increments of 30 seconds until warmed through. (This stuff is also good cold, just like actual cabbage rolls.)
- You can freeze unstuffed cabbage rolls in freezer-safe airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as suggested above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, just like actual cabbage rolls, unstuffed cabbage rolls can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. After 6 months, the quality and texture will start to diminish.
I keep the flavoring super simple with just sea salt, pepper, garlic, onions, and tomato juice. This perfectly reflects the cabbage rolls I grew up with. Some people like to add paprika for a smoky flare, or dried herbs like oregano for a more herbaceous flavor. You can definitely play around and see what you like best.
Cabbage needs to be blanched when making cabbage rolls as this softens the texture and makes it more pliable. I skip the blanching process by freezing the head of cabbage and then letting it thaw in a cool water bath the night before use. This does the same thing without the hassle of blanching individual leaves.
More Tasty Ground Turkey Recipe to Try…
If you try this Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls With Ground Turkey recipe, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls with Ground Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 onion, diced, I like using sweet onion, but red or white are fine.
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tsp sea salt, more to taste if needed
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 head of savoy cabbage, roughly chopped, *See notes on how to prepare/blanch
- 4 cups 100% pure tomato juice
- 1 cup cooked rice, I like to use arborio rice
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, to serve
Instructions
- Cook the rice a per the instructions on the package. Tip: For a little extra flavor, cook it in chicken broth.
- While the rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep pan or skillet. Add the onions and sauté until tender and fragrant—about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the ground turkey to the pan along and season with 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Simmer until the turkey is cooked through, breaking it into crumbles with a spatula as you go.
- When the turkey is cooked, stir in the garlic and let it simmer for about 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped cabbage to the skillet and pour in half of the tomato juice. Stir, cover, and let it simmer on low for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the rice, add the rest of the tomato juice, and cover again, letting it all simmer for about 5 minutes or until the tomato juice thickens a bit.
- The end result should be a nice thick mixture. Serve with a dollop of sour cream!
Question- does this call for one cup of uncooked rice, cooked per package directions or just a cup of cooked rice?
Hi Lisa! It’s a cup of cooked rice.
Fantastic. We loved it. Will make it again. Dieter friendly…thank you.
What would happen if I used uncooked rice?
(Asking for a friend!)
You’d want to cook it a lot longer, and have extra liquid on hand!
I know food’s good when my hubby wants seconds! I love how I could make this with staple ingredients i already had in my kitchen. This is also a great healthy alternative to spaghetti and meat sauce! I will definitely be making this one again.
So happy to hear this, Seara! The second helping is always a great tell :)
This was yummy – but mad way to much. Can you freeze the leftovers?
Absolutely, Cindy! You can freeze it in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
Do you know serving size and nutrition values
Hi Carrie, this makes about 6 servings and comes in at around 230 calories per serving, according to MyFitnessPal.com. That’s without the sour cream.
I make this all the time using turkey, and for the diced tomatoes i get the Hunt’s diced tomatoes with basil and oregano or garlic. Hubby absolutely loves it. I also have tried red cabbage, not as good, but regular green cabbage works well.
Hi Susan! I’m so glad you and hubby are enjoying this one. It’s so comforting and this is the perfect time of year for it. Now that it’s in mind, I think I need to make it soon ;)