Stuffed cabbage is delicious and it’s the quintessential Shabbat food.
The only thing I don’t love about it is that it takes for.ever to make. Clean, steam, trim, saute, stuff, cook. Frankly, it’s way too labor-intensive for me.
That’s why I am so excited about this “Unstuffed Cabbage” recipe. It was delicious, comforting and a real crowd pleaser. Even better, it’s super duper easy to prepare.
Just layer the ingredients in your slow cooker, turn it on low, and go about your day.
Sevenish hours later, you’ll have a perfect, steaming bowl of unstuffed cabbage. (Sorry I have no after pictures -had already lit candles before I thought to take one. And there were no left-overs! 😉 )
Slow Cooker Unstuffed Cabbage
Serves 6-8 hungry people
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 T minced onion, or onion powder
- 3-4 minced garlic cloves, or a good shake of garlic powder
- 1 t ground coriander
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg
- 1 medium green cabbage, cored and cut into large chunks
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large can diced or crushed tomatoes
- 2 T tomato paste
- 3 T honey
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup chicken or beef broth (I didn’t have any on hand, so I used 1 tsp of Osem pareve chicken soup mix, dissolved into one cup of boiling water)
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix ground meat, onion, garlic, coriander, egg, and salt and pepper. In a glass measuring cup or bowl, mix tomatoes, tomato paste, honey and lemon juice.
In the slow cooker, layer half of the chopped cabbage. Top with coarsely chopped onions. Pour tomato mixture on top of the onions.
Roll out meatballs – about one-inch in diameter – and layer on top of the tomato mixture. I have a round crockpot, so my meatballs took up two levels – this is fine.
Top meatballs with the remaining cabbage, then pour chicken broth on top.
Turn slow cooker on low and cook for 7-8 ours. As it cooks, you may need to push down the cabbage so that it’s all submerged in the liquid.
Are you looking for more tried-and-true slow cooker recipes? Here are three of my favorites:
I would love to try this. I really like stuffed cabbage; alas, no one else in my family does. I may try this anyway and see if they can expand their culinary horizons. The idea of having dinner all ready is quite appealing!
sounds yum! I have a napa cabbage from my crop-share I was not sure what to use it for.
This looks great and I can make it for Pesach….do you know if it freezes well?? Also what size crock pot do you use?? Thanks
I haven’t tried freezing it, but it do you mean to do it as a “dump” recipe – or to cook it thoroughly and then freeze. We use our biggest crock, which is – I think – 6 quart.
Hope that helps!
I followed your recipe – DELISH! Easy to make, and my kids devoured it. Thanks!
I followed your recipe – Easy to make, and my kids devoured it. Thanks!
So happy to hear that 🙂
I have had this sitting in a pile of recipes for a yr. I, made this evening and it was delisish and so much easier to make. I added raisins. I also have a great stuffed cabbage recipe I have made for years from an old Haddasah cookbook. I might try this in a crockpot . I will let you know. Thanks
SO glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Do you think this would work with the pre-shredded cabbage? I have a few bags that need using!
Also, think the recipe can be halved?
You can definitely halve the recipe, Shelley. I might try adding the bagged cabbage half-way thru the recipe, so it doesn’t cook down too much.
How do you define “large” can of tomatoes? 14.5 oz or the (really?) big 28 oz ones?
Also, what do you serve this with?
Thanks!
Sorry, Rebecca – I missed your question! Yes, “large” = the 28 ounce cans. Sorry about that!
Do you think this recipe can withstand >8 hours in the crockpot, like 16+ hours, for the purposed of making for a regular Shabbat?
Sorry, Rebecca – I missed your question! Yes, “large” = the 28 ounce cans. Sorry about that!
Way too much watery sauce and meatballs had no taste of the sauce in them. I ladled off over two cups liquid, made a new batch of the sauce with a new can of tomatoes, a whole little can of tomato paste, and a bunch of brown sugar, heated it up and then added it stirring it all up. Hopefully with an hour on HIGH it will be okay for my Super Bowl Party. Very disappointed so far!
Sorry to hear that this didn’t turn out for you. I’ve made it many times and it’s always been great. I wonder if you didn’t cook it long enough, or if you used too big of a container of sauce.
Don’t know what the problem was, but everyone loved the final version, so all is well that ends well. Thanks!
Good to hear!
Would this work with ground turkey instead of ground beef? Thanks!
I don’t see why not!! 🙂
Have made for family already and they love it!! How long to cook on high if I need cooked more quickly? Thanks!
I don’t think this turns out as well when cooked on high – the meat gets dry, IMO. If you’re really in a rush, try to do 1 hour on high, then cut 2.5 hours off the low time. That might still work out with more moisture.
Is your T tablespoon or teaspoon
Moadim lsimcha Mara!
Thank you, this was delicious and so helpful to make in a crockpot. Actually put in inearly morning erev yom tov and was cooking while we ran errands – great that no one needed to stay home to tend to oven/stove.
So happy to hear you enjoyed – it’s easy and delicious, which is the ultimate sweet spot! 🙂 Chag Sameach! xxoo