Easy Cabbage Roll Lasagna Recipe (A Cozy Family Dinner)

Why I Love Cabbage Roll Lasagna

This cabbage roll (Gołąbki in Polish) inspired recipe cuts the time of making cabbage rolls significantly but keeps all the flavor.

Cabbage roll lasagna - probably 3 words you've never said together. I had extra cabbage from a gardener friend of mine, and wanted to use it up! After making cabbage & noodles, and roasted cabbage & cabbage rolls, I was at a loss for what to do with the remaining cabbage.

I found a great recipe from Bon Appétit; however, the recipe was clunky. There were videos for every step, and the directions were listed in between the videos. It was hard to make the recipe when the directions were hard to find and, in my opinion, out of order. So, I made the recipe myself and made it my way!

How To Prepare The Cabbage

For cabbage roll lasagna, it is important to soften the leaves of the cabbage. This is done by first peeling the leaves off the head of cabbage. Then boil the leaves quickly (20 seconds or so is plenty); do not overcrowd the water. I found boiling a couple leaves at a time worked well.

I placed the leaves on a clean kitchen towel to help catch any excess water while I continued to work.

How To Make The Filling

If you are short on time and don't want to prep the filling/sauce the day before, below is an alternative way to make the filling.

Cabbage Roll Lasagna Filling - Alternative Cooking Method

1. Add onion & ground beef to a dutch oven & cook until the meat is brown on all sides - it is OK if it is still pink in the middle; it will continue to cook during the remaining steps.

2. Remove the grease as best you can

3. Add garlic & dill, gently stir

4. Add tomatoes, cover and let simmer on stove for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes

5. Use this as your sauce in the recipe as usual

Cabbage Rolls Or Cabbage Roll Lasagna?

In my opinion, you can't go wrong with anything cabbage. After making cabbage roll lasagna, I don't think I'll be adding this to my "list of things to do with cabbage". My preference would be to make yummy roasted wedges instead for the sake of time in the kitchen.

While the cabbage roll lasagna was tasty, it was a process to make. Having to make a sauce, par-cook rice, etc., took up time as well as dishes. However, I attempted to make this a "2-dish" meal as much as I could.

Have you tried this recipe? Do you prefer cabbage rolls or cabbage roll lasagna?